Millers take the points but miss out on real goals feast (From Thurrock Gazette)

Millers take the points but miss out on real goals feast

6:15pm Saturday 22nd November 2008

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Aveley 4, Hillingdon Borough 1
AVELEY cruised through this Ryman One North fixture and should really have won by a much bigger margin.

It may be churlish to criticise a side that wins 4-1, but the sloppy way that Millers went about their task, particularly in the closing stages when it became all about individuals rather than the team mantra that has served them so well to date, left spectators feeling slightly short-changed.

Hillingdon could, and probably should have been battered out of sight in a game that was low key at best and downright sleepy in others. There was little to warm a sparse crowd by way of combative football or real entertainment.

Having said that, Millers know they won with something to spare and emerged with no injuries, an improved goal difference and more points to sustain their impressive promotion challenge.

After a ceremony to mark the award to manager Rod Stringer of the Ryman One North manager of the month award, Aveley set the tone for the afternoon after just 35 seconds when Joao Carlos opened up the visiting defence with a fine run down the left and from his cross both Chris Thomas and Joel Barnett saw efforts on goal scrambled away.

And it took just eight minutes to open up a lead. The goal was created by Junior Dadson whose run to the by-line ended with a pass to Carlos who picked his spot and fired home through a ruck of players.

They were two ahead just five minutes later when Thomas battled through and picked out Matthew Johnson who volleyed home his first goal for the club.

Carlos forced a save from Ben Harris at his near post and a neat one-two between Sam Holloway and Barnett ended with Garry Skerritt firing over as Aveley were in total control.

Hillingdon didn’t have an effort on goal worthy of the name until former Tilbury player Jerry Lyons fired over on 23 minutes.

That was just the prelude to more Aveley pressure with Dadson firing over, Ryan Doyle going close and Carlos driving just over the apex of post and cross bar after a surging run.

Ironically it was Hillingdon who ended the half with chances, Gerard Kelly being denied by a fine John Maskell tackle and then Marc Palmer being forced to save from the same player.

Any hope that gave Hillingdon of a recovery was dashed just two minutes into the second half when Dadson raced forward and clipped in a fine ball which Thomas cleverly volleyed home with the side of his foot from close range.

That sparked a series of substitutions for both sides with Leon Diaczuk replacing Skerritt and Sean Thomas coming on for Barnett.

The game had lacked passion throughout and referee Mark Patterson appeared shocked to be shaken out of his lethargy when two crunching but fair tackles ended with Doyle getting booked, presumably for some “afters” as the ref didn’t blow for a foul and waited till the ball went out of play before getting involved.

If that annoyed Aveley boss Stringer he will have been infuriated on 71 minutes when Hillingdon pulled a goal back, Lyons whipping a curved ball into the Millers box for Steve Midega to slam home unchallenged.

The goal sparked a bit of life into Aveley and it wasn’t long before they regained the three goal advantage, Sean Thomas getting on the end of a long ball over the top in the 79th minute, cutting inside the only defender to challenge him and sliding the ball calmly past Harris.

Paul White came on for Maskell for the closing minutes during which Aveley wasted a number of chances as their forwards all tried to do too much individually, spurning easy passes for over-elaborate dribbles and running up blind alleys.

There was time for more controversy when Palmer raced off his line and flattened Dan Campbell, only to get the free kick in his favour, a decision which sparked such fury on the visitors’ bench that coach Pete Wharton was sent to the dressing room by Mr Patterson for his protest.

The angry Hillingdon man certainly had a point as it seemed a very poor decision, but that’s the way it goes at the bottom of the table!

Millers on the other hand, will have been glad to get into the warmth of the dressing room on a freezing afternoon to celebrate three points when they did everything required of them, but the afternoon still felt a little disappointing.

Millers: Marc Palmer, Ryan Doyle, Sam Holloway, Garry Skerritt (Leon Diaczuk 61), John Maskell (Paul White 80), Glen Golby, Junior Dadson, Matthew Johnson, Joel Barnett (Sean Thomas 69), Chris Thomas, Joao Carlos. Subs not used: Bradley Stevens, Christian Wheeler.

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