Table toppers edge hard fought game

Bowers & Pitsea edged a game after a single goal from Lewis Manor was the difference in the end.

A top of the tabe clash where both sides equalled each other and really cancelled each other out at Parkside, but it was the visitors who claimed all three points with a Lewis Manor goal after a cross was dropped and tapped in by Bowers' second top goalscorer from six yards out.

The game in truth wasn't a fantastic game that the Grays' match previousy provided with little to no chances throughout the game, which was summed up after a long ball flicked off of the head of Alex Akrofi quiute unluckily, and ran through to the Bowers & Pitsea keeper.

Both sides then had a free-kick each, Louis Hazelwood took aim first but he couldn't. on this occasion, match his wonder-strike against Grays on wednesday, as this one flew high and wide of the right hand post. Bowers' free-kick was straight at David Hughes who saved easily.

Millers came back with a few half chances, Andy Freeman squared the ball into Alex Akrofi who just fired wide of the goal, but he was flagged for offside anyway. And after Tom Richardson was cyncially taken down, the resulting free-kick was headed over his own bar by Sokes, the corner after that was cleared away.

Bowers & Pitsea came back with a couple of half chances themselves, a long-throw from Bowers was headed behind by James Love, and from the following corner a vicious ball came in and David Hughes done well to leap and turn the ball over the crossbar.

From their next attack, the visitors took the lead, a free-kick came into the box David Hughes couldn't keep hold of the ball and Lewis Manor was jogging on the spot to tap home from six yards out. Aveley 0-1 Bowers & Pitsea.

We came back into the game and had a huge chance, probably our best of the game, as Andy Freeman who has 11 league goals this season, went through on goal but he didn't get hold of the shot properly and the effort was easily gathered by the keeper.

Just before half time Andy Freeman slipped in Louis Hazelwood but the ball was just too far infront of Louis Hazelwood who couldn't get on the end of it.

Half Time | Aveley 0-1 Bowers & Pitsea.

The Millers huffed and puffed to keep our unbeaten home record ongoing, but it just wasn't meant to be as the Millers struggled to really test the keeper and create clear cut chances.

There was a scramble in the Bowers & Pitsea penalty area which ended in Jake Pitty directing the ball towards the goal, but the shot was tipped over the crossbar.

Tom Richardson had a shot/cross towards goal, but his effort flashed across the goal and eluded all the Millers following up in the penalty area.

Louis Hazelwood had a couple of more difficult chances from free-kick, one hit the wall and the other was over the crossbar.

The Millers were denied what looked to be a stonewall penalty as Tom Richardson was taken down inside the area, however, in the fourth minute of added on time, the referee dodged it and awarded a free-kick and only a yellow card. The resulting free-kick was blocked by the wall, which summed up our afternoon.

We struggled to create momentum as the visitors showe why they are top of the league as they jus stop other teams from playing, an effective way which unfortunatley stopped the Millers from really creating anything too threatning and lose our first home game at Parkside in the league since 16th April 2018, which was a space of 285 games.

Putting the game to one side, thank you to all fans who contributed to our donation to Havering Mind, we managed to raise £200 which was donated to the Charity at the game.

Full Time | Aveley 0-1 Bowers & Pitsea

Attendance | 359.

Millers XI | David Hughes, Jake Pitty (Wyan Reid 71), Sam Mvemba, Connor Witherspoon, Harry Gibbs (Zak Pianim 45), Sam Cross, Louis Hazelwood (Shad Ngandu 82), James Love, Tom Richardson, Andy Freeman, Alex Akrofi.

Unused Subs | Harvey Brown, Jason Raad, Tony Martin.

Bowers & Pitsea XI | Andrew Wilton, Ryan Sammons, Thomas Stephen (James Thomas 45), Martyn Stokes, Lewis Clark, Callum Leahy, Quentin Monville (Max Cornhill 58), Ben Sartain, Lewis Manor, David Knight, Bradley Warner (Jamie Dicks 84).

Unused Subs | Tom Hine, Fahad Nyanja.