Thamesmead Town were left ruing some sloppy defending as they were three times pegged back by a spirited and pacey Aveley as the two side’s shared the Bank Holiday spoils at Bayliss Avenue.

Two goals from Adrian Stone and a third from Cristain Nanetti gave the home side the edge but three times Aveley hit back though in the final analysis the home side were denied a last gasp penalty as Nanettio was clearly sandwiched on the edge of the Aveley box.

Mead boss Tommy Warrilow saw an improved performance after the weekend’s defeat at Brentwood Town but was frustrated to see his side concede three.  “Got to admit that I’m disappointed,” Tommy said.  “Obviously a better reaction from Saturday with a great start but we’ve just given them three poor goals.  We knew they’d be good on the counter attack especially in the wide areas but at 2-0 I would have expected us to see the game out.  You can’t give any team three gifts like we’ve given them today.  So to get a point when you’ve let three goals in is a plus but I’m disappointed that we haven’t come away with all three of them.”

Stone put Thamemead in front after just nine minutes following a superb ball into the box from Steve Springett placing the ball wide of Aveley keeper Joseph-Johnson in the visitors net.  The lead was doubled ten minutes later when with one of his first touches substitute Ellis Green found Nanetti with a threaded free kick and the Mead’s number nine did the rest with a fine finish.

It was a two goal cushion though that last less than 120 seconds as Aveley got right back into the game when Coyne was on hand to prod home an uncleared corner through a melee of players.  Ten minutes from the break and the visitors bizarrely levelled when Sinclair’s cross-cum-shot deceived everyone and flew into the top corner of the Mead’s net.

Nanetti then almost regained the lead for the home side – lobbing over keeper Joseph-Johnson only to see a defender head the ball off of the Aveley – before Stone did put the Mead back in front on the stroke of half time.  Green again was the creator – finding Stone who found the bottom corner of the net with some aplomb.

He then missed a great chance to seal a hat-trick when early in the second half after great work from Nathan Simpson and Green, Stone took just a fraction too long allowing a defender to smother his shot.  Retoceri was then twice denied by Joe Vines – firstly by chesting away a fierce drive and then when the Aveley man put the ball back into the box its was Vine’s acrobatic clearance that cleared the ball away.

The visitors did though level the scores on 57 minutes with a goal that had two ways to look at it.  From the scorer – McCullock – it was a great run and finish, but from the Mead’s perspective, the run was too long to be unchallenged and keeper Andy Walker would have been disappointed to have been beaten at his near post.

The Mead keeper did though partially redeem himself shortly after by denying Coyne a second with a smart save before at the other end Ellis’ fine run and cross saw Joseph-Johnson palm the ball directly between two green shirts and away to safety.  Walker then was called upon again – this time denying Ighorae with his right boot.

In the closing stages, both sides went looking for the win and both had occasions to rue their luck.  Firstly the Mead goal had an amazing let off as the visitors hot the inside of the right post only for the ball to rebound into Walkers arms, while at the other end the Mead were denied a clear and blatant penalty when Nanetti was flattened in a sandwich on the edge of the of the box only for referee Simpson to wave away the home sides appeals for a spot kick.  Warrilow wasn’t impressed, “It was too big a decision wasn’t it?” he said.  “The lad has darted between the pair of them and they’ve just shut him out.  So what is it if it’s not a penalty?  I’m not going to jump up and down but I said to the linesman, if hes poked the ball between them – which he has – and gone for the ball and they don’t touch the ball and just get our man, then what is it?”

Honours even then on Bank Holiday Monday – improvements from the Mead that the boss ordered, but still work to be done.

THAMESMEAD TOWN – Andy Walker, Nathan Simpson, Steve Springett (Luke Coleman), Scott Kinch (Giannoulis Fakinos), Joe Vines, Joe Denny, Fraser Walker (Ellis Green), Jack Mahoney, Cristain Nanetti, Adrian Stone, Jay Porter

Subs – Richard Butler & Tyler McCarthy

AVELEY – Lamar Joseph-Johnson, Frankie Sinclair, Daniel McCullock (Andres Tobon), Billy Coyne, Ajibola Ashanike, Michael Finneran, Jack Edwards, Abs Seymour, Nathaniel Gordon (Sherwin Stanley), Emmanuel Ighorae, Arian Retoceri (Harry Gibbs)

Sub – Richie Danquan