AVELEY were grateful that the power came back on as they feared the abandonment of today's Isthmian North clash with Felixstowe and Walton United – which eventually ended with an emphatic 5-0 win.

The power cuts that struck the west of the borough this afternoon saw the lights go out at Parkside at half time where Millers were leading 4-0 – with all the goals coming from Southend United loanee Jon Benton!

Thankfully for him and Aveley supporters in the impressive crowd of 292, power was restored and the lights came back on for a delayed second half resumption.

It was a first half that will long remain in the memory of Benton, who has spent his entire development from schoolboy days with the Shrimpers. He had already had a loan spell at East Thurrock earlier in the season, scoring in the Rocks' tremendous comeback win against Hornchurch.

He made his debut for Millers in last week's defeat at Coggeshall but took just nine minutes to make his mark on his home debut, firing past visiting keeper Callum Robinson after just nine minutes.

His second came four minutes later when he got on the end of George Sykes' cutback and with Aveley completely dominating the game and creating several more great chances, his hat-trick arrived on 37 minutes when he got on the end of Manny Ogunrinde's chip into the box.

Between Benton's second and third goals the visitors had to make a double substitution after a lengthy stoppage when defenders Leon Ottley-Gooch and Harry Knock clashed head.

Millers didn't have to wait long for Benton's fourth goal as, almost from the restart, another piece of enterprising play by Sykes set him free and he finished with aplomb.

The second half didn't start until 4.15pm but when it did Millers continued to dominate and Ogunrinde got the goal his performance deserved to wrap up the scoring on 62 minutes.

More chances came and went but there were to be no more goals – but five was more than enough see new manager Danny Scopes celebrating his first win in charge.

Scopes had taken over from the axed Keith Rowland, who quickly moved into the hot seat at Tilbury and took his first game in charge at AFC Sudbury today.

For much of the game it looked as if it would be a winning start to his Dockers reign with Roman Campbell opening the scoring on 28 minutes, a lead the Dockers took into half time. Though Jake Clowsley levelled on 57 minutes for the Suffolk side, Oliver Spooner restored Tilbury's lead just a minute later.

That was, however, as good as it got for the visitors.

Ryan Boswell, who had picked up a booking in the first half, got another just after the hour and was sent off.

Sudbury made the most of the extra man as Ross Wall, a familiar face to supporters of the now defunct Thurrock FC and latterly of Hornchurch, levelled on 65 minutes.

Cruis Nyadzayo then put Sudbury ahead for the first time with a 76th minute penalty and Wall wrapped up the win with his second on 86 minutes.

Grays Athletic left Witham with a sense of déjà vu and disappointment after conceding a late penalty to draw a match they should have won against a side under the caretaker managership of Chris Taylor following the resignation of Marc Benterman earlier in the month.

The Blues looked set to take a lead when they were awarded a penalty by the normally reliable David Knight spurned the chance and it wasn't until the 51st minute that the visitors' superiority was marked by a goal from Joe Paxman.

That still looked likely to be enough but Grays were unable to grab a second and in the end paid for it when Witham got a last minute penalty, which was put away by former Tilbury marksman Adam Vyse.

It is not the first time this season Grays have seen what appeared a deserved and inevitable victory snatched from their grasp by failing to take their chances.

In the Premier Division, despite playing the last third of the match against ten men, East Thurrock couldn't capitalise and had to settle for a draw against Corinthian Casuals at Rookery Hill in front of a crowd of 187.

Alex Hernandez continued his run of spot kick conversions to give the Rocks a tenth minute lead but they were pegged back by Warren Mfula's 23rd minute equaliser.

The visitors' Bobby Mills saw red on 59 minutes but Casuals held on for a share of the points.

The draw, which came in the first match of joint managers Marc Harrison and Liam Wallace's reign, saw Rocks remain in 18th.