Aveley 1, Halesowen Town 0

ONE final challenge awaits the Millers if they are to make the first round proper of the FA Cup.

A first half goal from Ryan Charles was enough to win Monday (29 September) night's third qualifying round replay against Southern Premier Halesowen to earn the final qualifying round meeting with National League Gateshead FC on the weekend on October 10/11.

The win, which came after Saturday's 1-1 draw in Birmingham, sets up Aveley's sixth appearance in the fourth qualifying round in their 99-year history.

After the match manager Brett Munyard celebrated with his players and fans and said: "They were two intense performances against a really good opponent. I'm really proud of the entire squad and staff!

Brett Munyard congratulates his players after the final whistle.

"I can't thank the support enough and I am excited to host a national league outfit in a couple weeks' time."

Millers banked £5,625 in prizemoney from Monday night's win, added to the £7,875 they have already banked. They will get a minimum of £3,125 from the fourth qualifying round tie, with £9,375 going to the winners.

There was a tentative start to Monday's replay, with little to report in the first 15 minutes other than a handful of corners for Aveley, who included new signing Ollie Muldoon in the starting line-up, and an attempt from Halesowen which was dragged wide.

Goal chances were a rare commodity and the first significant incident came on 34 minutes when two Town players were booked, one for a foul on Ollie Peters and the second for his comments to the ref.

Millers were slowly building pressure though and, after an effort that was headed over the decisive moments came two minutes before the break. Aveley won a corner after Jayden Gipson headed the ball into the box that was scrambled away. The corner came across and Charles got on the end of it to fire the ball home.

There was still time, in added time, for Suly Zudhu to be cautioned but Millers went into the break on a happy mood.

For a few second, just two minutes after the restart, that mood got even better when Charles got the ball in the net again, but the effort was ruled out for a foul in the build up.

Millers players thank their fans after the match.

It wasn't until just before the hour mark at Halesowen made a serious threat of an equaliser but Joe Wright proved equal to the task with a fine save.

Aveley came close to a second a couple of minutes later when Jayden Brissett, who had replaced  Charles moments before, made an immediate impact with a fine run before crossing the ball dangerously and another sub,  Anthony Church (who replaced Muldoon at halftime) struck first time, only to see the ball rise over the bar.

Halesowen tried to move up the gears and exerted more pressure, but Millers proved equal to it and Wright was solid between the sticks when needed.

Munyard refreshed his pack with two more late substitutes, and they held out without too many scares to set up that historic tie with Gateshead, who sit 15^th in the National League table.