I was unsure whether coming across the Dartford Crossing in rush hour on a Friday to watch football in freezing cold weather was a good idea or not. However my previous visit to watch May & Baker FC at Aveley had resulted in a lot of goals, so I decided to be brave and make the journey.

The Aveley Stadium is modern, with a large seated grandstand and a smaller covered seated stand. There is a decent clubhouse and bar, as well as a refreshment stand and plenty of free parking. The pitch is 3G and the ground also benefits from an electronic scoreboard, although tonight it was switched off. May & Baker are the tenants of Aveley FC, currently playing in the National League South.

May & Baker FC play in the Eastern Counties League 1st Division (South). They sit currently in 13th place with nine wins, 5 draws and 9 defeats from their 23 games, allowing them at least a handful of games in hand over their rivals. Goals in the league have come at a rate of around two a game, with 16 scored by Gabriel Odili, 5 by Daniel Barth and 4 by Idris Aminu and Remi Awosanya. Manager Jimmy Donald, in his first season in charge, would have been keen tonight to see his team win to push towards the top half of the league and the play off spots.

Burnham Ramblers FC have turned to a new manager, Pierce Anderson, in order to lift themselves out of danger, in the bottom three of the table. Goals have not been a rare commodity this season for Burnham, and they boast 52 goals from their 28 matches. Unfortunately their poor defensive record has seen them ship 82 goals in their 28 games, at a rate of almost three a match. This defensive record has negated the efforts of top scorers, Karl Swanborough (14 goals), Leon Isaac (6 goals) Kudus Onoyenga and Gabriel Ogunwomoju (5 goals each), leaving Burnham facing a relegation battle.

The game started spectacularly, when a bizarre shot from the edge of the penalty area, was semi rebounded and at the same time, deflected at pace, past the May & Baker keeper taking the home side and my filming totally unawares, as Alfie Ayers put Burnham Ramblers 0-1 ahead.

The game was evenly fought until the 25th minute when May & Baker FC won a penalty for a foul in the left corner of the Burnham Ramblers penalty area, by midfielder Ben Wood. The subsequent kick was confidently despatched, by Gabriel Odili, to tie the scores at 1-1.

There were more chances for May & Baker before the break, to put themselves into a first half lead, but the crossbar and some good saves by Cody Hines, saw the score at the break remain deadlocked, at one all.

Burnham Ramblers came out of the blocks firing after the break and were ahead for the second time in the game when Aiden Brown broke free, following an inch perfect through ball from Alfie Ayers, to slot the ball past Riddell, in the May & Baker goal.

In the 61st minute Burnham Ramblers were 1-3 ahead when a fine counter attacking transition saw Aiden Brown set up Leon Isaac for a simple tap in.

The second half continued with May & Baker FC laying siege to the Burnham Ramblers goal. Wave after wave of attacks were disrupted, blocked and foiled, whilst the pace of Aiden Brown for the visitors, acting as a lone striker was always a threat on the break. At the fulltime whistle it was Burnham Ramblers who gave an unexpected, but well deserved, three point welcome gift to new manager, Pierce Anderson.

May & Baker will be concerned that they just couldn’t make use of the superior possession they enjoyed, on what was a cold, cold evening.