Chippenham Town 2, Aveley 1

SECOND half goals ended Aveley's hopes of making progress in their Vanarama National League South relegation battle.

After a great first half performance, Millers were in the driving seat at Hardenhuish Park but two goals for the home side within nine minutes of the restart ultimately proved decisive.

The visitors set the tone right from the off, pushing their hosts backwards and within three minutes came close to a goal but Razzaq Coleman DeGraft's shot, after good work by David Kawa was blocked.

Stevenage loanee David Hicks then shot just wide, and repeated the experience just a couple of minutes later.

Manager Danny Scopes applauded Aveley supporters after the final whistle. Picture by Tiego Grenho.

Pressure from the visitors continued and another effort from Kawa was saved on the line.

Another Aveley loanee, Jaxon Brown from Swindon, looked as if he had scored but his effort rolled along the line and was cleared.

Eventually the pressure brought deserved reward just after the half hour when Brooklyn Kabongolo met a corner with a header to give his side the lead.

And it was close to being two but another Hicks effort, this time goal bound, was topped onto the crossbar by Town keeper Will Henry and that's how it stood at half time.

And it also proved to be as good as it was going to get for Danny Scopes' side as, on 51 minutes, with their first shot on target of the match Chippenham levelled through Luke Haines.

And three minutes later the hosts were ahead when Luke Spokes' deflected effort end up in the back of the net.

It was end-to-end stuff for the remainder with chances at both ends, but no-one could break the deadlock.

Imran Uche had a glorious chance to equalise from a header when he got on the end of a David Hicks set piece but couldn't direct his header downwards from six yards out.

There was an added time shout by Aveley for a penalty after a hand deflected the ball away from Jason Ring but it wasn't to be.

If there was one consolation, it is that 20th placed Welling were hammered 5-1 at Weymouth so Aveley are still ten points away from safety. The downside is that Weymouth, while still bottom, are now just a point behind Millers.  

Next up is a battle against fellow bottom four side Enfield Town.