Millers on a high as Rocks fail to rise to derby challenge

Rocks were rarely at the races for the game, which turned out to be something of a disappointment for the neutrals and a disaster for the visiting fans who saw their side turn in a lack-lustre, patchy effort.

To say that Rocks were poor doesn’t belittle Aveley, who were well-organised and played well as a team.

In fact it says much of how much of a unit they were that one of their shining individuals so far this season, the pacy and tricky Joao Carlos, was no more than a bit part player in an uncompromising display of team efficiency.

The contrasting performances of the teams was mirrored by their managers afterwards.

Millers Rod Stringer - surely in line for his second successive manager of the month prize - was bullish and described himself as “over the moon” with his side’s performance, while Rocks John Coventry drew little by way of consolation other than the goal from young substitute Ben Boyce on his return from injury.

“For a side that’s in the top five and supposedly challenging for the title we didn’t show today, didn’t make a game of it. They thoroughly deserved their win, it’s a shame we couldn’t have given them a better game,” said the disappointed East Thurrock manager.

Things started fairly evenly with Rocks having an early chance when Ray Powell sprang the home offside trap - or rather the linesman missed the fact he was well off for the first of a number of poor decision by all three officials during the afternoon - but he failed to make the most of the opportunity.

No such problem for Millers' Petrit Elbi on 15 minutes when he went on a mazy run through the middle of the visiting midfield and defence, stepping through several poor attempts at tackles before picking his spot with a driven shot past keeper Richard Wray.

Rocks had an immediate chance to draw level when the ball fell to Elliott Gresham but when speed and urgency were of the essence, he choose to try and pick his spot and swept the ball wide of the target.

Wray then made the first of a number of fine saves during a cold and rain-swept afternoon when he got down low to keep out Matt Johnson’s drive.

Rocks might have drawn level when Powell again threatened but he failed to seize the opportunity and James Marrable responded quickly to smother the ball.

Referee Adrian Oldershaw then showed how little he knows about football by booking Ryan Sammons for a perfectly good tackle. This is an official who clearly has forgotten that the game is a physical contact sport and he went on to make a number of bizarre judgements, taking no account of the direction of the ball from points of contact nor the reaction of other players.

It’s a sad fact that refereeing standards at this level are falling almost week by week, typified by the fact that five players were booked in this match in the end - and I struggle to remember a bad tackle or incident of dissent!

Certainly it was far from the combative, hard-fought derby that might have been expected.

By midway through the first half Millers had clearly gained the ascendancy, Rocks' early enthusiasm for the task in hand having wilted, and the visitors were grateful for two more good reaction saves from Wray, both from Junior Dadson.

The Rocks keeper then produced an even better stop, flying to his right to tip over Sean Thomas’s powerful header.

The sustained pressure from the home side eventually paid dividends four minutes before half time when Rocks failed to clear a corner and Garry Skerritt drove a low shot through a crowded six yard box in off the legs of Wray.

There was time left for Gresham to be booked for another nothing tackle, adding to Rocks' disappointment from a first half in which they were distinctly second best, though Gresham did force a late diving save from Marrable.

To their credit they picked up the pace in the second half and had more of the possession, but they were guilty time after time of giving the ball away cheaply when in good positions.

Aveley perhaps sat back too far on their lead and invited pressure, but they looked more than capable of mopping it up as Rocks showed a lack of invention.

Injuries began to take their toll on an already depleted visiting side, with Steve Harrison coming on for Luke Hall - though the replacement looked less than at full fitness himself and certainly lacked his usual bite and enthusiasm.

Wray continued to be Rocks’ salvation, saving with his legs from Thomas and then from Elbi.

However, he was stranded on 59 minutes when a simple ball over the top proved his side’s undoing.

Ben Wood probably should have done better as he found himself under the long ball and after it bounced he was outpaced by Elbi who burst through. Wray was slow to react to the danger and found himself out of position as the Millers’ Albanian marksman picked his spot.

With the game drifting away Rocks brought on 18-year-old Boyce, whose enthusiasm saw him launch into a strong tackle that brought another unjust yellow card.

Millers' Ryan Doyle, the victim of a dodgy booking last week against Hillingdon, got another just to show Mr Oldershaw was at least consistent in his poor decision-making.

With 11 minutes remaining Boyce was brought down as he charged on goal and picked himself up to fire a rocket free-kick from outside the box past Marrable.

There was time for Rocks to mount a late revival, particularly as they had thrown on striker Kurt Smith for the closing stages but an injury to top scorer Martin Touhy, who in truth had been largely ineffectual through what had gone on before, blunted them further and the closing stages brought little by way of goalmouth action as the game drizzled to its conclusion.

Aveley: James Marrable, Ryan Doyle, Sam Holloway, Gary Skerritt (Leon Diaczuk 90), John Maskell, Glen Golby, Junior Dadson, Matt Johnson, Sean Thomas (Danny Jones 90), Petrit Elbi (Wayne Vaughan 75), Joao Carlos. Subs not used: Paul White, Marc Palmer.

East Thurrock United: Richard Wray, Ryan Sammons, Luke Hall (Steve Harrison 50), Ben Wood, James Donovan, Lee Williams, Jo Bajowa, Elliott Gresham, Ray Powell (Ben Boyce 76), Martin Touhy, Martin Llewellyn (Kurt Smith 60). Sub note used: Lee Cornhill.

Attendance: 138.

Ryman Division One North, up to and including Sat, Aug 29

  P W D L F A +/- Pts 1 Aveley 19 13 6 0 43 17 +26 45 2 Ware 19 14 2 3 43 23 +20 44 3 Waltham Abbey 19 13 4 2 49 18 +31 43 4 Brentwood Town 17 11 4 2 35 16 +19 37 5 East Thurrock United 17 11 1 5 34 24 +10 34 6 Concord Rangers 19 9 4 6 32 18 +14 31 7 Northwood 19 9 4 6 28 21 +7 31 8 Wingate & Finchley 16 8 6 2 30 16 +14 30 9 Cheshunt 18 9 2 7 25 22 +3 29 10 Redbridge 18 7 6 5 32 20 +12 27 11 Leyton 18 8 2 8 32 25 +7 26 12 Potters Bar Town 19 7 5 7 27 23 +4 26 13 Tilbury 19 6 4 9 26 28 -2 22 14 Great Wakering Rovers 18 6 4 8 24 30 -6 22 15 Maldon Town (-3) 17 7 3 7 24 25 -1 21 16 Thamesmead Town 20 5 5 10 24 37 -13 20 17 Enfield Town 17 5 4 8 33 40 -7 19 18 Chatham Town 19 4 2 13 20 34 -14 14 19 Ilford 18 4 1 13 10 40 -30 13 20 Waltham Forest 20 3 3 14 19 43 -24 12 21 Witham Town 16 2 1 13 17 51 -34 7 22 Hillingdon Borough 18 2 1 15 12 48 -36 7