Wivenhoe 2, Aveley 2

AVELEY did their best to help borough neighbours Tilbury in this entertaining clash at relegation-haunted Wivenhoe and, while they came close to winning the match, they might also have lost in a dramatic climax to the action.

Wivenhoe led at the break by the only goal of the first half through James Cole but Millers took a roasting from coach Eddie Crace, who was deputising for the unwell Rod Stringer, at the break and two goals from Wayne Vaughan meant they looked set to take all the points before Scott Woodcock equalised in added time.

Even then there was still drama with Millers keeper Adam Rafis coming to his side's rescue with a fine save in the fourth extra minute.

Aveley were rarely in contention in the first half, with successive Ryman One North league defeats and an exit from the Thames-side Trophy appearing to sap their confidence.

They were on the back foot from the off and had to call on the services of Rafis early, when he did well to save at his near post after Adam Hampson had put Daniel Flack through.

The Dragons kept up the pressure and Lee Underwood sped down the right flank before crossing to an incoming Woodcock but he shot over from six yards out.

Aveley, who had shown little as an attacking force, did have a good shout for a penalty on 14 minutes when Mansi Mbala, making his first start in the league, put in good cross from the left. It was blocked by the arm of much-travelled former Tottenham player Stuart Nethercott prompting a big appeal for handball but the referee waved play on, deeming it to be ball to hand rather than hand to ball.

That at least lifted Aveley and they began to threaten, with Ryan Doyle's deep cross from the right finding Christian Wheeler at the near post but his header was just of target.

At the other end ex-Miller Jeff Shepherd crossed from the right to pick out Woodcock at the far post but his shot was wide and then Andy Oxby came to the visitors' rescue, clearing Lee Underwood's shot of the line.

The Wivenhoe pressure continued and on 33 Underwood went through, though he looked suspiciously offside, laying the ball to Flack who shot over.

It appeared only a matter of time before Wivenhoe scored and the moment duly arrived on 36 minutes when Underwood's cross from the left evaded Doyle and Woodcock shot home from close range. Millers had just one chance to equalise before half time when Mbala laid the ball to Oxby but his shot lacked venom and drifted wide.

Aveley got a rocket from Crace at half time and clearly came out with more determination after the break, though they had an anxious early moment when John Maskell's back header lacked power and Rafis had to react quickly, just beating Underwood to the ball.

Home keeper Richard McKinney pulled off a good save to keep out Oxby's long range drive a minute later but there was little he could do on 55 minutes when Sam Holloway and Wettner combined to deliver the ball into the box where Vaughan crashed home a ten yard shot off the underside of the bar.

The pace of the match was increasing and Rafis tipped a strike from Flack wide of his post while Oxby fired wide at the other end.

Wettner brought a save from McKinney, who then did well to keep out a 79th minute shot from Ainsley Gasper, who had replaced Mbala.

Ben Bradbury then shot over as Aveley pressed and the Millers were rewarded with the lead on 83 minutes when Doyle's free kick out on the right found Wettner who touched the ball into the path of Vaughan and he picked his spot at the far post.

McKinney kept his side in it, making a great save from Vaughan on 86 minutes when the Aveley man looked odds-on to clinch a hat-trick.

As the match drifted into added time Rafis made a save from Joe Nightingill's good header and it looked as if Millers had done Tilbury a big favour.

However, the Dragons roared back and the ball was played into the path of James Cole who drove home.

And there was even time for Wivenhoe to go close to a winner when Holloway's poor clearance went straight to Chris Cowan who had a clear run on goal with only Rafis to beat but the keeper did well, narrowing the angle and blocking shot.

Aveley: Adam Rafis, Sam Holloway, John Maskell, Ryan Doyle, Glen Golby, Nicky Wettner , Ben Bradbury, Christian Wheeler, Wayne Vaughan (Kye Ruel 95), Mansi Mbala (Ainsley Gasper 61), Andy Oxby.

Ryman Division One North, up to and inc Sat, April 19

		P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	Pts
C	Dartford	41	26	8	7	106	42	+64	86
2	AFC Sudbury	41	24	8	9	86	39	+47	80
3	Redbridge (-1)	41	24	9	8	70	41	+29	80
4	Ware	41	22	10	9	105	56	+49	76
5	Canvey Island	41	22	10	9	80	39	+41	76
6	Bury Town	41	22	9	10	75	49	+26	75
7	Brentwood Town	41	21	11	9	68	49	+19	74
8	Edgware Town	41	20	14	7	51	34	+17	74
9	Maldon Town	40	19	9	12	76	59	+17	66
10	Northwood	41	17	12	12	70	61	+9	63
11	Aveley	41	17	12	12	64	64	0	63
12	Enfield Town	41	18	9	14	60	61	-1	63
13	Great Wakering Rovers	40	13	8	19	62	63	-1	47
14	Arlesey Town	41	12	9	20	62	80	-18	45
15	Waltham Abbey	41	11	10	20	40	78	-38	43
16	Witham Town	41	12	5	24	73	104	-31	41
17	Potters Bar Town	41	9	9	23	44	77	-33	36
18	Wingate & Finchley	41	8	11	22	45	71	-26	35
19	Waltham Forest	41	7	12	22	43	71	-28	33
20	Tilbury	41	6	12	23	45	94	-49	30
21	Ilford	41	7	8	26	42	93	-51	29
22	Wivenhoe Town	41	7	7	27	43	85	-42	28

10:33pm Saturday 19th April 2008

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