Aveley 1, Chesham United 1
AVELEY manager Danny Scopes was able to draw some positives from Saturday's (11 January) home National League South draw and he remains optimistic his side can kick on in the second half of the season and claw back the gap between the Millers and safety, which sits at nine points after the weekend fixtures.
Millers included two new loan signings, striker Jaxon Brown from League Two side Swindon Town, and attacking midfielder David Hicks on loan from League One side Stevenage.
Both got into the action, Brown coming on after 67 minutes for Adam Leathers, while Hicks got the last few minutes of the match after replacing Razzaq Coleman de-Grat and had a couple of efforts on goal but wasn't able to produce a match-winning moment.
Brown spent a couple of months earlier this season on loan at Isthmian Premier League side Canvey Island, where the 19-year-old scored six goals in 15 games for The Gulls before been recalled by new Swindon Town manager Ian Holloway in November and he played several times for the first team. He has been loaned to Aveley for the rest of the season to further his development.
Hicks, 18, also spent time in the Isthmian Premier this season, playing 24 times for Potters Bar Town, scoring four goals. He was awarded his first professional contract with Boro at the start of this season.
Saturday's clash at Parkside started well for Millers, who were very much in the ascendancy throughout the opening exchanges.
As early as the fourth minute Tyrese Owen tested visiting keeper Dillion Addai from long range and Chesham had to endure sustained Aveley pressure – which included what looked to be decent claims for a penalty for handball on eight minutes but they were waved away.
Owen went close with an effort flicked just wide of the post and it wasn't until the 17th minute that Chesham mounted their first serious attack, with Millers captain Jason Ring being responsible for a fine clearance to alleviate danger.
Aveley's endeavour finally paid on 20 minutes when Coleman de-Grat pulled the ball back for Owen and his well-struck shot flew into the top left hand corner.
Chesham came close to an equaliser eight minutes later but Millers keeper James Holden produced a great save to deny Nathan Minhas in a one-on-one situation.
Millers almost extended their lead on 33 minutes when Josh Anifowose burst down the right hand side and fired a shot towards goal which hit the crossbar and went over.
The woodwork was involved again in the closing moments of the half, this time at the other end when a shot from the edge of the area bounced down off the underside of the bar and the follow-up effort was skied over, leaving Millers with the lead at half time.
However, they weren't able to hold onto it for long in the second half. Just two minutes into it Bradley Clayton was felled in the box by a rash challenge and Matt Lench comfortably concerted the subsequent spot kick.
Chesham were much-improved in the second half but neither side came close to a goal until David Kawa flashed a shot wide on 73 minutes.
Brown's introduction added a bit of impetus and he set up Hamza Bin-Semakula with 12 minutes to go but the defender also shot wide.
Millers were definitely finishing the stronger but just couldn't find the breakthrough, with Addai saving from Brown and then tipping a strike from Coleman de-Grat over the bar.
Hicks came on for the last two minutes of normal time – and the three added on – and he went close in added time but like others before him he was foiled by a save from Addai and ultimately the points were shared.
Afterwards Scopes said he felt his side was marginally the better over the 90 minutes but he accepted it was a fair result.
However, he saw enough in the performance that was encouraging and ahead of next weekend's trip to high-flying Truro he thinks reaching safety remains an achievable aim.
Danny Scopes' post match verdict:-
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