This was a highly contested and motivated game between Aveley and Abbey, which ended up with the away side taking all three points on the opening day of the season.

It was a very cagey opening to the game which was expected due to this game being the first one this season. Aveley were in control in the game as Junior Baker launched a ball forward to Marcus Elliott whose shot was collected well by Abbey goalkeeper James May. This game was dampened by a splatter of over committed tackles by both sides, however when a 50/50 tackle flew in by both players the referee instead of letting the game go, he gave a foul to the Abbey which could have annoyed our players, however they carried on trying to play the way to go on and win this opener.

The first real chance for the Abbey was when they got in behind the Aveley defence as the ball was played through by Jake Giddings into the path of Andy Edmonds who shot, but his shot was very well saved by Aveley shot stopper James Marrable.

Yet again Aveley looked the most threatening by their devilish long throws by Billy Sendal and Billy Coyne but after three back to back long throws into the Abbey box, none of our boys could get on the end of the ball and the Abbey goalkeeper punched the ball out of danger. The Abbey looked the more dangerous on the counter with their pace and direct passing.

Billy Coyne became free on the right hand side after the pass from Billy Holland, Coyne put in a fantastic cross on the head of the attacking Marcus Elliott, but his header is well saved and pushed away by the Abbey keeper James May. It remained 0-0.

The next seven minutes Aveley kept attacking the Abbey the goal, however the Abbey had a very stubborn defence. An Aveley corner taken by Billy Coyne was defended away for a long throw in which Billy Sendal took. He threw the ball in the Abbey keeper flapped at the ball, it landed in the path of Sammy Knott, however his left footed shot was straight into the recovered Abbey goalkeeper to keep the scoreline goalless.

The Abbey showed off their counter attack skills as a long throw came in by Billy Sendal for Aveley, however as it was cleared it left a three on three situation for the Abbey to attack their hosts. It was crossed back post headed towards goal by James Peagrum but his header was cleared off the line by Aveley skipper Billy Holland for an Abbey corner. The corner came in and James Marrable was fouled and the free kick was given. Still the score remained 0-0 after 32minutes.

A few minutes later, out of nothing a wonder of a goal came from Waltham Abbey's forward James Peagrum as he got the ball of the corner of the 18yard box, he looked up, and chipped the ball over the Aveley defence and James Marrable in goal didn't move as the chipped shot was placed to perfection over his head and into the back of the net, a goal that was worth taking the lead of any game. 38 minutes gone, Aveley 0-1 Waltham Abbey.

Half Time.

Into the second half Aveley started to control the game once more as they did but for two chances for Abbey in the first half. However after a horrible crunching tackle on club captain Billy Holland, he had to come off and on came Mathias Bakare just two minutes after the restart. In the first three minutes of Bakare coming on it was clear to see he was now being targeted by the Abbey midfield, and after two horrible tackles on him that was clear to see.

A free kick was given because of the foul on Bakare, Billy Coyne floated the ball into the box, it landed to Marcus Elliott whose shot just went wide of the goal after a deflection. The corner then was whipped in but the Waltham Abbey defence stood strong and they launched the counter attack, but Abbey's Junior Fatai was all alone this time and he was robbed of the ball by the excellent Billy Sendall in the Aveley defence.

Two substitutions came on for Aveley as Teddy Nesbitt came on for Joe Bricknell, who also picked up a knock. Also Sammy Knott went off and on came goal poacher Lee Weemes.

The urgency of the Millers increased with these substitutes but we couldn't create any chances. Aveley corner taken short to Lee Weemes he turns but he curled his shot just wide of the goal.

Lee Weemes now finds himself in behind the Waltham Abbey back line, he squares it but the ball is put being for another corner. Billy Coyne corner is headed away but only as far as Danny Hopkins, he played it back out wide to Billy Coyne on the far side of the pitch, he pulls the ball back, Elliott shoots but his shot was blocked quite clearly by a hand of an Abbey defender, but the referee didn't move and that great passage of play for Aveley was over.

After the last attack, the ball was cleared down the Aveley right hand side which Billy Sendall Shepard it out of play only to be kicked by Waltham Abbey's James Peagrum. But the official on the day gave Billy Sendall a yellow card to the dismay of everyone associated with Aveley. The game after that descended into a horrible one to watch, as bad tackles were flying in and a big scrum appeared on the pitch, where Danny Hopkins apparently went to hit an opposing player, however the opposing player ducked out of the way before he could connect with it. The referee and his officials then deliberated for about 3 minutes to decide what actually happened and who to book. He then showed Danny Hopkins a red card and an Abbey player a yellow card.

Aveley kept on attacking pushing everyone up for a corner in the 90+8th minute of the game, but the corner was cleared and Waltham Abbey countered again down their right hand side, the ball was crossed in and James Peargrum arrived to hit the ball on the volley with his left foot into the bottom corner. Aveley 0-2 Waltham Abbey.

Full Time.