Comment

Wingate & Finchley 1, Aveley 3

A FINE Leli Bajada hat-trick gave Millers a Ryman Division One North victory in testing conditions at the Abrahams Stadium.

The game was not a classic, but that was more down to the heavy winds then the players' efforts in difficult conditions.

With Sean Francis injured in a friendly at Romford on Tuesday Glen Golby moved back into the backline and Wayne Vaughan was restored to the starting line-up with Ainsley Gasper making way.

The Millers got off to the perfect start for the second week running as they took the lead in the opening minute when a corner in from the left by Ben Bradbury was headed goalwards by John Maskell and Bajada flicked it into the net from close range.

Again the Millers failed to add a second in quick succession, although not for the want of trying. Bradbury's shot from long range after six minutes but it fell just wide of the far post.

With a quarter of an hour on the clock Vaughan produced a moment of magic from the left touchline. He was at least 30 yards out and spotted home keeper Gavin King off his line and tried a delicate lob but the keeper just got back to in time and pushed it over for a corner.

Wingate had their first real chance on goal when Dean Nyman's shot was deflected wide for a corner but apart from that showed little to worry keeper Adam Rafis.

The Millers were using the wind to their advantage and it almost worked out perfect when Bradley Barnes delivered a ball in from the left with the wind turning it into a shot and narrowly going over the bar.

After the break, Millers went in desperate search for a second goal which would give them a comfortable margin and with 61 minutes on the clock finally found it.

A ball through found Bajada, who Wingate thought was off-side. But the linesman allowed play to continue and Bajada produced the perfect finish by chipping the ball over an advancing King.

This goal seemed to ignite Wingate and they got a goal back with a stunning strike after 67 minutes when Andy Edmunds cut in from the left and produced a stunning effort past Rafis into the net.

The goal is somewhat of a rarity. Rafis had previously gone through a spell of eight games, only conceding two goals.

Things were getting tight and the further the game went on the more you could see the home side finding an equaliser but the game was settled with a stunning piece of skill from Bajada.

After 84 minutes, he looked to be holding the ball in the corner, wasting time but he held his ground and somehow spun past two Wingate defenders and headed into the box.

With such a tight angle it looked as though the only option was squaring the ball but he shot goalwards and it somehow found the net, coming in off of the far post to round off a superb performance from himself and the entire Millers side.

The win keeps Aveley's play-off hopes very much alive, partricularly as results elsewhere went their way. On Monday they will have a chance to add to their tally when they entertain Tilbury in an Easter derby.

Aveley: Adam Rafis, Sam Holloway, John Maskell, Ryan Doyle, Glen Golby, Nicky Wettner, Ben Bradbury (Andy Oxby 73), Christian Wheeler, Wayne Vaughan (Ainsley Gasper 70), Leli Bajada(Shaz Ahmed 89), Bradley Barnes.

Ryman Division One North, up to and inc Sat, March 22

8:35pm Saturday 22nd March 2008

Print

Email this

Comment