United are back on their travels tomorrow, as Paul Wotton’s side head to Essex to take on Aveley.
With just three points separating 5th-placed United from Worthing in top spot, there’s no doubt that The Gulls will be aiming to chalk up their third successive win at the weekend, however they will be up against an Aveley side that knows a home defeat will signal the end of their stay in the sixth tier of English football.
Who’s The Boss?
Although it’s recently been confirmed that he will be stepping down at the end of the campaign, there’s no doubting the impact Danny Scopes has had during his time in charge of Aveley.
Previously in charge of Concord Rangers, he led the then National League South club to the FA Trophy Final in 2021.
After being appointed boss of The Millers in November 2021, the Club have achieved a great deal of success which started with gaining promotion to the National League South in 2022/23. Having beaten Canvey Island on penalties in the play-off semi-final, Aveley went on to beat Hornchurch in the final.
Scopes led Aveley to their highest ever league finish last season as they ended a remarkable campaign by qualifying for the end-of season Play-Off eliminators, where they were eventually beaten by Maidstone United in the eliminator round.
How Have They Been Doing?
Sadly, it’s been a desperately disappointing 2024/25 campaign for tomorrow’s opponents, as they struggled to match last term’s heroics.
Having amassed just 25 points from 40 games going into Saturday’s clash, Aveley are 16 points from safety, meaning that defeat tomorrow would seal the end of their National League South adventure.
However, Aveley are more than capable of springing a surprise, with a stunning win at Maidstone evidence of that, as well as a hard-fought 1-1 at Plainmoor in the opening month of the season.
Player to Watch
Forward Charlee Hughes scored 14 times in 48 appearances last season, including a hat-trick against Hemel Hempstead earning his team a 4-3 victory.
Charlee’s game is far more than just about goals though, with the striker more than willing to assist as well as apply the finishing touch.
Hughes counts Brentwood Town and Malden & Tiptree among his former clubs, where he was also top goal scorer for both teams prior to his departure. He then moved on to Wealdstone, then Hemel Hempstead, before joining Aveley.
Previous Encounter
Saturday 2nd September 2023 | National League | Aveley 2 – 1 United
United’s only previous visit to the Parkside Stadium was a forgettable affair for anyone in the United camp.
Goals from Siju Odelusi and substitute Charlee Hughes put The Millers in charge, and despite Brad Ash’s late response, it wasn’t enough to deny the home side a memorable victory.