Matches

GRAYS SPANK BOGNOR WITH SIX OF THE BEST
by David Jarvis

Grays put on one of their best performances of the season yesterday to clinch a decisive three points in difficult conditions against an in-form Bognor side. A rather grey and blustery afternoon at the Rec was lit up by Freddy Eastwood’s fourth hat-trick of the season and goals from Martin Carthy, Danny Hayzelden and Leroy Griffiths.

With the wind at their backs in the first half, Grays looked dangerous right from the kick off, and after 11 minutes Blues were 1-0 up. Good work on the right from Freddy Eastwood and Stuart Thurgood led to a touch on by Leroy Griffiths and Martin Carthy was on hand after a scramble with a Bognor defender to slot the ball home.

Bognor almost responded immediately when a long-range deflected shot from Jamie Howell went close. But Grays were piling on the pressure and were soon two up through a characteristically individual Freddy Eastwood goal. Eastwood received the ball from Griffiths, turned his man on the edge of the box and drilled his left-footed shot past the Craig Stoner’s left hand.

Grays’ third came in the 29th minute when Eastwood got to the byline and darted towards goal only to drag the ball back for Danny Hayzelden to bury. Grays had two more chances to score at the end of the first half with Eastwood denied by a good save from Stoner and Griffiths trying a spectacular lob from a dangerous position that went high and wide.

Nevertheless, even at 3-0 the game was not over and as the teams went in for half time, most Blues supporters were wondering whether Mark Stimson’s side could maintain the pressure on Bognor with the wind against them.

The worries turned out to be unfounded as Carthy and Thurgood in the Grays midfield dominated the game, with the rest of the side seemingly determined to play the game in the Bognor half.

Grays’ fourth came on 62 minutes after some good work on the left wing led to the ball coming to Leroy Griffiths in the box. He coolly took on two defenders before slotting home. This was to be Griffiths’ last action in the game as he was substituted for new signing Lloyd Opara.

It was downhill for Bognor now with Grays firing on all cylinders. Martin Carthy – who had a typical captain’s performance – won the ball in the Bognor half, pushed into the heart of the Bognor defence before laying off to Freddy Eastwood to make it five.

Then in the dying moments, a Danny Hayzelden corner was handled by a Bognor defender in the six yard box in an almost identical incident to the Hendon game. In this case Eastwood stepped up to complete his hat-trick and seal a superb victory which Mark Stimson later described as Blues’ best of the season.

Grays Athletic: Capleton, Olayinka, Robinson, Lunan, Marwa, Thurgood, Bruce, Carthy, Eastwood, Hayzelden, Griffiths
Subs: Opara, Barrett, Wild, Stimson, Bradshaw

Bognor: Stoner, Piper, Poate, Rutherford, Breach, Murphy, Sanson, Birmingham, Hudson, Howell, Collins
Subs: Russell, White, Wright, Sargent, Savage

Attendance: 295

Your comments

I cant believe i missed such a great game because i went to watch colchester united play tranmere.

WELL DONE FREDDIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

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