Great start for the Millers with superior performance over the Saints.

This was the first friendly of the season and it did start off slowly; nobody could really get control of the game as both teams were trying out new formations for the upcoming season. For Aveley it was basically a new team from last season which naturally does take time to settle down which in the early stages led to some 50/50 chances falling to the Millers starting front two.

St Neots had some great short passing, where- as from the outset Aveley seemed to have different dimensions to their game by mixing it up; from long balls, to going out wide and crossing and also short sharp effective passing. All was going well until an unnecessary challenge went in on St Neots number 9 when he was turning away from goal; it gave the referee no choice but to point to the penalty spot. Jay Davies stepped up for the Saints and tucked it away, in off the post, to make it 1-0 to St Neots on the 22 minute mark.

The penalty worked as a “wake up call” to Aveley leading to nice work down the right hand side, Marcus Elliot held the ball up well, it was then played into the box by Billy Coyne which landed to Lee Weemes whose well struck shot was blocked by the scrambling centre backs. A few minutes later a long throw came in by Aveley, leading to a scramble in the box, the ball was in the air where Lee Meewes headed it against the post from 2 yards out but reacted the quickest to put in the re-bound that just went over the line. That made it 1-1 in the 25th minute.

It was much better by Aveley; they looked more likely to make something happen because of the long throw-ins causing the St Neots defence all sorts of trouble. Two minutes later in the 27th minute, another long throw came in, it landed at the feet of Marcus Elliot who got clipped by Saints defender, he went down under the challenge but nothing was given this time by the referee.

On the 43rd minute a free-kick was given to Aveley halfway in the St Neots half, which Billy Coyne stepped up to take. From 35 yards out Billy pile-drived it and the ball moved like a bullet through the air, flying past the St Neots’ goal-keeper, which he could do very little about, the shot almost took the back of the net off. That made it St Neots 1-2 Aveley which it stayed until the other side of half time.

Seven minutes after half-time, Aveley attacked with substitute Hassan holding off two St Neots defenders, he came inside to line the ball up on his right foot and he curled the ball beautifully into the top corner, 3-1 Aveley.

Back came St Neots with good attacking play using their pace and width that they had forced two back-to-back corners, but the Millers defended strongly and didn’t concede. However Aveley’s stubborn defence was broken with lovely short passing play from the Saints, they played it to the left hand side of the pitch which their number 16 then pulled the ball back to Farrell and from 20 yards he smacked it past James Marrable’s dive into the bottom corner, St Neots 2-3 Aveley with 57 minutes gone.

The ball was kicked forward by Aveley’s defence, which broke to ‘fill in left back’ (for second half) Billy Coyne who beat two players in a tackle, dribbled a yard and let fly with his right foot, and curled in another blockbuster of a goal, again the Saints goalkeeper had no chance in getting. After a three minute drinks break for the players to take in fluids the game entered into a tight and compacted affair, which didn’t allow for players movement, especially as the back five for Aveley were playing the offside trap perfectly for the final five minutes which was enough to see out the game and put an impressive display on in the first pre-season game of the season.

The final whistle went after three minutes of added on time to a very entertaining, jam-packed friendly. It finished St Neots 2-4 Aveley.

Shots: St Neots 11 (4 on target)
: Aveley 9 (5 on target)