Gibbo Header The Difference

After a long journey on Tuesday night when we travelled to Lowestoft Town in the Emirates FA Cup and won 3-2, coming up against Romford who are seen by many as promotion favourites was always going to be a tough ask. But The Millers battled well, and got the winning goal ten minutes from time when Harry Gibbs powered home a header from a Freddie Gard free-kick.

We made two changes to the starting line-up with Freddie Gard and Wyan Reid coming into the eleven. In the opening five minutes we had three corners and forced Romford’s Canfer into a couple of fine saves and we looked to get off to a good start at Barking’s Mayesbrook Park.

Bradley Sach and George Sykes had the efforts on target which were both well saved by Romford’s shot stopper Matthew Canfer, both the following corners were cleared by Romford’s centre half partnership of David Winfield and Ejiro Okosieme.

The hosts grew into the game and broke quickly and had their first effort in the 13th minute as Boro right-back Marvin McCoy fired a shot out of the ground as the ball fell to the former Dagenham & Redbridge man just outside the box.

Shortly after winger Bagasan Graham picked up the ball with pace and played in striker Anointed Chukwu down the right flank but the target man ended up firing well over the crossbar from close range.

We dictated the play and Bradley Sach almost found the back of the net and he sent a curling effort inches wide of the hosts left hand post. Four minutes later and Bradley Sach had another chance as he intercepted a Romford pass and fired goalwards but again Canfer in the Romford goal was equal to it.

Half Time | Romford 0-0 Aveley.

The opening of the second half was a quiet one in terms of chances, we had to wait until the 58th minute when George Sykes had an effort on target well saved by Canfer. After Bradley Sach was fouled minutes later we had a free-kick about 25-30 yards out, Freddie Gard laid if off to Harry Gibbs who curled his effort wide of the left hand post as he was under pressure from Romford’s charging wall.

With twenty minutes to go we had another chance, the ball was hit long into the box, Harry Gibbs managed to hook the ball back across the goal where he found George Sykes who saw his header go straight at Canfer, either side of the Romford keeper and Sykes would’ve put The Millers infront.

Five minutes after that chance and Wyan Reid tried his luck, he cut inside well from our right hand side onto his left foot, but again Canfer was equal to it to keep us out.

Despite all the frustration and save after save from Matt Canfer, we finally broke the deadlock with 80 minutes on the clock. A wonderful free-kick delivered into the box by Freddie Gard was met by the head of Harry Gibbs who powered it past the Romford keeper to put The Millers deservedly infront. Romford 0-1 Aveley.

After we went infront we had a few deliveries into the box to defend against but David Hughes was rarely threatened as The Millers stood strong to deny Romford a share of the spoils and pick up a deserved three points on the road.

Full Time | Romford 0-1 Aveley.

Attendance | 203.

Millers XI | David Hughes, Wyan Reid, Jason Ring, Connor Witherspoon, Harry Gibbs, Steve Sheehan, George Allen, Freddie Gard (James Goode 86), George Sykes, Bradley Sach (Emmanuel Ogunrinde 61), Mitchell Gilbey.

Unused subs | Jack Mochalski, George Winn, Alex Clark.

Romford XI | Matthew Canfer, Marvin McCoy, Matthew Parsons (Malaki Toussaint 70), Ridwan Ajala, David Winfield, Ejiro Okosieme, Adrian Cascaval, Sean Bonnett-Johnson (Emmanuel Udoji 83), Lee Newton, Anointed Chukwu (Jesse Olukolu 46), Bagasan Graham.

Unused subs | Gabriel Adelowo, Ashlee Jones.