Grays Athletic 1 Northwood 1 (Away)
Sat, April 10, 2004. Kick off: 3:00 PM
DALY EXPRESS SECURES POINT
by Alan Fulbrook & Paul Smith-Allen
Blues spate of recent draws continued with a third successive stale-mate at Northwood Park. Manager Mark Stimson made several changes to the side ahead of the Easter Monday clash with bitter rival Thurrock.
With Leroy Griffiths serving-out his ban, and Club Captain Martin Carthy one of those ‘relegated’ to the bench, rare starts were given to Chris Wild, Ade Olayinka, and Ram Marwa.
Both sides were denied by the woodwork within the opening ten minutes.
For Woods, Alistair Heselton met Danny Yeoman’s cross with a header that
crashed back off the bar, then Dean Bradshaw, found in space by Ram
Marwa, slammed a shot against a post.
Grays gradually began to get on top, but the notoriously suspect Woods defence somehow managed to hold firm, restricting the visitors to a couple of half-chances for Freddie Eastwood, and against the run of play,
Northwood took the lead after 26 minutes. Good approach play from
Heselton and Mark Williams stretched the Blues defence, and an attempted clearance only skied the ball into the air in the penalty box, where skipper Christian Metcalfe took advantage by looping a header over Mel Capleton for the opening goal.
Much to their credit Grays responded swiftly. A free-kick awarded almost thirty yards from the Woods goal, was touched on to Wes Daly. The
midfielder curled a magnificent shot high into the corner of the net with keeper Carroll well beaten. Goal scorer Daly blotted his copybook shortly
after by picking up a yellow card for a late challenge, and five minutes from half-time Carroll sustained an injury and was replaced by Rob Bullivant.
After the break, play began to grow increasingly scrappy with neither side able to carve-out any clear cut openings. Blues dominated but were unable to make their possession and superior footwork count. Substitute keeper Bullivant saved well from Ellis Remy before the striker was replaced by Lloyd Opara on the hour mark.
Wild and Eastwood both went close in the final ten minutes, but the goal that would surely have secured all three points remained elusive.
Grays will need much vocal support from what is expected to be a bumper crowd at the Rec on Monday, if there are to gain revenge for the 2-0 defeat inflicted by Thurrock last month.
Teams:-
Northwood:- Carroll, Nolan, Yiadom, Meakin, Evans, Clark, Metcalfe (Capt), Knight, Nicholls, Yeoman, Heselton Subs: Kwakye, Rowley, Williams, Bullivant
Grays Athletic:- Capleton, Bruce, Olayinka, Lunan, Wild, Thurgood (Capt), Daly, Bradshaw, Eastwood, Remy, Marwa Subs: Carthy, Robinson, Hayzelden, Opara, Barrett
Referee:- Mr. M. John
Attendance:- 231
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