Matches

HEYBRIDGE 'SWIFTLY' DEALT WITH by Carol Smith-Allen

On Blue’s current form you had to fancy them to beat seventh from bottom Heybridge Swifts, and the Blue’s faithful were not to be disappointed, with a superb second half display that saw them put four goals passed Swift’s keeper Darren Placid.

The first half was a fairly uneventful affair with only a few chances for either side, and neither keeper being really tested. However, the second half proved to be a totally different ‘kettle of fish’, and I don’t know what Mark Stimson said to the players at half-time but it most certainly did the trick.

As early as the third minute into the second half, Blue’s took the lead, when following a great pass from Danny Hazleden, the skilful Leroy Griffiths, (now a firm favourite with the fans), put a brilliant lob over Heybridge keeper Darren Placid. Then two minutes later, Leroy was instrumental in Blue’s second goal, when he made an absolutely fantastic run down the left, and passed to Freddy Eastwood in the centre; Eastwood’s shot was parried by Placid, leaving Martin Carthy to pick-up the lose ball and firmly place it into the back of the net. Blue’s fans were ecstatic, but there was more to come.

In the 59th minute, Blue’s put the result beyond doubt, when Placid only managed to get a touch to Danny Hazleden’s long shot, and couldn’t prevent it from reaching the back of the net. Nevertheless, the fact that the shot was goal-bound anyway didn’t stop the younger Blue’s fans giving the Heybridge keeper plenty of stick!!

Play continued with Tony Lock replacing Leroy Griffiths on 71 minutes, Mel Capleton making a fantastic finger-tip save two minutes later; a great run by Tony Lock to Freddy Eastwood whose shot was blocked by the keeper, and another shot by Freddy Eastwood going wide of goal.

Then on 88 minutes Blue’s came close again, when a 20 yard lob from Danny Hazleden, who was having a great game, was just wide, but it was on 90 minutes that they got their fourth, when Stuart Thurgood crossed for Tony Lock to hit home.

With a great team performance and another three points in the bag, lifting Blues to sixth in the table, let’s hope for a repeat on Tuesday night at Basingstoke, whose home form this season has been indifferent. Keep it up Blues!!

Teams:-
Grays Athletic:- Capleton, Williams, Robinson, Olayinka, Youds, Thurgood, Marwa, Carthy, Eastwood, Hayzelen, Griffiths Subs:- Bradshaw, Barrett, Lock, Stimson, Bruce
Heybridge Swifts:- Placid, Keeble, Barber, Kersey, Bourgeois, Tomlinson, Cousins, Brayley, Budge, Gillespie, Forbes Subs:- Opara, Daly, Robinson, Colby, Window

Referee:- P. McCaul

Attendance:- 280

N.B. This article, or part of, may be published/copied providing the author is acknowledged.

Your comments

Another good performance from the Blues, after having been frustrated in the first half we finally made our superior class tell with three goals in a ten minute spell in the second period, Grays supporters are now becoming accustomed to watching Blues play good passing football and this was highlighted with our forth goal scored by Tony Lock, our defence is beginning to look more solid with the return of Eddie Youds "more of the same please Blues"

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