Matches

Match Report by Martin Candler

Grays overturned a 2-1 deficit from the first game at Exeter last Saturday to storm into their second successive Trophy final with a breathtaking victory in the second leg. Make no mistake, this was a triumph of epic proportions that will be long remembered by the Grays faithful. Both sets of fans sang their hearts out throughout the match and contributed to a deafening level of noise not witnessed at the Bridge Road for many a year. The re-vamped, enlarged terrace at the ball-court end provided Blues supporters with a marvellous vantage-point to gather and roar on their heroes. Many thanks to Mike Woodward and his bionic builders!

Contrasting in styles the two sides served up an intoxicating contest; it was pace and inventiveness against never-say-die strength and persistence, the rapier against the sword! How the enthralled crowd loved it! At the start, Exeter?s game plan seemed to be to hold the advantage they achieved at St. James?s Park last week by employing Lee Phillips as the lone striker and flooding the midfield. This strategy was undone as early as the 6th minute when, from a Jamie Slabber flick, Glenn Poole, arriving late on the blind side, struck a sweet volley into the far corner to level the tie. Dean Moxey then fluffed a chance but in the 32nd minute Grays sent their fans into delerium by taking the overall lead. A high ball by Christian Hanson was gathered by Slabber who cleverly fed the ball into the path of Stuart Thurgood and the Grays skipper sent in a stinging shot which was parried by the Grecian?s keeper, Paul Jones. Unluckily for him the ball fell to the alert Aaron McLean, who turned and slotted the ball through the keeper?s legs. Game on!

Johnny Martin then volleyed into the net from a Poole free kick after Jones seemed to simply drop the ball but referee Mr. K. Hill, not for the first or last time in the match, saw an infringement that few others in the ground did and disallowed the effort. At 3-0 in arrears, Exeter would surely have been dead and buried. At the start of the second half Exeter manager Alex Inglethorpe introduced the lanky veteran, Steve Flack, on for Billy Jones, and reverted to a more familiar 4-4-2 formation. This seemed to suit their players and Exeter began to take the game to Grays with a determined aerial bombardment, both Andy Taylor and Jon Challinor going close to scoring.

Then, as in all great games, came a major turning point; a controversial penalty was awarded by Mr. Hill for a perceived Johnny Martin tug on Matthew Gill which mystified the Grays fans (and a few from Exeter!). After an agonizing delay, Phillips, taking the spot- kick in the absence of the usual penalty expert, the substituted Jones, faced the charismatic Bayes with the large Exeter contingent behind him praying for the equalizer to be delivered. With a perfect appreciation of the occasion, the great showman produced a wonderful block with his legs to deny the visitor?s ace marksman who then compounded his personal misery by screwing the loose ball wide. Minutes later Bayes leapt across his goal to keep out a rasping drive by Wayne Carlisle.
Grays, however, kept their composure and responded with swift, incisive counter attacks which saw clear-cut chances fall to Martin, Michael Kightly and sub Gary Hooper but a combination of fine shot-stopping by Jones and desperate defending somehow kept the Gracians in with a chance of saving the game. Then after five and a half agonizing minutes of extra time (during which Exeter had a shout for another penalty) Mr.Hill finally blew his whistle and the ground erupted into joyous relief and celebration for the home players and fans, but stunned disappointment for the visitors who it must be said conducted themselves impeccably throughout this pulsating game.

For Grays, the spine of the side was strong and rose heroically to the occasion with Jamie Stuart a lion-heart in defence, Stuart Thurgood a major driving force in mid-field and Jamie Slabber putting in a lung-bursting shift up front. Then there was Ashley Bayes! An inspirational performance capped by a stunning penalty save at a crucial time surely sends him into Grays Athletic folklore. But, in truth, this was a truly memorable team effort with some of the less heralded players stepping up to the plate and visibly growing in stature as the game progressed. Finally, what a fitting tribute for all his Herculean efforts for Grays Football Club over the past few years, when Mike Woodward (a great Hammers fan) leads his magnificent Blues side out on to the Upton Park pitch on the 14th May!

Grays Athletic: Bayes, Sambrook, Nutter, Stuart, Thurgood, Martin, McLean (Hooper 88), Kightly, Poole (Oli 88), Slabber, Hanson
Subs not used: Eyre, Bruce, Olayinka

Goalscorers: Poole(6), McLean(32)

Booked: Hanson(48) Stuart(63), Martin(68), Slabber(88)

Referee: Mr. K. Hill

Attn: 2693

Photo: ? Rob Vallance

Photo: ? Rob Vallance

Photo: ? Rob Vallance

Photo: ? Rob Vallance

Photo: ? Rob Vallance

Photo: ? Rob Vallance

Photo: ? Rob Vallance

Photo: ? Rob Vallance

Photo: ? Rob Vallance

Photo: ? Rob Vallance

Photo: ? Rob Vallance

Photo: ? Rob Vallance

Photo: ? Rob Vallance

Photo: ? Rob Vallance

Photo: ? Rob Vallance

Forthcoming fixtures