Six wins on the trot

Aveley took their time but eventually overcome a stubborn Heybridge team to clinch their sixth win on the trot and all three points, to take the Millers five points off top, with a game in hand.

Aveley came out of the blocks slowly, Heybridge wouldn't let the Millers have anytime on the ball to assert ourselves, but with only four minutes in as Heybridge tried to impose themselves on the game as the tackles flew into our players they saw as a threat. Heybridges Paul White tackled Danny Francis badly and was awarded a yellow card.

Heybridge had the first real chance of the game as Teddy Nesbitt looked to be fouled as the ball was out behind for a corner, not given by the referee. The corner was whipped into the back post, the ball bobbled and went in the air for Lee Boylan to head towards the goal, but Junior Baker was there to clear the ball off the line to keep the scoreline goalless with only four minutes gone.

Petrit Elbi then broke through the Swifts back line, but looked like he didn't know whether to square it to Alex Stavrinou who was marked by two defenders or to try and go alone and squeeze it in from an impossible angle. Elbi shot low and hard but was straight at Sambridge in the Heybridge goal.

The Millers started to find holes in Heybridges defence down the right hand side, Billy Coyne passed the ball down the line to Danny Francis who beats his defender, he crossed it to Lee a Weemes whose shot is tipped wide of the goal out for a corner kick. The corner is taken by Billy Coyne, Spencer Harrison threw his body towards the ball but for some reason the referee blew his whistle for a free kick.

Aveley came forward again and on the 14th minute of the game, the Millers made their break through. Again coming from the right hand side, Petrit Elbi picked out an amazing defence splitting pass as he chipped it over to Danny Francis, who controlled the ball, pulled it back to Marcus Elliott who smashed it home. Aveley 1-0 Heybridge Swifts.

The lead didn't last long as Heybridge pulled it back instantly. Cross came in from the left hand side to the back stick where Lee Boylan beat Harrison in the air to nod the ball back across James Marrable's goal into the bottom corner. Aveley 1-1 Heybridge Swifts.

Heybridge then started to have more chances, they should have taken the lead as Billy Hunt came inside onto his left foot on the edge of the area but he didn't make James Marrable work as he dragged his shot wide of the left hand post. Another Swift guilt edge chance came after we lost the ball in midfield, Heybridge launched the ball forward to Billy Hunt who ran at the Aveley back line put a fantastic back stick ball into the box to Lee Boylan, on a plate, but he put it wide, luckily for Boylan and Aveley he was offside.

The last 10 minutes of the first half was a more one sided affair as Aveley then had great chances to take the lead going into the break. Marcus Elliott could of had a hat trick already, his latest effort that was saved well as Elliott turned and volleyed however it was straight at Sambridge who dealt with the power of the shot very well. Only minutes later the unlucky Lee Weemes has a shot turned onto the post by Sambridge, after good build up play Weemes gets the ball on the edge of the area and his shot, that looked destined for the bottom corner, was finger tipped brilliantly behind for a corner. The corner was cleared with ease, which then brought up the half time whistle.

Half Time: Aveley 1-1 Heybridge Swifts.

The second half was a different affair, James Marrable didn't have to make as Aveley were pilling on the pressure even before the Heybridge sending off.

Brian Okwera then came of for Petrit Elbi after Elbi was yellow carded for a soft offence.

In the 57th minute of the game Paul White was shown a second yellow and red for another badly time tackle, this time in Danny Francis, as Francis skipped past him, a late tackle brought Francis down and the referee already had warned White several times, White didn't listen and was given his marching orders.

Although Heybridge were down to 10 men, they did well to restrict The Millers to long distance shots, Billy Coyne was the first who tried his luck from long range, as the ball just went wide of the right hand post, the goalkeeper was scrambling across his goal as he didn't know where the shot was going to end up.

Aveley came close again, this time from a corner, Teddy Nesbitt crossed it into near post for the diving head if Spencer Harrison, however his shot just goes over the bar, so close for Aveley but Heybridge Swifts survived that attack.

Lee Weemes was next to come agonisingly close from scoring from long range after he beat a defender, shot, however his shot again went wide of Sambridges goal.

But finally the stubborn Heybridge Swifts defence cracked and Aveley took all three points. Ball over the top by Brian Okwera, the ball almost went out for a goal kick, but it was kept in well by Danny Francis, he managed to wriggle his way out of a tight area, he chipped it into Joe Bricknell whose diving acrobatics who put it into the back of the net past the Heybridge keeper to win the game for Aveley. Aveley 2-1 Heybridge Swifts.

Both teams weirdly seem to settle for the scoreline, Aveley were happy enough to keep the ball in the corner and Heybridge looked content enough to let them without any real challenges. And after four minutes added on time, the referee blew the whistle for full time.

Six wins on the trot for the Millers, a fantastic effort from everyone, hopefully it will be seven on the trot on Monday as we face Soham Town Rangers.

Full Time: Aveley 2-1 Heybridge Swifts.