After a first half devoid of chances, Michael Begg opened the scoring with a neat side-foot-volley three minutes into the second half after good work from Paul Burnett down the left.

The Millers would then go on to miss a hat-full of opportunities to kill the game off which they were made to rue when Felix Ogeah-Andrews reacted quickest to tap home Kalin Artakiev's parry five minutes from time.

And deep into injury time Danny Lopes drilled a shot low and hard through an unsighted Artakiev to give the home side a priceless victory on the same night that title rivals VCD lost at home to Soham Town Rangers.

It was a bitter pill for Justin Gardner to swallow at full time, but the Millers boss accepted that the defeat and the manner in which it happened had been “the story of our season.”

Coming into the match off the back of four defeats in their last five, on paper title chasing Witham would have been heavy favourites against Gardner’s side.

But Witham were going through an end of season wobble having lost their last two themselves, including a potentially crucial defeat to their direct challengers for the Ryman North title, VCD Athletic.

With Witham still harbouring hopes of winning automatic promotion into the Ryman Premier League they created the first opening of the game when a neat one-two set Danny Lopes free down the right.

His drilled cross was diverted onto the outside of the post by Glen Golby for the game’s first corner and a few minutes later Felix Ogeah-Andrews headed a James Stevens free kick high over the bar.

The Millers settled into the match but had to be patient with their build up play waiting till midway through the first half to carve out their first chance of the evening after Adetayo Osifuwa’s bombing run down the right won Aveley a throw.

Golby’s long throw into the area was headed on by Jay Leader with Kyle Asante leaping highest to head towards goal, but his header lacked power as Harry Palmer gathered comfortable.

Much like the weekend defeat to Harlow this was looking likely to be a game of few chances, and Stevens came close for the home side with a free kick from 30 yards which shaved the outside of Kalin Artakiev’s right hand post as the sides went in level.

The second half could only have been an improvement on a poor first half and it started with a bang as Aveley opened the scoring inside the first three minutes.

Michael Begg sprayed the ball out to the left towards Burnett to start the move that he would eventually finish.

Taking on the right back, Conor Mead, Burnett slid past him with ease to find space for the cross which he floated towards the centre, finding Begg, who had time and space to calmly side-foot volley past Palmer and give Justin Gardner’s side the lead.

With their title hopes starting to waiver after back to back defeats, finding themselves behind meant the home side had to respond and Lopes forced a comfortable save from Artakiev with a header moments after Aveley had taken the lead.

But it was the Millers who should have extended their advantage with two chances in quick succession as the visitors had their title chasing opponents on the ropes.

A free kick from Begg on the left was whipped towards the far post, finding Leader who was unable to connect with his header before watching the ball trickle wide.

And a few minutes later Begg got on the end of a cut back from Asante who’d gotten free down the right, but he himself was unable to apply a decent connection as his effort was blocked.

The goal scorer Begg was withdrawn shortly after and replaced by Lee Weemes who could have scored with his first touch, if he had connected with the ball.

After Asante’s cross was over hit from right to left, Mathias Bakare recycled the ball and crossed towards Burnett in the centre. Burnett’s side foot strike sliced fortuitously towards Weemes at the far post who found nothing but thin air as Witham escaped once again.

The longer Aveley let their opponents off the hook the more hope Witham had of finding an equaliser which could prove vital in the title race with league leaders VCD Athletic 1-0 down in their fixture with Soham Town Rangers.

But as the match moved forward it was still the Millers who looked the more likely to add to the score line with Bakare the next player in red to come close to beating Palmer with his near post effort that he was unable to keep down.

Desperation was starting to show in the Witham players who were committing needless fouls whilst unable to create much in the way of goal scoring opportunities, with Asante again testing the youngster, Palmer with a drilled shot which he held onto well.

But having created very little, fortune favoured the home side who found an equaliser with time to spare to find an unlikely winner and an over hit cross from Lee Townrow almost caught Artakiev who had to tip the ball over the bar for a Witham corner.

From the resulting set piece Rob Whitnell’s header was cleared off the line and Aveley were unable to clear their lines with Lopes sending a drilled shot on target that was parried by Artakiev with Ogeah-Andrews fasted to react to tap home the rebound.

With news filtering through that leaders VCD were now 2-0 down the emphasis was on Witham to push for a winner, but Aveley came close to snatching the three points with two quick chances.

The first came when Burnett found space on the left to fire in a cross that was deflected towards goal by Townrow and tipped wide by a reaction save from Palmer.

Aveley were convinced that Townrow handled the ball but a corner was corner which was whipped low and evaded everyone as it went through a sea of bodies and out the other side for a goal kick when any touch would have put the Millers back in front.

But deep into added on time Witham snatched what could prove to be a vital win in the race for the Ryman North title as Lopes put the home side in front three minutes into added time.

Having conceded another corner on the right, the ball was headed clear towards Lopes who in a carbon copy of their first goal struck low from the edge of the area.

Coming through a glut of players Artakiev saw the ball late and was unable to get enough on the strike to divert it wide, pushing it into the side netting to win the match with Witham and put the title race firmly in their hands.

Afterwards Gardner was disappointed but reflective on what had overall been a brilliant performance from his side, saying “(I wonder) how we’ve not won by six or seven goals.

“Everyone in the stadium has said that, they know it, we know it, but it’s the story of our season.

“It’s hard for me to be upset with the boys because I don’t think they’ve anything wrong today, apart from conceded two goals in injury time.”

Aveley: Kalin Artakiev, Adetayo Osifuwa, Alfred Kamara, Jay Leader, Glen Golby, Brian Okwera (Oyetunji Oyewale 90’), Kyle Asante, Billy Holland, Michael Begg (Lee Weemes 64’), Paul Burnett, Mathias Bakare