Clacton 2–6 Aveley

From the Rush Bowl Green

FA Cup preliminary round

 

AVELEY played out a hum-dinger with Clacton, with Liam Nash the star of the show as he netted a four-goal salvo.

Twice behind to the side from the Eastern Counties Premier Division, the Millers fought back to level and then romped to a thumping win in the second-half.

Aveley started the brighter and could have had the lead inside two minutes, as Steve Willis was well denied by home goalkeeper Joe Fowler, tipping his header onto the crossbar.

But it was the hosts who took the lead, as Adam Daniels sent a bullet header past Jack Kelly in the Millers goal.

Kevin Coyle came close to doubling the advantage before Petrit Elbi wasted the sort of chance he has been scoring for fun in recent weeks, shooting wide when clean through.

But the goal wasn’t long in coming as Ahmed Deen bent home a delightful free-kick to bring parity.

However, Justin Gardner’s side weren’t level for long as Aaron Condon restored the lead in style. Coyle’s reverse pass was picked up by Condon and he cut-inside before drilled home powerfully.

Yet the scoring for the half still wasn’t done. Nash, impressive in the early weeks of the season, broke through and calmly finished.

But it took more than an hour for the Millers to restore their lead. A corner from Elbi found the run of Spencer Harrison and he found the net.

Elbi twice came close himself, before Nash took the game by the scruff of the neck in the last 10 minutes.

Firstly, he exchanged passes with Marcus Elliott before hammering home, with his hat-trick coming after good work from Joe Pearman.

But Nash still wasn’t finished as he blasted home following neat link-up with Elliott.

 

Aveley: Kelly, Preston, Seymour, Baker, Harrison, Dunn(Pearman), Deen, Nash, Elbi, Peagram, Willis (Elliott)