In our first home game of the season we looked to keep going after a good second half comeback against Dereham on the opening day of the season, but a win was not meant to be as Hullbridge held strong to deny us.

We started the game brightly with Aaron Condon making his home debut and he saw his curling effort towards goal but Rob Budd got down well to make the save.

Good work down the left hand side from Sam Mvemba got us a corner. Alex Akrofi took that corner which ended up at the back post and an inch away from George Allen making a connection on it to take it goalbounds.

Hullbridge needed to in a way "park the bus" after defeat on the opening day of the season at home to Witham Town 3-0. But they did have a few chances on the break and almost took the lead after Luke Hornsley shot was blocked by Harry Gibbs which then rebounded around the six yard box and almost took it into the back of the net, luckily David Hughes used his chest to keep it out.

On the 26th minutes, we should've been ahead. The ball landed to Connor Witherspoon who was onside who fired the ball into the back of the net, but the linesmen believed that it was Shad Ngandu who put it in the goal who was in an offside position, even though he wasn't near the ball nor interfering with the keeper or play.

That didn't stop the Millers to keep attacking as James Love fired a shot over the crossbar from the edge of the area. Shad Ngandu then delivered into the box, it landed to Alex Akrofi who you expect to score, but on this occasion he missed the ball and it was scrambled away.

Just before the break Aaron Condon had a chance but his effort was blocked by the legs of former Miller Perry Dunn.

Half Time | Aveley 0-0 Hullbridge Sports.

We came out in the second half well with two early corners but they were defended well on both occasions. Wyan Reid then cut inside on his left foot near the hour mark but he couldn't get his left footed shot on target from 20 yards.

The visitors had a dangerous free-kick with twenty minutes left, it eventually fell to Jamie Salmon on the edge of the area, he directed his effort towards goal, but could only find the side netting.

George Allen had a chance to mark his home debut with a goal, good work from Jake Pitty who centered into the box which saw it met by George Allen who flicked it wide right of the post.

With ten minutes to go the Millers made a change with U23 player Kane Hearn make his first team debut.

Alex Akrofi dribbled past his marker to give him a bit of space, but could only curl his effort past the left hand post.

Four minutes were added on, which saw us have one last chance from a dangerous looking free-kick. Commically in the build-up to the free-kick, the Aveley Supporters behind the goal counted out the referee doing the steps, of which only eight were counted out, which summed up Aveley's night. Aaron Condon stepped up to take the free-kick but the wall did it's job and blocked it away.

Full Time | Aveley 0-0 Hullbridge Sports.

Attendance | 257.

Millers XI | David Hughes, Jake Pitty, Sam Mvemba, Connor Witherspoon, Harry Gibbs, George Allen, Wyan Reid (Luke Foster 71), James Love, Aaron Condon, Shad Ngandu (Kane Hearn 80), Alex Akrofi.

Unused Subs | Jack Mochalski, Jack Gardner, Darnell Bromfield.

Hullbridge XI | Rob Budd, Courtney Homans, Matty Rose, Jamal Allen, Perry Dunn, Gregory Frederick, Joe Wright (Tim Monsheju 87), Luke Hornsley, Nathan Scarborough (Emmanuel Okunja 63), George Whitby, Jamie Salmon.

Unused Subs | Joe Skeels, Adebola Sotoyinbo, Andre Gumbs.