Aveley.........................................................1
Heybridge Swifts........................................2
NON-LEAGUE: AVELEY suffered their second straight league defeat after going down to ten-men midway through the first half.
The Millers had won five of their last six before Saturday’s visit by Swifts. Boss Justin Gardner, who was serving the first of a four game suspension, said he was “proud” of his team after they were undone by two late goals.
Centre-back Luke Wilson was given his marching orders after 27 minutes for what the referee judged to be a professional foul on Swifts’ striker Luke Callander.
Despite the task ahead being a daunting one for the hosts, they took the lead four minutes later through Jordan Cox.
It was always going to be a tall order facing Swifts offensive pairing of Callandar and Michael Cheek, who between them have 17 goals already this season, and so it proved for Millers.
After Petrit Elbi had a goal controversially disallowed at the other end for offside, the visitors drew level in the 70th minute.
Callandar unleashed a rasping 25-yard effort beyond the reach of Ronnie Worster in the Aveley goalmouth. The goalkeeper then brought down Callandar to concede a penalty which was deftly put away by the talented Cheek.
Gardner said: “To play with 10 men for 70 minutes at this level of football it’s going to be hard and the boys have done me proud. They’ve been honest, they’ve put in a shift, they’ve worked hard – I couldn’t ask anymore.”
Aveley: Worster; Rose, Sands, Leader, Wilson; Hopkins, Kamara (Sellears 33'), Holland (c), Cox (Petrit Elbi 71'), Oakley ( Dadson 71'), Appiah.
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