GRAYS Athletic bounced back from their defeat to Waltham Abbey by securing a 4-2 win over Aveley.

It was the first time the ground-sharing clubs had played each other since moving to Parkside.

And goals from Joao Carlos, Kieran Bishop, Glenn Wilson and Kiernan Hughes-Mason meant that efforts from Aveley’s Michael Osei and Adam Bolle were not enough for the Parkside landlords.

Bishop passed up the first clear-cut chance of the afternoon.

With 19 minutes on the clock, former Aveley goalkeeper Lamar Johnson calmly claimed a Millers corner and released Hughes-Mason on the counter attack.

The summer signing released Bishop who, when through on goal, kicked the ball with his standing leg before his effort went wayward.

And that miss proved costly as Aveley took the lead in the following attack.

Ross Gleed played a superb through ball into the path of Osei, who beat the offside trap before rounding former Millers goalkeeper Johnson and tapping the ball into an empty net.

Grays went in search of an equaliser and although Jamie Slabber, who returned to the club in the summer, connected with a Hughes-Mason corner, he could not direct his header on target.

But Jamie Stuart’s side were to get back on level terms after 36 minutes.

Hughes-Mason played a dangerous ball into the penalty area and although Jack Barry hooked the ball away from the goalmouth, Carlos stormed in to blast the ball beyond Rhys Madden and into the roof of the net.

Bishop then wasted a good opportunity to give Grays the lead.

Everyone missed a dangerous free kick into the penalty area before the ball fell to an unmarked Bishop at the far post, but the striker sent his half-volley over the crossbar.

However, the home side were to take the lead on the stroke of half-time from the penalty spot.

Grays goalscorer Carlos was brought down in the corner of the penalty area by Aveley goalscorer Osei and Bishop sent Madden the wrong way to score with the last kick of the first half.

Millers substitute Jordan Watson was denied by Johnson shortly after coming off the bench.

The Grays goalkeeper just managed to beat the attacker to a loose ball and smothered the ball in the nick of time.

And Grays were to go on and net a third soon after as Wilson connected with a deep Hughes-Mason corner and his looping volley deceived Madden before finding the corner of the net.

With time running out, the Millers went in search of a goal that would half the deficit.

And they thought they had it after Osei found the back of the net following a good run from Adalberto Pinto.

The winger twisted and turned before finding the back of the net, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.

And with less than 10 minutes to play, Grays made the three points safe.

Hughes-Mason, who had caused problems for the Aveley defence all afternoon, latched onto a loose backpass before rounding Madden and passing the ball into an empty net.

Aveley did get a goal back from the penalty spot on 86 minutes, through Bolle, after Perry Dunn brought down West.

But it proved too little too late as the Parkside tenants got the better of the Parkside landlords.

Grays Athletic: Johnson, Mahal, Cross, Cogan (Stuart 83’), Dunn, Wilson, Slabber (Brown 45’), Cole, Bishop, Hughes-Mason, Carlos

Aveley: Madden, Twamsui, Woodward, Pinto, Spillane, Barry, Gibbs (Watson 62’), Mitchell (Watkins 45’), West, Gleed (Bolle 62’), Osei