Matches

Match Report By Martin Candler

At a blustery St. James? Park, Grays produced a gritty performance in difficult conditions to set up an intriguing second leg at the New Rec. The Blues were the more composed side for much of the first hour, but were then pegged back by a spirited response from the Grecians. Grays had early chances through ?the Master? Jamie Stuart and Aaron McLean but Exeter?s Andy Taylor came closest to scoring with a rasping long- range effort which clipped the outside of the post with Ashley Bayes beaten.

In the 32nd minute, a long goal-kick by Bayes was latched on to by Jamie Slabber who cleverly lobbed the Exeter custodian, Paul Jones, to put the Blues into a well-deserved lead and register his 13th goal of the season. With the in-form Michael Kightly often double-marked by Billy Jones and Jon Challinor, his probing runs were restricted and Grays found it hard to break down a resolute Exeter defence cruelly shorn of their captain, Glenn Cronin, who had to be substituted in the 23rd minute with a foot injury.

A gamble by Alex Inglethorpe early in the second half saw the gangling veteran, Steve Flack being replaced by the more mobile Craig Farrell. This move immediately gave star striker Lee Phillips greater support as the home side cranked up the pressure. Only a timely interception by Stuart prevented Phillips from scoring after he outpaced the rest of the Blues defence but the equaliser came soon after, in the 63rd minute, when from a corner from Jones, defender Chris Todd was allowed to head home pretty much unchallenged from close-range. Exeter now had their tails up and Ade Olayinka was introduced, in place of Johnny Martin, in an attempt to stiffen the beleaguered Grays mid-field. Stuart Thurgood then had a sizzling volley fly just over before in the 76th minute Exeter sent their fans wild with what proved to be the winning goal. Sub Wayne Carlisle wriggled round John Nutter to stand the ball up at the far post for Phillips to rise and plant a firm header past the despairing Bayes for his 14th goal of the season.

In a frantic final flurry, Exeter nearly increased their lead on a number of occasions but to their credit Grays still strove mightily to restore parity and both Kightly and Glenn Poole had fine headers which perhaps on another day would have found the back of the net. A narrow defeat then which many Grays fans felt so easily could have been a draw but it?s all to play for in the return leg at what will be a packed Bridge Road! Finally, mention must be made both of the magnificent support given to the team by the raucous travelling Blues fans and to 10-year old Grays fan, Ross Fullbrook, who took on Exeter?s finest in a sponsored half-time race round the pitch and emerged an emphatic winner. Well done Ross!

Grays Athletic: Bayes, Sambrook, Nutter, Stuart, Thurgood, Martin (Olayinka 70), McLean (Oli 77), Kightly, Poole, Slabber, Hanson
Subs not used: Eyre, Bruce, Hooper

Goalscorer: Slabber(32)

Booked: Poole(66)

Referee: L Probert

Attn: 3051

Fans man of the match: Stuart

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