Full time: Chelmsford City 2-0 Aveley.
Chelmsford City earned a resounding two goal win over Aveley on Saturday afternoon at Melbourne Community Stadium, in what ended up being a clash between a ten-men City side and nine-men Millers team.
A stop-start opening forty-five minutes in Essex dramatically sparked into life late in the half, when midfielder Ryan Carr was sent off in the 43rd minute. Moments later, Cameron James marked his return from injury by scoring a late first half goal to put the Clarets ahead. There proved to be further drama in the dying embers of the first half though, when Millers midfielder Garrett Kelly and City captain Dave Winfield were also shown red cards by referee Issac Searle, following a clash in the middle of the pitch between both sets of players.
Jermaine Francis provided the moment of the match in a more mellow second half, when the winger lashed a sweetly struck strike over 30 yards from goal into the top corner of Jonathan North’s net.
Robbie Simpson reintroduced defenders Luke Jenkins and Cameron James into the starting lineup for Saturday’s game, marking a return to action for the defensive duo after short spells injured on the sidelines. Alongside Brookes and Winfield at the back, the returning defenders kept Aveley at bay during the first half, with City goalkeeper Henry Gray rarely being called into action.
The Clarets struggled to find a rhythm in the final third during the first half as well, with the most consequential action of the first forty minutes being referee Issac Searle’s decision to show a yellow card to Ryan Carr in the 26th minute, after the midfielder caught Ben Brookes with a mistimed tackle.
Carr was then given his marching orders by Searle seventeen minutes later, when the referee opted to show the midfielder a second yellow card after judging him to have prevented the Clarets from taking a quick free kick.
City quickly seized on their numerical advantage moments later, when Luke Jenkins headed a corner delivered by Brookes into the path of Jermaine Francis at the back post. Francis provided a dangerous ball across goal which was bundled home by James from close range, giving Simpson’s men the lead in the third minute of first half added time.
More drama followed even deeper into added time, when an initial coming together between Clarets man Finley Barbrook and Aveley substitute Garrett Kelly sparked a mass coming together between both sets of players in the middle of the pitch. Kelly was shown a red card by referee Searle after striking an obvious blow towards Charlie Ruff during the chaotic scenes, while Dave Winfield was also shown a red card for his part in the clash.
For Aveley, the second half began in similar fashion to what the first half ended in, when Millers boss Danny Scopes was the latest person to be on the receiving end of an Issac Searle red card in the 50th minute.
Jermaine Francis then compiled further misery on the visitors in the 69th minute when he netted a goal of the season contender. Aveley captain Harry Gibbs initially headed a City corner away from danger, but the defender’s clearance only fell as far as Francis around 30 yards out from goal, who quickly set himself up to shoot before lashing a powerful strike into the top corner of Jonathan North’s goal.
George Alexander nearly added a third for City shortly after Francis’ goal, but the post and a goal line clearance prevented the forward from registering his first goal at Melbourne Community Stadium since signing for the club last month.
Substitute Freddie Hockey then came close in the final seconds of proceedings, with the forward’s looping volley striking the upper side of the crossbar.
City’s third consecutive home win has extended the club’s advantage over 3rd place Worthing to five-points in the National League South table. The Rebels visit Melbourne Community Stadium on Monday, marking a quick return to action for the Clarets.
Chelmsford City XI: Gray (GK); James, Jenkins, Winfield ©, Brookes; Ochieng (Carruthers 70’), Barbrook; Francis, Ruff (Watts 76’), Alfa (Hockey 82’); Alexander.
Unused substitutes: Wordsworth, Castiglione.
Yellow cards: Barbrook, Simpson [Manager]
Red cards: Winfield
Aveley XI: North (GK) Ring, Vaz, Odelusi, Terry, Gibbs ©, Krasniqi, Carr, De-Graft (Jones 70’), Ogunrinde (Kelly 45+2’), Hughes (Brown 77’).
Unused substitutes: Aileru, Eze.
Yellow cards: Vaz, North
Red cards: Carr, Kelly, Scopes [Manager], Aveley Physio
Attendance: 1,037
Report by Jake Dixon
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