Matches

FISHERMEN ALMOST LAND PLAICE IN 2ND ROUND by Carol Smith-Allen

An injury time penalty gave a slightly lacklustre looking Blue’s the chance of a replay against Doc Marten’s Eastern side Fisher Athletic, and a second bite at progressing into the next round of the FA Trophy.

In a lively first-half, in which the majority of the play became a midfield battle, chances for either team were few and far between. However, a great strike from Tony Lock on 6 minutes saw Blue’s take the lead.

Poor defending from Blue’s enabled Fisher to reply in the 20th minute, with Richard Brady heading home from a corner.

The most controversial incident of the first-half came during time added on, when Leroy Griffiths was brought down on the edge of the box. Blue’s fans loudly appealed for a penalty, but after much deliberating the referee awarded Blue’s a direct free-kick right on the 18 yard line. Freddy Eastwood curled the kick over Fisher’s wall but also just over the bar.

Second half play saw Blue’s having more scoring opportunities, firstly hitting the crossbar in the 53rd minute and then a fantastic strike by Mark Stimpson, playing instead of the unwell Martin Carthy, being caught by Fisher keeper, Michael Holder.

In the 64th minute Blue’s made a double substitution, bringing on Danny Hazledene for Freddy Eastwood, and replacing ‘under the weather’ Leroy Griffiths with Ade Olayinka. Possibly these were precautionary measures with the important FA Cup Tie against Aldershot on the horizon.

With a quarter of an hour remaining, ‘Stimmo’ produced a glorious chip that cleared the bar by inches.

Two minutes from the end of normal time, and just as the game seemed to be heading for a draw, mid-week hero Mel Capleton allowed a shot from Richard Brady to elude his grasp, giving Fisher a 2-1 lead.

However, as has been the pattern with recent Grays games, there was to be late drama. Thurgood was denied by the upright, and Fisher’s failure to clear the ball lead to ‘Stimmo’ being brought down in the box. Thurgood duly despatched the spot-kick to secure a replay for Blues.

Blues will now be looking to secure victory in Monday night’s replay without picking any injuries. With Eddie Youds fit again, and Martin Carthy and Lee Williams returning from illness, ‘Stimmo’ will hopefully have a full-strength squad to select from ahead of Saturday’s tough tie with inform Aldershot.

Teams:-
Grays Athletic:- Capleton, Bruce, Robinson (Capt), Lunan, Bradshaw, Thurgood, Marwa, Stimson, Eastwood, Lock, Griffiths, Barrett, Gordon, Olayinka, Hayzelden, Martin
Fisher Athletic:- Holder, Khan, Rouse, Aris (Capt), Lorraine, Young, Smith, Hollington, Islam, Brady, Farrarelly, Taylor, Quin, Mathaluu, Ponsford, Scowen

Referee:- I. J. Woodward

Your comments

Looks to me that Blues were not up for this game maybe they had their minds on next week against Aldershot

That is possibly so, but also Martin Carthy and Lee Williams are unwell, and Leroy was still a bit under the weather.

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