Grays Athletic 2 Altrincham 0 (Away)
Sat, April 22, 2006. Kick off: 3:00 PM
Match Report By Martin Candler
Even the most partisan Grays supporter had to feel sympathy for Altrincham Football Club at their Moss Lane ground on Saturday. Having been poleaxed with an 18 point points deduction and ?1000 fine for fielding an ineligible player, they then suffered the embarrassment of conceding an own goal and a penalty to the league?s top scorers. Talk about it never rains but it pours! Altrincham started the match with great gusto and efforts by Rod Thornley and Peter Band were saved by Ashley Bayes. A Wayne Peyton shot was brilliantly blocked by Bayes and Joe Bruce cleared a Colin Potts shot off the line. Grays responded with Dennis Oli and Glenn Poole going close. Poole, in failing to find the net in this match, ended a remarkable sequence of scoring in each of his last eight games!
The second half saw Grays, playing their fourth game in eight days, looking a little leg weary but managing to control the game with impressive ball retention and Altrincham?s challenge visibly weakened. In the 55th minute a free-kick taken by Stuart Thurgood, was whipped into the box for the unfortunate Alty skipper, Mark Maddox to head powerfully into his own net to put the Blues in front. In the 64th minute, Michael Kightly was sent racing through but was upended in the penalty area by the home custodian, Stuart Coburn; Stuart Thurgood made no mistake from the ensuing penalty.
This double blow knocked the stuffing out of Altrincham and Grays were content to play the game out without any further alarms. After the match, in their customary salute to the noisy travelling Blues faithful, it was clear that the players and management were elated at their considerable achievement at reaching the play-offs in their very first season in the Conference. As a squad they have grown in confidence and stature, to the point that they need fear no one in the quest for Football League status. Ask most Grays fans and they will tell you that it has been a fantastic journey and a huge pleasure to follow the Blues this campaign as we have played the game in the right manner and won huge respect from our opponents. Roll on the play-offs and the Trophy Final!
Grays Athletic: Bayes, Bruce, Hanson, Stuart, Nutter, Kightly, Thurgood, Martin(Williamson 75), Poole, Mclean(DeBolla 75), Oli(Hooper 89)
Subs not used: Olayinka, Eyre
Goalscorers: Maddox(o.g.54), Thurgood(pen 63)
Bookings: Hanson(41), Martin(43)
Referee: I. Scarr
Attn: 917
Fans Man of the Match: Thurgood
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