Grays Athletic 2 Swindon Town 1 (Friendly - Home)
Tue, July 27, 2004. Kick off: 7:30 PM
BLUES PUT PRE-SEASON PREPARATIONS BACK ON TRACK
by David Jarvis
Grays put last Friday’s below par result at Billericay behind them with a convincing defeat of Division One outfit Swindon Town. The tie had been arranged as a part of the transfer of Lloyd Opara who left Grays in the close season and proved to be an entertaining game played in a competitive spirit.
Blues fielded a side minus key hitmen Freddy Eastwood and Leroy Griffiths. Triallists Rocky Baptiste, most recently of Woking, and highly-rated ex-Retford United striker Vil Powell took their places up front. In goal triallist Carl Emberson, an experience keeper most recently with Southend United, took the place of Simon Overland.
Meanwhile Swindon had around 8 first teamers in the starting 11, with Lloyd Opara in wearing number 14.
Although Grays started the better team with Powell in particular looking threatening, it was Swindon who took the lead on 20 minutes. Ex-Blue Opara crafted space for a shot after some hesitancy in the Grays defence and Ryan Fallon converted the rebound comfortably from 5 yards.
Fifteen minutes later Opara had another opportunity to put one over his old teammates, jinking his way round three defenders. However his shot did not have the necessary conviction and was parried away by Emberson.
Despite going into half time one down, Grays showed no signs of giving in and within a couple of minutes of the restart were back on level terms. A priceless piece of skill from Vil Powell turned his man on the edge of the box and his left foot shot eluded the despairing right hand of the Robins’ keeper.
Then just fifteen minutes later, Powell found his way on to the score sheet again after getting on the end of a Dean Brennan centre from the right wing.
With the usual glut of second half substitutions the game began to lose its shape, and with Swindon looking to carve out a draw in the closing minutes, the final whistle blew.
After the game Grays manager Mark Stimson said “It was a good workout for us and I think there were one or two outstanding performances. But the main thing for me was that our attitude was right.”
Grays Athletic
Emberson, Bruce, Lunan, Youds, Wild, Thurgood, Brennan, Carthy, Powell, Baptiste, Nutter
Subs: Olayinka, Bradshaw, Eastwood, Vaughn
Attendance: 232
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