Aveley 0, Eastbourne Borough 2

ANOTHER Vanarama National league Saturday (15 March) brought another defeat for beleaguered Aveley - now 17 points behind fifth-from bottom Enfield Town with seven matches left - and they can now only await the mathematical certainty of relegation, but who continue to turn in gallant displays.

Saturday's match mirrored many of those in recent weeks where a patched-up Aveley were up against stronger, promotion-chasing teams, including full-time players - and the gulf just proved too much again, though manager Danny Scopes once again praised his players for their effort.

Now, he says, it's all about completing the season with pride, and he called on the players to play for themselves and the club shirt – and 'to maintain the integrity of the league, by being as competitive as we can'.

An early quick-fire double for promotion chasing Eastbourne all-but ended this latest contest at Parkside.

Inside the first five minutes and Borough took the lead. Jayden Davis drove down the left-hand side and played a ball through to the overlapping Jason Adigun, and despite a tight angle he managed to find the bottom corner past Jack West in the Aveley goal.

Ten minutes later and after Davis was tripped in the box, George Alexander stepped up to send the keeper the wrong way to double Eastbourne's lead.

Eastbourne should have finished the game off minutes later after Courtney Clarke connected with a header from close range, however, his downward header was well saved by West.

Into the second half and it was Aveley who looked the more likely to score. Joe Wright was forced into a save at his near post by David Kawa and minutes later he made a brilliant reactive save to keep out Jack McDowell's header from close range.

David Sesay then put in a superb block to deny Aveley's Jake Leahy a first senior goal as time ticked into the final few moments.

Aveley are next in action with a trip to Hemel, on Saturday (22 March).