Aveley, 2 Salisbury 2

DRAMA ran late into the evening at Parkside tonight (Monday, 3 March) as Millers looked to have snatched a vital victory and then were denied by a linesman's decision deep into ten minutes of added time.

Aveley, in desperate need of a win in a Vanarama National League South battle against fellow relegation rivals Salisbury, thought they had secured a win when Stevenage loanee David Hicks smashed the ball home with just five minutes of normal time remaining.

However, almost ten minutes of added time were played and just before the final whistle the visitors grabbed a contentious equaliser when the linesman ruled home keeper James Holden had caught a goalbound header from Josh Sommerton over the line.

It was a cruel twist of fate for Millers who appear unable to buy a stoke of luck, however hard they try, in what is becoming an increasingly desperate relegation battle, and the point they gained was not enough to lift them from bottom spot.

Callum Watts had given Salisbury a first half lead, before two second half goals from David Kawa and Hicks had turned the game on its head.

The opening goal of the game, came when a quick throw-in ended up with Watts just inside the box, and the Salisbury midfielder hit a stunner into the top right-hand corner.

Aveley grew into the game after the opening goal and caused problems, especially down their left wing.

Their first real chance came in the 21st minute when Jaxon Brown headed past Rhys Byrne, but Owen Dore cleared off the line.

Aveley were becoming a dominant force and Kawa probably should have done better when he dragged a shot wide in the 36th minute. The same player then saw a shot deflected wide three minutes later.

Salisbury remained competitive and in the early stages of the second Aiden Elliott-Wheeler and Jaden Perez both forced saves from Holden before there was a long break in play, as Millers' Hamza Semakula was stretchered from the pitch after being injured.

The break, while clearly concerning, proved advantageous as, from the restart, Aveley put a high long ball forward down the right hand side, the ball was put into the danger area and steered home by  Kawa in the 74th minute.

Eleven minutes later, the home side led. 

Hicks raced clear and smashed the ball past Byrne and into the back of the net and a memorable result looked on the cards, but ultimately it wasn't to be, due to Sommerton's late, late intervention.

Things don;t get much easier for Millers, who travel to third-placed Borehamwood at the weekend.