The Greens made two changes for the visit of the team directly above them in the table with Scott Davis and Dan Brown returning from the side that narrowly lost to leaders Harlow Town last weekend.

Soham enjoyed the better of the first halves play, although clear opportunities in the opening quarter were limited at either end. Early on, Brown ran onto Stanley’s ball, only for Marrable to come out and deny, whilst Gent headed straight at the keeper from Abbs’ corner. Just after the half hour mark, Bromwich sent the ball down the left to Simpson, who after working his way towards the edge of the area, curled a shot wide of the far post, before Stevenson placed across goal and wide at the other end moments later, following good build up play. Seven minutes before the break, Soham took the lead when Simpson ran onto a throughball into the area, only for Marrable to come out and deny the attacker, with the ball coming back to Ryan Sharman, who floated the ball over the keeper from outside of the area. The midfielder could have doubled the advantage minutes later, but put over from close range from Abbs’ corner.

The interval saw a change of officials following an injury to referee Jonathon Block. Assistant Darin Geary took over the whistle, with Millers’s secretary Craig Johnson the replacement linesman.

Soham began the second half where they left off the first on the attack. Minutes after the restart, Stanley delivered an angled ball to Simpson, but after getting into the box, unselfishly played the ball back to the Green’s Captain, who couldn’t connect as he slid in on goal. The game slowly evened out with Joseph-Johnson pulling off a fine save to keep out Stevenson’s strike from distance ten minutes into the half, with the ball heading for the top corner, whilst Brown got into the area only for Marrable to keep out the angled shot. Midway through the half, Stanley ran onto Gent’s ball, but after getting the ball under Marrable’s legs, the keeper managed to gather, before coming out to deny Simpson at the back post after receiving Abbs’ ball. The visitors enjoyed the next spell as Jospeh-Johnson stuck out a leg to thwart the incoming Elliott, while Francis and Stevenson were off target, with the striker also curling a freekick wide of the post. The hosts doubled the score with ten minutes remaining, when Stanley was played in by sub Torres, with the striker squaring the ball for the incoming Matt Simpson to convert. Despite being two down, the Millers continued pressing forward as Joseph-Johnson made saves to deny Francis and Ola, while Pedulu and Elliott put behind. But just when it looked like Soham would keep their first clean sheet of the season, Aveley scored a consolation with near enough the last kick of the game, three minutes into stoppage time when substitute Danny Francis scored from close range following a freekick into the area.

Soham Town Rangers
L. Joseph-Johnson, A. Luque, L. Monk, R. Sharman, J. Gent, M. Bromwich, M. Simpson, S. Davis (V. Torres 79), J. Abbs, L. Stanley, D. Brown (K. Ofori-Gyasi 68)
Unused: M. Hall, I. Hart

Aveley
J. Marrable, M. Bakare, P. Preston (S. Pedulu 72), J. Baker, S. Harrison, A. Dean, T. Ola, B. Holland, K. Asante (D. Francis 59), J. Stevenson, M. Elliott
Unused: G. Essuman, A. Retkoceri, T. Nathaniel

Score: (1-0) 2-1

Goals
STRFC: R. Sharman (38), M. Simpson (80)
AFC: D. Francis (90+3)

Yellow Cards
STRFC: None
AFC: P. Preston (Foul 25), J. Stevenson (Foul 84), B. Holland (Dissent 90+1)

Attendance: 90