Aveley 1, Royston Town 2

AVELEY found themselves on the wrong end of an FA Cup upset on Saturday (14 September) and bowed out of the prestigious competition at the first hurdle after being beaten at Parkside by Southern Premier Central Royston.

Millers who started the game well and efforts from Harry Gibbs and Razzaq Coleman De-Graft were well blocked.

Inside ten minutes, the early pressure told, a cross from David Kawa found Adam Leathers on the edge of the area, he saw his effort blocked, Manny Ogunrinde was the quickest to react who turned and found the bottom left hand corner of the goal.

Aveley continued to be on the front foot and Kawa down the left hand side caused the visitors problems, winning a corner that  Ogunrinde connected with but his headed effort looped over the bar.

Luke Allen and Tyrese Owen both had efforts towards goal, Luke curled his over the crossbar, with Tyrese getting his shot on target, but saved by Tommy Dixon-Hodge.

From the 25 minutes onwards the visitors came into the game and started to carve open opportunities. A mistake at the back allowed Randy Bulakio take aim at goal, but he saw his shot deflected wide.

Crows captain Adam Murray was the standout player throughout the game, dominating both boxes and holding up play and linking with his teammates well, and he almost levelled things up before half time but he was denied by Carey Bloedorn.

Bloedorn thwarted the visitors again minutes later. Murray laid the ball off, with Luke Johnson firing into the bottom corner, but the on-loan Tottenham goalkeeper clawed it out.

Harrison Rookhard was next to have a glorious chance for Royston, but he headed over the bar from six yards out.

In first half added time Aveley almost doubled the lead through Harry Beadle who flicked a Luke Allen free-kick just over the bar.

The visitors dominated the majority of the second half. In the opening ten minutes Aveley managed to limit them to only crosses into the box, but with Murray in there like a magnet to the ball the visitors always remained a threat.

Murray was lucky to be on the pitch after a really poor and late hit on Harry Beadle. With the player putting his shoulder straight through Beadle after the ball was gone, forcing the defender to be substituted.

Five minutes later Murray was involved again, this time he was fouled by Nathan Carlyle on the edge of the area. The free-kick was 20 yards out and Josh Coldicott-Stevens stepped up and smashed it in off the post to put the Crows level.

The resurgent visitors almost took the lead when Luke Johnson picked the ball up about 25 yards out and was an inch from finding the top right-hand corner of the goal.

With minutes to go Jason Ring saved Millers when he pulled off a brilliant last-ditch block to deny Tyrone Baker who looked destined to score.

A goal was coming for the visitors and they got it with eight minutes to go. A long-ball over the top wasn't dealt with by the Aveley back-line which forced Bloedorn to come off his line, Murray beat him to the ball to head past the keeper and into the goal.

Royston saw out the remainder of the game to force an Emirates FA Cup shock that they fully deserved.