Home comforts finally turned up for Welwyn Garden City and in style too against Aylesbury United.

The 3-0 success was their first points of the season at Herns Lane and were thoroughly well deserved too, the result propelling them to 11th in the Southern League Division One Central table.

Boss Max Mitchell rang the changes from the FA Trophy loss to New Salamis, restoring a well again Joe Russell to the centre of defence and putting Ali Njie into midfield.

Both changes had a devastating effect on the side, as Russell shone in a strong and experienced backline and Njie added steel and no little skill to the Citizens’ midfield, as the pair vied for man of the match honours.

WGC took the lead on nine minutes too, a cross by Cheyce Grant nodded back into the middle by Joe Dearman and turned it by Max Jessop.

Seven minutes later it was 2-0.

Grant put in a long, dipping free-kick that Njie attacked and his strong, downward header past Aylesbury keeper Archie Davis.

There were other good breaks from City before the interval, the best of which saw Jessop win the ball in midfield and feed Josh Hutchinson.

He put Grant in on goal but the winger ignored other options to put a shot well wide of the near post.

The Citizens introduced Joe Sutton on 65 minutes, one of two new midfielders signed just before the game, the other being ex-Hendon man Matty Newman late on.

Sutton, a former St Neots Town player who joined from Stotfold, almost made an instant impact with some clever skill beating three men but he was denied an immediate debut goal by skewing the shot wide.

City's captain, goalkeeper Charlie Crowley had to push a dipping effort from Herbie Townsend over his own bar, as the Ducks began to sense a late revival.

But any hopes of an Aylesbury comeback were totally quashed with a third for the home club 13 minutes from time.

Russell, who had been outstanding in defence, came forward for a corner to meet it and an absolute bullet of a header on the near post gave visiting keeper Davis no chance.

WGC: Crowley, Hinds-Cadette, Doherty, Russell, Steel, Njie, Lowen (Sutton 65), Jessop, Grant (Newman 85), Hutchinson (Smith 75), Dearman.

Subs (not used): Sayer, Franklin.