Aveley 1-1 Maldon & Tiptree

From Mill Field

Ryman One North

 

AVELEY sit 10 points outside the final-play-off place after they dropped points against Maldon & Tiptree, with two old boys coming back to haunt their former employers.

Millers drew 1-1 with mid-table Maldon in a match that lacked ebb-and-flow, although the home side may have had their eyes on Monday’s crunch Essex Senior Cup semi-final against Billericay Town.

Maldon started the better and Tunde Adewunni should have opened the scoring with the first real opportunity of the match.

The striker broke through and bore down on James Marrable but his effort was wild and missed the target.

Aveley’s first effort came from ex-Maldon man Jack Stevenson with Darren Behcet called into action between the posts for Maldon.

But it was the visitors making the running and they should have taken the lead when Matt Gulfer broke forward but only hit a tame effort straight at the Millers stopper.

Alex Stavrinou shot over in what was a fairly uneventful first-half.

The game came alive on the hour mark, and it was Maldon that took the lead following a swift counter-attack.

And it was a former Aveley man who scored it – Koranteng racing through and striking off the underside of the crossbar and in.

However, that lead lasted a matter of minutes as Stevenson scored a superb goal against the side he used to play for, striking left-footed beyond Behcet from almost 30 yards.

Some last gasp Aveley defending kept the scores level in the closing stages, whiel Millers manager Justin Gardner was sent to the stands for disputing a refereeing decision.

There was also a red card on the field, as Theo Jones was sent off for a second yellow card following a tackle on Stevenson.

Millers pressed forward with their man advantage, with Petrit Elbi superbly denied by Behcet but the scores stayed at 1-1.

 

Aveley: Marrable, Preston, Knott, Baker, Essuman, Stavrinou, Ola (Elbi), Holland, Francis (Allarakhia), Stevenson, Stanley (Retkoceri)