Aveley 16th August 2008

We returned to league action after a summer rebuild and an encouraging pre-season, only to fall to defeat at Aveley this afternoon.

With experienced campaigner Glen Parry sitting in the stand due to suspension, the Cheshunt side was largely unrecognisable from the one that finished last season and the day started badly for us when after only five minutes right back Nick Thorogood hobbled off with a knee injury. Winger Dean Dolce replaced the defender with Paul Abbott switching to right back.

The game failed to spark into any real life but we saw plenty of the ball and twenty minutes in the first real chance of the game came our way when Bradley Harrison nicked the ball in midfield and played in Ashley Taylor-Forbes whose pace got him to the ball ahead of the outcoming keeper. Unfortunately for us ATF’s dink over Aveleys’ Marrable bounced back off of the post. Up until that moment of quality there had been little to cheer for either set of fans as both sides huffed and puffed but failed to find any rhythm. The Cheshunt side managed to produce the best moments though and went close again after Jake Whincups’ throw sent Boniek Forbes racing down the wing. He laid it back to Taylor-Forbes who in turn set up Mervin Abraham but the strikers shot was deflected narrowly wide. Dean Dolce’s corner was then flicked on by Abraham and Darren Williams perhaps should have scored at the back post.

The defining moment of the first half came on 43 minutes as Elbi outpaced Darren Williams and rounded Whincup to roll the ball home. Although against the run of play they say that just before half time is the best time to score and so it turned out to be. The Millers came out full of fire in the second half and laid siege to the Ambers goal and a two goal burst just after the hour mark put the home side comfortably in control.

We got on the score sheet with twenty minutes to go after good work on the right from Dolce ended with a testing cross that the Aveley keeper misjudged, the ball falling for Lewis to bundle home at the back post. For a few minutes the watching Ambers supporters had hopes of a fightback as we started to come to life but the Aveley forwards were looking dangerous on the break and their pace was a constant threat. The home side could have added to their score as the game drew to a close but found their shooting boots had deserted them and a last minute booking for Bradley Harrison brought a disappointing day to a disappointing conclusion.

Cheshunt: Whincup, Thorogood (Dolce 9), McGowen, Butler, Williams, Harrison, Taylor-Forbes, Prestedge (Gradosielski 67), Forbes (Lewis 53), Abbott, Abraham (c).

Not used: Ricketts, Bradford.

Attendance: 89