Matches

BLUES UNLUCKY AS CITY STEAL IT by Carol Smith-Allen

Isthmian Premier side Chelmsford City, fielding two ex-Blues Sammy Cooper and Lee Williams, defeated Grays 2-1 on Friday evening in what was most definitely a match of two contrasting halves.

Blues starting line-up included relatively new players, Darren Williams, Ricky Dobson and Tony Battersby, and saw Martin Carthy return, plus midfielder Zeljko Popovic make his first appearance for Blues.

The match started with City attacking and Blues on the back- foot, but as the half progressed Blues began to get more into the game.

On 23 minutes City came close to opening the scoring, when Sammy Cooper shot narrowly wide. Seven minutes later they did indeed take the lead. Referee Mr Jurden awarded the visitors a penalty for an alledged handball incident, and their keeper Paul Nicholls duly despatched the spot kick beyond his opposite number.

Despite a couple of corners that Big Eddie got his head to, one going wide and one over, the closest Blues came to finding an equaliser was virtually on the stroke of half-time. Leroy Griffiths’ powerful close-range strike, saw Nicholls produce an excellent save, tipping the ball over for a corner.

The second-half was a whole different ball game. With Hooper, Powell, Bruce and Nutter replacing Dobson, Carthy, Bradshaw and Youds, who was a bit ‘under the weather’, Blues took control of the game, and it was City who now found themselves camped out in their own half.

On 56 minutes Blues came close to drawing level, but Powell’s 6 yard effort, having been set-up by Hooper, went narrowly wide.

Then a minute later, against the run of play, City doubled their advantage – who says life or football is fair!! Kevin Budge, looking decidedly offside, took the ball around Carl Emberson who had come off his line, and prodded it home.

By now the heavens had opened, and the pitch was becoming very slippery, and I for one was glad that the smart new stand was now in use, otherwise we would all have been absolutely drenched.

On the hour mark, Blues did reduce the deficit. A great close-range strike from Griffiths, gave Nicholls no chance. Almost immediately, Griffiths nearly got a second; following good interplay by Blues, he turned and shot but was narrowly wide of the target. Then it was the turn of Hooper, but he also shot just wide.

The pattern of play continued in this vein, with Grays having chance after chance after chance, but not quite able to convert any of them into goals. Hooper came close again, and when Brennan’s shot hit the post and bounced straight into Stuart Crumpen’s (on for Nicholls) arms, maybe that was an indication that this wasn’t going to be Blue’s night.

So it finished 2-1 to Chelmsford, although a draw would have been a fairer result, with City having dominated the first half and Blues the second.

Teams:-
Grays Athletic:- Emberson, Williams, Dobson, Popovic, Youds, Olayinka, Brennan, Carthy (c), Battersby, Griffiths, Bradshaw Subs:- Cole, Hooper, Powell, Robinson, Nutter, Bruce
Chelmsford City:- Nicholls, Hopkins, Norman, Faulkner, Edwards (c), Williams, Cross, Cooper, Budge, Butterworth, Crew Subs:- Steward, Holmes, Proctor, Crumpen(GK)

Referee:- Mr. C. Jurden

N.B. the first half is a bit brief because I missed the first 20+ minutes of the match.

Forthcoming fixtures