Millers hold strong for Vital win

Aveley held on for a deserved win on the road against Potters Bar Town.

The Millers had the tough task of going to Potters Bar Town last Saturday, the most in-form team in the league, drawing only one and winning four of their last five before hosting the Millers.

Last time against Potters Bar, we missed a penalty at 2-1 and they pulled it back late on to share the spoils. But since that game, this team has come a long way and after this game, we are now third in the form table and are now starting to look up, rather than over our shoulders.

The game was in the pouring rain and it meant that playing quality football would be more difficult than normal, saying that, the Millers did have some top draw passages of play throughout the game.

Freddie Gard and George Doyle connected to force an earlier corner for the Millers inside ten minutes. And from that corner on eight minutes, we took the lead. George Doyle's corner drifted into the path of Ryan Cosson who made no mistake to score his second in five games for the Millers, putting the Millers ahead. Potters Bar 0-1 Aveley.

Potters Bar came back with some brilliant chances, but they couldn't find the target. Michael Murray somehow passed it wide of our right-hand post, seven minutes after that George Nicholas had a chance, and we somehow put it wide and over the bar. Then a few minutes later Lee O'Leary was in behind due to a deflection but his shot was comfortably saved by Rhys Madden.

Half Time | Potters Bar Town 0-1 Aveley.

We started well in the second half and created a few chances, Adam Topley played Alex Teniola in, he dinked the keeper but saw his effort go an inch wide of the goal.

Adam Topley, on loan from Concord Rangers, was next to try his luck, he took aim from long range but the effort at goal went wide of the right-hand post.

The Millers kept having the clear cut chances and one came on the 64th minute as Lewis Gard and George Doyle combined, Lewis Gard played in Alex Teniola who was free to have a shot on goal, but the ball got stuck on the difficult surface and AT couldn’t get the ball out of his feet in time and the chance was lost.

Pressure was being put on by the hosts and the Millers needed to hold strong to deny Potters Bar. The task was made more difficult for the last 23 minutes and the 7 minutes added on time at the end of the game. After a fracas both Potters Bar player and George Doyle were deemed to headbutt eachother, Doyle was awarded a red card, but the hosts player was only given a yellow.

Despite all the pressure from Potters Bar, Millers keeper Rhys Madden didn’t really have to make a save. Potters Bar right back Doyle had a half chance but volleyed straight over the bar.

Seven minutes were the added on, and during that time the most in-form team coming into the game had one more clear cut chance, but again, they failed to hit the target.

Every ball that came into the box were headed and booted away with Jake Gordon and Tony Martin fresh from the bench they helped to chase down lost causes, but the whole team defended manfully and helped the Millers to a superb fighting win.

Full Time | Potters Bar Town 0-1 Aveley.

Millers XI | Rhys Madden, Russell Malton, Chris Bourne, Connor Witherspoon, Ryan Cosson, Alex Stephenson, Adam Topley, George Doyle, Alex Teniola (Jake Gordon 82), Freddie Gard (Tony Martin 88), Lewis Gard (Ben Sampayo 69).

Unused Subs | Max Bradford.

Potters Bar XI | Berkley Laurencin, Chris Doyle, Andrew Lomas, Lee O’Leary, Steve Brown, Carl Pearce, George Nicholas, Billy Adcock, Michael Murray, Ben Ward-Cochrane, Sandro Costa Dias Fernandes (Haynes Thomas 72).

Unused Subs | Billy Baird, William Wambeek, James Duncan.