Aveley vs Grays Athletic (From Thurrock Gazette)

9:41pm

Thank you very much for following this evening! I hope you enjoyed the coverage.

9:40pm

Really big win for Blues. With two games in hand, that puts them ten points behind Maldon and Tiptree the league leaders. Aveley remain in the play off hunt, but that could just end their title hopes.

9:36pm

Free kick midway inside the Aveley half, too Aveley. Very last chance here.

Baker clears!

9:35pm

Last moments of the game. Long punt into the box by Foster but the free kick is given against Aveley on the edge of Blues' box.

9:34pm

Joe Sweeney on for Jared Small now.

9:34pm

Free kick just inside the Grays half which Stevenson takes. Foster is up for it! After a bit of pinball, started by Johnson failing to get hold of it, the ball goes behind.

9:32pm

Sellears hits the post!!!! Great stuff from the wide man again who has been excellent since coming on. He picks the ball up on the right of the box and his cross come shot is turned onto the pose by an Aveley forward (Stevenson I think) before bouncing out for Johnson to jump on.

9:31pm

One minute of normal time to play.

Grays lead but the game's finely balanced!

9:29pm

Nice stuff again by Sellears who is making things happen down the right. He crosses into Stevenson who heads straight at Johnson. Much better from Millers, who are getting frustrated that they aren't getting the run of the green when it comes to referee decisions.

9:27pm

Great play from Sheldon Sellears, who just lacks the composure at the end. Comes in off the right with a great turn. Plays a neat one-two and carries the ball into the box, but fires high over the bar.

9:25pm

Corner for Grays now. The visitors looking much more likely to double their lead than Aveley do of scoring a leveller.

Lacked any focal point since Cox was red carded.

9:21pm

GREAT SAVE by Foster. Wonderful curling effort from Bunce, Foster at full stretch tips it over.

The corner is cleared to Flynn who tries an ambitious 30 yard half volley that curls wide.

9:20pm

Free kick in a very dangerous area now. Thomas on Hammond again, ball right on the edge of the box...

9:19pm

Class from Lalite, using his strength well to shied the ball in his own half and lay the ball of to a defender to clear. Played very well the little man!

9:18pm

Free kick to Grays right in the corner, Thomas on Hammond. Needless shove by Thomas, Hammond was going nowhere.

Bunce with it, well punched clear by Foster.

9:14pm

Interesting tactic been used by Grays this evening, they're defending from the front (as they often do) but it's meaning Aveley can't ping the ball up to their pacey forwards as defenders are being closed down so quickly.

Sheldon Sellears on for Junior Appiah now in Millers last substitution.

9:12pm

Been very few chances so far in the second half.

Joao Carlos has just worked himself into a good position in the box, but wanted too long to decide what to do, pass or shoot from a tight angle. He's well tackled in the end.

9:11pm

Ade Cole on for Paul Burnett now.

9:08pm

There's been an Aveley sub by the way, Jack Stevenson has replaced Rashid Kamara.

Stevenson has just had a good low shot saved by Johnson.

9:04pm

Cox was shown a second yellow for the challenge, not the fracas.

9:00pm

Good stuff from both sides now as Burnett crosses towards Cox, Baker stretches to deny the ball reaching Cox before the Aveley striker overhead kicks it toward goal. Blocked by Baker and cleared. Great invention from Cox and great intervention from the Blues defence.

8:59pm

Fantastic claim in the air by Johnson under pressure from Nesbitt's cross.

8:58pm

Really risky ball across the box by Flynn as he attempts a switch to Pope. Cox picks it out the air with is right boot before volleying a shot at goal from the edge of the box. It goes over though.

8:55pm

Aveley's turn to apply some pressure, but Baker out jumps Cox to clear before the second attempt at a ball in goes behind for a goal kick.

8:54pm

Nice stuff from Blues. Danny Bunce collects the ball wide on the left and his cross is good towards Small, but Foster collects.

8:51pm

289 is tonight's attendance.

8:51pm

Great battling out there from both sides at the start of the second half. Both teams are defending well. Going to be an end to end half!

8:44pm

Well i've just been to put on a few more layers. It's freezing.

Now here come the sides!

8:31pm

One minute added on. Been a decent first half. Blues have edged it and the scoreline reflects that. But Millers have ended the half well.

8:29pm

Great football from Cox and Appiah, but Kirby does enough to get across Cox after his flick is a little heavy and Johnson gathers.

The goal has really opened the game up.

You know Millers won't give up and i'm not sure Heyrettin will be convinced that one goal will be enough to win this game.

8:26pm

It's Nesbitt with it and Pope clears at the near post. Nesbitt plays it back in and it just evades Cox, flying into Johnson's arms.

8:25pm

Corner for Millers now...

8:24pm

Junior back on now. As well as Grays are playing, I don't think they'll want to be without him for long. He's not seen huge amounts of the ball, but Cox is looking dangerous.

8:23pm

They concede a free kick though, Jordan Cox on Junior Baker. Eases pressure on Grays after Millers had been flooding forward.

8:22pm

So 35 minutes in and Blues lead. They're playing very well here. Penalty looked harsh though. Lots of pressure on the Aveley defence. But Millers have the ball deep in Grays territory for the first time in a good 20 minutes.

8:18pm

Danny Bunce sticks the penalty bottom left. Clinical and Blues lead. It was Jay Leader who was judged to have handled to ball, as the ball - a cross in from the right - flew past him. He put his arm out.

Harsh and certainly not deliberate.

8:13pm

PENALTY TO GRAYS!!!

8:13pm

Great save from Foster! Lovely one-two between Small and Bunce. Small plays the ball in off the right and Bunce strides onto it, lashing it goalwards. Foster is down well at his near post to tip the ball behind.

8:12pm

Last update epitomised as Lalite does well to win the ball in the middle but his attempted through ball for Hammond is poor.

8:11pm

Good stuff going forward from Small, but his cross is blocked. Grays lacking a final ball at the moment.

8:08pm

Victor Renner in the Aveley dug out is signalling to the players to calm down and get hold of the ball. Good advice. They are scarily potent and dangerous going forward but not seeing much of the ball.

8:06pm

But it's Aveley who should lead!! Great chance for Cox who receives the ball from Kamara after Millers counter attack, but his low shot is saved by the feet of Johnson. Chance of the game!

8:05pm

Great foray forward from Leader now who ends up in a crossing position on the right, but his low cross is straight at Johnson.

Aveley not seeing too much of the ball. Grays have certainly been the better side in the last ten minutes.

8:04pm

Another free kick for Blues, right in the corner on the right. It's Bunce this time.

The referee is just sorting out some drama in the box. Again Aveley deal.

Good spell from Blues.

8:02pm

Great ball by Flynn, dealt with - just - by Foster under pressure from Baker.

8:01pm

Free kick to Blues now as Thomas holds back Hammond. Flynn will cross in from the right...

8:00pm

Slight break in play as Baker gets some treatment. He's back up and running now though.

7:57pm

Nice from Blues now, as Small flicks the ball onto Carlos, who crosses from the left. Hammond stretches but can't connect with it from ten yards out.

7:56pm

Interesting match ups all over the pitch tonight. Carlos vs Rose is a good one. Rose has just prevented Carlos crossing from the left. But already Blues showing signs of carelessness.

Johnson has just played the ball straight to Kamara from inside his own box. Kamara carried the ball on and shot low, but Johnson gathered. Johnson being afforded no time.

7:52pm

Best chance of the game so far as Jeff Hammond is put through. Bradley Thomas does really well as Hammond turns in the box to make space for the shot, he does enough to put Hammond off. The Grays forward scuffs his shot.

7:50pm

Good start here. Both sides, unsurprisingly, looking very offensive. Aveley probing. Going to be a great match up in midfield, too. Lalite and Beaney have been Blues to best players this year. But i'm yet to see Hopkins, Holland and Kamara get over run in that middle.

7:48pm

So it's a very experience Grays back four. Combined age of around 110. And we've just had our first glimpse at the pace mismatch as Lee Flynn comes up against Junior Appiah down the right, does well though the Grays full back, seeing Appiah put the ball out for a Blues goal kick.

The pace of Aveley going forward could certainly cause Blues a problem or too though.

7:41pm

Miller the Gorilla is out and about tonight. Plenty of people here for him to entertain tonight!

And huge amounts for them to look forward to as the teams come out!

7:38pm

Here are tonight's line ups:

Aveley:

Foster; Rose, Nesbitt, Leader, Thomas; Hopkins, Kamara, Holland (c); Appiah, Burnett, Cox

Subs: Sellears, Cole, Stephenson, Sonuga, Curly

Grays Athletic:

Johnson; Pope, Flynn, Kirby, Baker; Beaney, Bunce, Lalite, Carlos; Hammond, Small

Subs: West, Marshall, Sweeney, Moses, Subola.

7:35pm

So this is it! The most eagerly anticipated Thurrock derby so far this season. It's fourth placed Aveley, with six wins in six, 15 goals and in red hot form against Essex Senior Cup finalists, unbeaten in five with 0 conceded and according to Maldon bosses, the league leaders closest challengers, Grays Athletic.

It's cold. But Millfield looks great, is filling nicely and this is well set to be an absolute corker under the lights.