Lewes 1, Aveley 6

MILLERS were looking to make it five wins in a row since the defeat away at Dartford back in mid-Jan, and secured just that with a demolition of Lewes in Sussex on Saturday (14 February).

The Dripping Pan is always a tough place to go, but you wouldn't have known it with the level of performance The Millers put on.

In the opening exchanges of this Isthmian Premier clash Aveley should've been out of sight. Ryan Charles found Chris Harris who dribbled past three Lewes defenders before seeing his effort hit the crossbar from eight yards out.

Fletcher Hubbard won the ball and drove from halfway in the Aveley half to the edge of the Lewes box, his effort was blocked and landed to Harris who was first denied by the keeper and then by a Lewes defender who hooked it off the line. Harris then found Ryan Charles on the half turn who fired towards the bottom corner but the Lewes keeper made the save down to his left to keep it out.

From that very attack the hosts took the lead massively against the run of play. The keeper threw the ball out to ex-Miller Ryan Bernal who played a ball down the right-hand side to Devonte West who cut inside and hit his strike across the ball making it swerve in the air into the top right-hand corner of our goal.

It took Aveley only six minutes to pull back level, Saunders free-kick was well saved, Chris Harris' follow-up hit the post, but Ryan Charles was on hand to stab it home from close range.

Moments later and Aveley were deservedly ahead, a kick from Mitchell was flicked onto the path of Ryan Charles, Charles helped the ball onto George Saunders who collected the ball on the run and rounded the Lewes keeper before firing home on his left foot.

Aveley came out for the second half on fire, Ollie Peters collected a headed clearance 25 yards out, drove to the edge of the area before rifling a superb strike into the goal. A goal of the month contender for sure.

Two minutes later and three became four, the hosts attempted to play out from the back, which led to the goalkeeper being stranded off his line, Lewes' Muirhead decided to find Jesse Nwabueze on the edge of the area with a pass instead of his own teammate which allowed Jesse to pass home into the open net.

Brett Munyard's post match verdict: https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/aveley/videos/post-match-lewes-16-aveley-217212.html

Aveley only needed another two minutes to add a fifth. A quick corner from Hubbard to Saunders had the latter zipping a ball into Ryan Henshaw who placed the ball to the back post for Matty Johnson to tap home from close range. Three goals in seven minutes to start the second half, Aveley were on fire.

The Millers kept hunting for more goals, and should've got another but were denied by the crossbar again. Jesse Nwabueze's shot was parried out into the path of Toby Aromolaran who adjusted his body well to get the re-bound effort towards goal but it cracked the crossbar and went out for a goal kick.

Toby kept looking for his goal to round off the afternoon but after being found by Hubbard, Aromolaran cut inside and unleashed an effort on goal but was denied by Louis Rogers in the Aveley goal.

If at first you don't succeed try again, and finally Toby got the goal he deserved. Jesse Nwabueze's effort from an angle was initially saved by Rogers, but Tony Aromolaran was in the right place again and this time was able to divert the ball home for Aveley's sixth goal of the afternoon.

Aveley are back in action on Monday when they entertain Chichester at Parkside.