Maldon face Thamesmead in final

League runners-up Maldon will have home advantage on Sunday after the much-travelled Lee Boylan scored twice in their 3-1 victory over Aveley.

Aveley had a slight edge for much of the first half but the game turned Maldon’s way in the last seven minutes before the interval. Boylan gave them a 38th-minute lead (pictured by Mikey Cartwright) and Aveley’s Junior Appiah received his second yellow card four minutes later.

The ten men seemed unlucky not to be awarded a penalty early in the second half when Jack Stevenson was brought down in front of goal but it turned out not to matter as almost immediately, in the 54th minute, Petrit Elbi drilled in their equaliser.

Maldon regained the lead in the 69th minute when a free-kick by Jack Cawley found its way into the net, probably with the help of an Aveley defender.

Millers tried hard to draw level again and it was not settled until the third minute of added time, when Aveley keeper Jack Giddens came up for a corner and was stranded as the ball was cleared for Boylan to find the unguarded net.

Thamesmead were twice hauled back to level terms before edging out Witham 3-2. So often it is the team that makes the late run into the play-offs that continues that form though the knockout stages, and on that basis Witham must have fancied their chances.

They fell behind in the 21st minute when Baff Addae was fouled and Chris Edwards converted the penalty for the only goal of the first half.

Witham replied, also from the spot, in the 54th minute, Rob Whitnell obliging after Lewis Godbold was brought down, and they looked the more likely side to take the lead.

But it was Thamesmead who went ahead again in the 71st minute through Addae, who pounced on a weak clearance and lobbed the ball into the net.

This time their lead lasted only two minutes before Sam Taylor forced home Danny Emmanuel’s cross at the second attempt to make it 2-2.

The winner came in the 80th minute when a long ball over the defence picked out Mead’s top scorer Stuart Zanone, who held off a defender and shot home.