WHAT a difference a year makes. Last year Sherwin Stanley was helping Brentwood beat Aveley 3-1 with two goals and this time around the now Aveley striker helped himself to another brace in another 3-1 win.
Stanley gave the Millers a comfortable two-goal cushion before Joe Ebuel pulled one back for the visitors but Nicky Symons 88th minute strike ensured all three points.
In a quiet first half both keepers had little to do before Abbey keeper Harry Ricketts had to pull the ball out of the back of the net when the Abbotts failed to clear the ball and Stanley twisted and fiercely shot at goal with Ricketts hand not strong enough to hold out the effort.
Abbey could have levelled the scores before the break but Billy Holland’s header went agonisingly wide of the far post from Lee Sontag’s corner.
And within four minutes of the restart Stanley doubled his and the Millers tally when he beat Lee White and shot low into the bottom corner from close range.
But Aveley seemed to ease off Waltham Abbey and Abbey got themselves back into the game after 65 minutes when Ebuel headed home unmarked from Lee Sontag’s corner.
And it could have been even worse for the home side when the ball fell to Marc Sontag at the back post from close range but Ollie Morris-Sanders got a strong hand to the ball to push it away from goal.
With time ticking away Aveley made the points safe when Nicky Symons robbed the ball off of Abbey in their own half and he shot low and hard from the edge of the area and nestled into the bottom corner.
Aveley: Ollie Morris-Sanders, Ryan Doyle, Sam Holloway, Nicky Symons, Michael Alaile, Adam Bailey-Dennis, Ryan Edgar (Wayne Semanshia 79), Matt Johnson, Sherwin Stanley (Darren Quinton 90), Martin Tuohy, Steve Butterworth (Junior Dadson 67)
Subs Not Used: Tony Russell, Danny Gabriel.