Matches

Match Report By Martin Candler

Grays turned in a lack-lustre performance at the New Rec on Tuesday night when, with due respect to Southport, their minds seemed to be on the massive challenges to come in the last few weeks of a fantastic, history-making season for our club. The Sandgrounders fought hard for their point and had two good early chances, first when only a timely block by Joe Bruce denied Neil Robinson and then when Jamie ?The Master? Stuart headed Liam Blakeman?s goal-bound shot off the line. In between these efforts Johnny Martin had the best chance of a dull first half when he sprinted on to a pass by Dennis Oli but dragged his shot wastefully wide.

The game was lit up in the 49th minute when Mark De Bolla, deputising for Aaron Mclean, cleverly made room for himself just outside the box and comprehensively beat Dickinson with a strike delivered instantly and with great venom. Carl Baker was just wide with a good attempt on goal and in the 67th minute, Southport were rewarded for their dogged persistence. A long Jerome Fitzgerald throw was not properly cleared by the Blues defence and Steve Pickford shot through a crowd of players to just elude the reach of the diving Ashley Bayes, who, soon after, kept out a Blakeman shot to preserve a point for Grays.

Not a vintage performance, then, but having had a gruelling run of matches and not being helped by a hard, bumpy pitch, it was still a point gained. Mention must be made of a few disgruntled so-called supporters who directed ill-informed, petty criticism at our fantastic leaders. We have a team that has got us to a Trophy Final for the second consecutive season, a place in the play-off finals and earned mighty respect throughout Non-League football and beyond. What more do these people want? Let them go and vent their spleen at some over-priced, foreign legion Premiership outfit. For the other 99% of Blues fans let us show our appreciation of Mike Woodward and Mark Stimson?s inspirational leadership and unremitting hard work by being ?Loud and Proud? over the next few weeks, starting on Saturday against Morecambe, and really get behind our fantastic team and make it a carnival atmosphere! Let us also congratulate Southport on staying up and wish them well next season.

Grays Athletic: Bayes, Bruce, Stuart, Hanson, Nutter (Olayinka 62), Kightly (Hooper 62), Martin, Thurgood, Poole (Williamson 75), Oli, DeBolla.
Subs Not Used: Eyre, Johnson.

Goalscorer: DeBolla(49)

Att: 918

Ref: G Ward (Kent)

Fans Man of the Match: Hanson

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

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