Billericay Town 3, Aveley 1

In every sense of the word, Saturday's (14 March) Isthmian Premier clash was that old footballing cliché – a game of two halves.

And not just in the sense of time – but geographically as one end of the pitch saw five goals, while the other saw the woodwork rattled about six times and a couple of 'worldy' saves and blocks.

In all honesty, despite the excitement and buzz of a derby, there wasn't a great deal of quality on display throughout – but there was plenty of effort and dogged determination.

Aveley came out of the traps well and under a game plan fashioned by manager Brett Munyard, enjoyed the lion's share of possession.

However, the first moment of real drama came on eight minutes when Jonathan North, back in the Millers' keeper's jersey after ending a sabbatical from the game earlier this month, pulled off a tremendous close range save.

Moments later Millers took the lead when Toby Aromolaran swept the ball inside the near post from close range after a cross from George Sanders.

Billericay responded well and twice hit the frame of the goal, possibly three times as it was unclear whether an Aveley boot or the post blocked an effort from a goalmouth scramble.

North then bettered his earlier effort to tip what looked a certain goal-bound effort over the bar and Aveley went into the break two up thanks to a penalty converted calmly by Ollie Peters after Aromolaran had been felled in the box.

The message to the Millers at half time was – more of the same please!

Millers manager Brett Munyard's post match verdict:-

But things quickly changed. Once again the focus of the action was in the Blunts Wall Road end goalmouth as Aveley twice went close to scoring, again scrapping the woodwork but the ball went up the other end and on 50 minutes Alfie Cerulli tempted Peters into a rash challenge and the home player went down, winning a penalty that he calmly put away himself.

In the first instance Aveley responded well and more pressure again saw the ball bounce of the frame, this time from Ryan Charles' header.

But the momentum became increasingly Billericay's and it was no real surprise when Cerulli put the sides level on 59 minutes with a goal that owed as much to poor defending as attacking intent with Aveley having chances to deal with an acute angled attempt from Macauley Bonne that eventually fell for Cerulli to push home between two defenders on the line.

Aveley again attempted to force their way back into the match but were guilty of some wayward shooting until they were once more were foiled by the crossbar when Aromolaran thumped a long range effort goalwards.

The match was ultimately decided by its third penalty, which came on 77 minutes when another rash challenge from Liam Nash just caught Eliot Long's leg as he cut into the box. The fall that followed was a little theatrical, but there was little doubt (despite dramatic protestations) that Nash's lunge was an ill-judged one and contact was made.

Sub Teddy Collis, who had replaced Cerulli, stepped into his penalty-taking role and slotted the ball home to secure the win – which is only Aveley's third on the road this season, and their fifth in total. With seven matches to play they remain second, ten points ahead of sixth-placed Dartford and they will be looking to put the disappointment behind them back at Parkside on Saturday (21 March) when Cheshunt are the visitors.