Photo by Heather Square
Aveley 5 Marlow 3
Buildbase FA Trophy Preliminary Round Replay
Report by Jamie Manktelow
It’s been a long wait for an FA Trophy win, October 2008 to be exact. With no manager, and Millers Chief Executive Craig Johnson at the helm while we await for a new appointment, this win is an amazing achievement for all involved at the football club.
The Millers started off brilliantly and almost took the lead inside the first minute as Nathan Koranteng cross almost fell to Jordan Watson who was a foot away from connecting with the ball.
But that didn’t stop the hosts for long as we took the lead on the 2nd minute. Paul Preston crossed well from the right and Jordan Watson managed to get in front of his marker and nod home past Simon Grant.
The Millers came again and Ross Gleed delivered for Jordan Watson to run through on goal but he was thwarted by the visitors keeper coming quickly off his line.
Aveley continued to dominant as Nathan Koranteng was denied by a sharp save by Grant. Mark Twumasi then had back to back chances, from back to back corners, but somehow Marlow were able to smother both away to keep it 1-0 Aveley.
In the 20th minute Rhys Madden was called into action by making two saves in quick succession. First he denied Mealing from close range, and the second from Brown he turned behind for a corner, which came to nothing.
Despite the Millers fantastic start to the game, they were sent back to earth as Marlow grabbed an equaliser. The ball sat up nicely for Jordace Holder-Spooner who found the bottom corner.
The visitors really did grow into the game after the equaliser and made it a fantastic game for the neutral! Jordan Brown’s snapshot forced Rhys Madden into making another fine save.
Despite that little bit of pressure from the visitors the Milers created a couple of chances. Paul Preston cut in onto his left foot but saw his effort deflect over the bar for a corner. From the corner Aveley had another chance, as Billy Coyne’s corner was met by captain Jack Barry but it went over the bar.
Jordan Watson was then fouled on the edge of the area setting up a chance, Billy Coyne stepped up but saw it hit the wall and kicked clear. Moments later Ross Gleed’s left wing cross found Paul Preston forward at the back post but his header was over the bar.
We started off the second half brilliantly. Nathan Koranteng cross shot cracked the crossbar within seconds of the restart leaving the keeper flat footed.
Jordan Peart was next to try his luck as his mazy run ended with his shot saved by the impressive Simon Grant for an Aveley corner. George Woodward swung in the corner, it reached Jordan Watson at the back post but his effort was cleared off the line by Curtis Chapple.
The goal was coming and eventually it did, a searching ball forward found Jordan Peart who controlled with his chest dribbled past Junaid Bell and finished with aplomb into the goal to put us back in front.
The one-goal lead could have possibly been extending as Jordan Watson raced through on goal and was taken out by the keeper, which left Simon Grant being taken off injured later after the collision. However, although many thought the free-kick and potential penalty might’ve come, instead it was an offside against Watson.
Marlow came back into it and hit the post with 61 minutes on the clock. Holder-Spooner again got a lot of free space on the edge and fired against the base of the left hand post.
The Millers made a couple of changes around the 70 minutes mark with Michael Osei and Jeremiah Maja replacing Harry Cook and Jordan Peart.
Jeremiah Maja looked lively after coming on, ball from Nathan Koranteng found Maja who cut inside and fired towards goal, but it was saved by the back-up sub keeper Oneal Garnes.
With ten minutes left it was the start of squeaky bum time. Marlow corner ended up at the feet of Allen Bossman 10 yards out but he fired over the crossbar.
Going into added on time, the referee looked to signal six minutes and on the second of those Aveley could have wrapped the game up but Jeremiah Maja was denied by the post after beating everyone.
But the sucker punch was to come, in the 4th minute of additional time the equaliser came to send it into added on time. Marcus Mealing took it, it hit the wall, landed straight back to Mealing who second time round fired in an unstoppable drive which found the bottom right corner.
An additional 30 minutes was to be played to separate the two sides after a 180 minutes neither could get the win.
You might have thought that Aveley would be disheartened but within 6 minutes of extra time they re-took the lead for the third time in the game. Jeremiah Maja pulled the ball back to Nathan Koranteng who controlled and beautifully smashes the ball into the top corner to score his first goal since re-joining the club.
The Millers continued to create chances and Nathan Koranteng had a chance to seal it but his effort flashed wide of the right hand post. Paul Preston was still getting forward but saw his cross cut out well by Garnes.
There was a big fifteen minutes to go and only three minutes into the second half of extra time and Marlow pulled themselves level for the third time in the game. A free-kick was pinged into the box, it took a couple of deflections and somehow ended up in our bottom corner.
With the game seemingly heading to penalties the Millers struck gold. Paul Preston who just didn’t stop working all game came up trumps. A ball over the top was latched onto by Paul Preston who won the 50/50 against the Marlow keeper, he then managed to have the composure on his left foot to slide the ball into the net to give the Millers the lead for the fourth time in the match!
As Marlow chased the game with only a few minutes left the Millers countered with numbers, Jordan Watson was first who had his shot blocked, it landed to Michael Osei who ran the length of the pitch to support Watson, who then followed up the re-bound to poke it into the net to finally send the Millers through to the next round to take on Burgess Hill Town!
Aveley: Rhys Madden, Paul Preston, George Woodward, Billy Coyne, Jack Barry (C), Mark Twumasi, Ross Gleed (Harry Watkins 111), Harry Cook (Michael Osei 72), Jordan Watson, Nathan Koranteng, Jordan Peart (Jeremiah Maja 73).
Scorers – Jordan Watson (2′), Jordan Peart (51′), Nathan Karentang (98′), Paul Preston (115′), Michael Osei (119′)
Marlow: Simon Grant (Oneal Garnes 65), Curtis Chapple, Ryan Parsons (Jack Kerrigan 38), Junaid Bell, Calum Gallimore, Jordan Lee-Brown (Kameron English 45), Allen Bossman, Jay Welch, Marcus Mealing, Jordace Holder-Spooner, Jordan Brown.
Scorers – Jordace Holder-Spooner (25′), Marcus Mealing (90′), OG (108′)
