Grays Athletic 1 Bedford Town 1 (Home)
Sat, August 16, 2003. Kick off: 3:00 PM
ROBERTS UNLOCKS GRAYS DEFENCE TO SHARE SPOILS by Martin Candler
In an entertaining game at the Rec, both sides have room for optimism. For Grays, the objective is to mix a nucleus of established players with promising youngsters recruited from the Football League.
Bedford, too, have strengthened their squad, and look to have improved on their showing last season.
Grays started the match with more fluency and, as early as the ninth minute, ex-West Ham youngster Freddie Eastwood cleverly lobbed the Bedford goalkeeper Ian Brown, only to see his effort hit the post and bounce into the grateful goalkeeper's arms.
Good work on the flanks saw midfielder Ram Marwa twice come close, one effort also hitting the woodwork.
Bedford had their moments, with Darren Lynch and Josh Sozzo prominent, and only a fine double save from goalkeeper Mel Capleton prevented first Lynch then Liam Folds from scoring. The second half saw Grays dominating yet, as often happens, a goal was scored which was down to human error rather than good play.
In the 49th minute a hopeful ball down the middle was played weakly back to the Bedford goalkeeper by Lee Howerd and Tony Lock nipped in to coolly slot home.
Then, in many ways, the turning point in the game came when Eastwood produced a bit of magic on the byline to put in Lock who somehow shot wide.
Bedford seemed to take heart from this miss and Lynch hit the post when put clear in the 74th minute. Soon after, a through ball caused uncertaintly between Capleton and his defender Ade Olayinka, and substitute Drew Roberts poked home the equaliser.
Both sides had chances in the closing minutes, but probably overall a draw was a fair result.
Grays Athletic:- Capleton, Bradshaw, Kerrigan, Olayinka, Youds, Thurgood, Marwa, Carthy, Eastwood, Lock, Hayzelden Subs:- Vaughan, Barrett, Oshitola, Stimson, Lunan
Bedford Town:- Brown, Jackman, Lawley, Covington, Howarth, Sarll, Lazarus, Folds, Lynch, Sozzo, French Subs:- Jackson, Capone, Roberts, Reed, S Brown
Attendance:- 316
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