Matches

Match Report by Martin Candler

Any team with title aspirations has to ?win ugly? sometimes. This was certainly the case on Saturday where the Blues, without a home victory in the league since October 15th, gained three valuable points against struggling Crawley Town. Grays ground out a win over their committed visitors in a performance that owed more to perspiration than inspiration but it keeps them in the promotion race.

With Jamie Stuart suspended for the eighth game this season, Mark Stimson brought in Brett Johnson to partner Christian Hanson at the back and the Blues started brightly with Jamie Slabber (twice) and Michael Kightly both missing chances to open the scoring.

Then sloppy defending by the Blues rearguard saw first, Lee Blackburn and then Daryl Clare fail to convert good opportunities when well placed.

Stimson made two half-time substitutions, Dennis Oli and Cameron Mawer coming on for the out-of-sorts Slabber and Johnson and it nearly brought instant reward when Oli?s near-post header, from a Stuart Thurgood free-kick, flew agonizingly past the post. Crawley?s Ben Judge then blocked Johnny Martin?s effort on the goal-line as the game began to open up.

Oli?s persistence paid off in the 70th minute, when after a penetrating run by man of the match Kightly, the ball somehow found its way through to Oli who, jubilantly, steered the ball home. Kightly nearly doubled the advantage but was thwarted by a last-ditch tackle by Paul Armstrong and then Oli shot inches over the bar with a well-struck half-volley.

In a bold, if desperate, bid for an equalizer Crawley manager, John Hollins threw on two attackers in Danny Ekoku and Omari Coleman but Grays were not about to surrender their hard-earned lead and held on to record a much-needed victory.

Grays Athletic: Bayes, Sambrook, Hanson, Johnson (Mawer 45), Nutter, Kightly, Thurgood, Williamson, Martin (Poole 78), Slabber (Oli 45), McLean.
Subs Not Used: Eyre, Battersby.

Goalscorer: Oli 70

Booked: McLean

Att: 1038

Ref: S Crighton (Woodley)

Fans Man of the Match: Kightly

Even No5's Superman impression can't help!
Photo: ? Rob Vallance

Where is that ball??
Photo: ? Rob Vallance

Oooh look at my boots!
Photo: ? Rob Vallance

Everyone loves to hug Aaron!
Photo: ? Rob Vallance

Stimmo barred from Bluewater for wearing a hoodie!
Photo: ? Rob Vallance

He's behind you!!
Photo: ? Rob Vallance

Is my foot meant to turn that way?
Photo: ? Rob Vallance

Look at the ball, not round the ball, into the ball!!
Photo: ? Rob Vallance

Oli runs before the opposition player explodes!
Photo: ? Rob Vallance

Competition Winners Photographs:

Right, your on in the second half!

Don't forget to give the shirt to Mark!

Give me my arm back!

Stop pinching my bum!

I can't believe you said that!!

Grays latest signing??

Don't forget to get on the right bus!

Forthcoming fixtures