Football: Weemes saves a point for Aveley

Ryman Div One North

Cheshunt 1 v 1 Aveley

By Scott Hately. Courtesy of www.pitchero.com/aveley

LEE Weemes’ third goal in four games salvaged a point for Aveley who come from behind to draw 1-1 at Cheshunt.

Weemes fired across goal and into the bottom corner with seven second half minutes remaining in a game that was very much the clichéd game of two halves.

Having not been at the races in the first 45 minutes the Millers fell behind in unfortunate circumstances when Allen Bossman was played onside by the injury-striken Alfred Kamara, allowing him to slot home.

But Justin Gardner rallied his troops at the break and after patiently trying to break through the Cheshunt back line they found their equaliser when Weemes struck across goal late on.

Arguably a point a piece was a fair result for both sides, but Gardner was dealt a huge blow the morning of the game when Jay Leader was unable to make the match due to illness.

That enforced change was the only change made by Gardner to the side that beat Burnham Ramblers so convincingly on Monday night, so the first half performance from his side would have disappointed the Millers boss.

From the outset it looked like it was going to be a game of very few chances and the first half-chance of the game fell to Aveley when Brian Okwera found the ball at his feet before blazing over.

That was to be as good as it got for the Millers in the first half, and although Cheshunt weren’t putting Gardner’s side under any undue pressure they did take the lead after 19 minutes, albeit in fortunate circumstances.

After picking up the ball 30 yards from goal, Luke Marshall threaded a pass into the feet of Allen Bossman to be through on goal.

With the rest of the Aveley backline stepping up to play the offside trap, Bossman was played onside by Alfred Kamara who was on the floor injured on the far side.

That allowed Bossman to take his time and pick his spot as he calmly slotted the ball past Stevie Sutton to give the home side the lead.

Kamara was replaced immediately after for Mathias Bakare and Aveley could have found themselves two behind going into the break after Tunde Adewumi’s goal was ruled out after Marshall had failed to keep the ball in play.

Aveley had to improve in the second half if they were to salvage anything from this game and they did just that with Paul Burnett forcing a corner early in the second half.

The corner was whipped in by Burnett with the ball falling to the feet of Lee Weemes who, with a split second to react, was unable to direct the ball on target before Cheshunt cleared.

Karl Blake’s free kick was comfortably saved by Sonny Sheed-Ryan in the Ambers’ goal as the Millers continued to knock of the door of the home side.

But despite Aveley controlling the second half, Cheshunt did manage to carve out two chances of their in quick succession that could have put the game beyond the Millers.

The first chance came when player/manager and second half sub, Omer Riza played the ball dangerously across the face of goal towards Bossman, only to be cut out brilliantly by Adetayo Osifuwa.

And their second opportunity came when a long ball from Josh Cooper saw Sutton come off his line to head away, with his header only going as far as Will Holmes who first time tried side footing the ball back towards goal with his effort only just going wide.

From that point onwards though it was all Aveley and they had two opportunities from free kicks, both won by Weemes come and go.

Petrit Elbi struck the first free kick hard and low, but just wide, and Michael Begg forced a superb diving save by Sheed-Ryan with his effort minutes later.

Eventually though after patiently probing for an equaliser the goal came with seven minutes remaining in the half, scored by Weemes.

A long throw into the box by Glen Golby was flicked on by Blake. Weemes reacted quickest to the knock down to strike his shot on the half-volley across the face of Sheed-Ryan and into the bottom corner to bring the sides level.

Having been second best in the first, the goal was just rewards for a much better second half display and the Millers had chances to win it late on.

Nathan Koranteng’s cross appeared to strike the arm of Joe Clemo, with the referee not interested in the winger’s appeals.

But from the resulting corner, Koranteng and Bakare linked well for a quick set piece which saw Bakare get to the by line, but his pull back missed everyone as Cheshunt hacked it away.

And into injury time Kyle Asante had a half chance to put himself into double figures for the season after being played in by Begg, but he wasn’t unable to keep his shot down as the two sides had to settle for a point a piece.

When asked if 1-1 was a fair result, manager Justin Gardner said “Yes, but I do think the last 10 minutes we had three or four chances but probably on the first 85 minutes of the game it probably was a fair result.

“I think the first half we looked off the pace and we struggled to come to terms with their tactics. When we got in in the second half we changed the tactics and I think we absolutely dominated the second half.”

Goalkeeper, Stevie Sutton agreed with the manager’s view on the game saying “after that first half, 100% (it was a fair result).

“Once we conceded that goal it just wasn’t good enough. The gaffer had words in the changing rooms at half time and we come out strong.

“I think to take a point away from home after that first half we would have taken that at half time.”

After the normal post-match questions were asked, Gardner was then asked for his view on the news from Thursday night that Aveley would be getting a new stadium built, with the start of the 2015/16 season being the target.

The Millers boss said “It’s amazing, it just goes to show to the people that have slagged Aveley off in the past we’re going to have the last laugh now because when it is built in a years’ time it’s going to be the best facilities in the whole of non-league.

“We’ll go from a small club to a massive club overnight when it is open and I can’t wait, and I’m pretty sure any player that’s going to be here or want to come that’s going to be a big selling point to them.

“It’s great for the community, we can have a reserves side, we can have under 18’s, we can have our youth teams all together, all coming to watch the same games supporting each other. To me I can only see Aveley going far now in non-league football.”

Aveley: Stevie Sutton, Adetayo Osifuwa, Karl Blake, Alfred Kamara (Mathias Bakare 20’), Glen Golby, Brian Okwera, Kyle Asante, Billy Holland (c)(Michael Begg 73’), Lee Weemes, Paul Burnett (Petrit Elbi 65’), Nathan Koranteng