Hemel Hempstead Town 1 Aveley 1
Vanarama National League South
Saturday 22nd March 2025
Match Report by Allan Mitchell
It was all square on Non League Day at The Focus Community Arena with the Tudors securing their League South status for another season and Aveley looking increasingly like they will succumb to the drop.
It was a disappointing game in front of a healthy crowd of over 800 and Hemel Boss Lee Allinson reflected this after, saying his side looked a bit leggy after their recent good run and he felt they just didn’t get going against a side that are fighting for their lives in a relegation battle.
Kai Omoko-Brossnan was the one bright spark in a dour first half and he gave the Tudors the lead on 21 minutes when he received the ball just inside the Aveley half and drove forward and into the penalty area, he was half blocked as he closed in on goal but the ball fell kindly for him and he was able to tuck it home past a defender on the line.
The only other thing of note in the first half is when Kyle Ajayi picked the ball up just before the interval and drove past a couple of defenders before slipping Brandon Barzey in, the in form Tudors winger lined himself up with just the keeper to beat but he was forced slightly wide and his shot flew across the face of goal and just past the far post.
You felt a second goal then would have put things to bed with Aveley offering very little up front but it wasn’t to be and they were still in the game going into the second period.
Things didn’t really improve after the break and you felt that the visitors would only need one chance to get back into it but they were still poor going forward and you just couldn’t see where another goal was going to come from at either end. It finally did come on 67 minutes, completely out of the blue when a long clearance just evaded everyone and David Kawa was allowed a free run into the box, he made no mistake cooly tucking it past Hemel’s Luton Loanee goalkeeper, Jameson Horlick, to level the scores. Horlick couldn’t have had an easier debut up until this point, not having a save of any note to make but it only takes one chance and Aveley took full advantage.
The game livened up slightly with the visitors sensing that this could be their day and a much needed three points were there for the taking. They did have the ball in the net late on after Hemel failed to clear the ball from one of the many long throws that had been launched into the box but the lineman’s flag had been raised and it was ruled out much to the consternation of ex Tudor Charlee Hughes who was still protesting at the end of the game and Hemel had a late chance when a good move across the park set up Mazeed Ogungbo who couldn’t keep his shot down and it flew over the bar.
Tudors Man of the Match as voted by Avco Motors: Ben Tompkins
Attendance: 841
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