Matches

Match Report by Martin Candler

Andy King‘s first match in charge as manager produced a draw and amply illustrated what a curate‘s egg of a season we have had thus far. Creating enough clear chances to win the game comfortably the Blues still could have lost to an Altrincham side looking for their first away win of the campaign. On the plus side, there was a competent debut by Charlie Comyn-Platt and a solid showing by skipper, Stuart Thurgood on his come-back trail after his broken leg. Also Dennis Oli seems to be finding his form and it was his penetrative running that set up two gilt-edged chances early on in a bright opening burst by Grays. First he skipped past the visitor‘s defence to cross a ball which Lee Boylan headed straight at keeper Steve Coburn. Minutes later he repeated the dose only for Justin Richards header to draw an even better save from Coburn, Glenn Poole‘s follow-up shot being blocked by Karl Munroe.

Altrincham had rarely threatened the Grays goal but in the 23rd minute Oli, on defensive duty, failed to close down Val Owen and his sudden, powerful cross-shot beat Ashley Bayes to give Altrincham the lead. In fact, just before the break, the visitors nearly doubled their advantage when a long throw-in by Lewis Chalmers was allowed to bounce awkwardly in the box and Bayes had to make a desperate tip-over save.

In the second half Grays piled on the pressure and Boylan went close, followed by a miss by Oli when cleverly put in by Richards. But Oli was not to be denied , for in the 66th minute, he gathered another pass by Richards to crack home the equaliser (his first goal of the season). Then Richards ran on to a cross from Oli and his stooping header hit the post. Grays, unlike in the first half where they played too many high balls, kept the ball much more on the floor and attacked down both flanks and looked likely to run out winners but the final pass was either rushed or played in hope rather than with accuracy. Also in these early days of the Boylan/Richards strike force it is understandably taking time both to blend their game into the team pattern and for the right service to be provided to get the maximum benefit from their undoubted pedigree.

With a new manager arriving, some interesting new additions to the Grays playing staff already made and a challenging fixture list in December to come, Grays fans know that the season ahead has surely yet more twists and turns to keep them on their toes!

Grays Athletic: Bayes, Smith, Comyn-Platt, Stuart, Green, Oli, Martin (Williamson 80), Thurgood, Poole, Richards, Boylan (Turner 62).
Subs Not Used: Knowles, Sangare, Nicholls

Booked: Green, Thurgood.

Goalscorer: Oli (67)

Attn: 725

Referee: C Evans (Lincoln)

Fans Man of the Match: Oli

© Mark Gardner

© Mark Gardner

© Mark Gardner

© Mark Gardner

© Mark Gardner

© Mark Gardner

© Mark Gardner

© Mark Gardner

© Mark Gardner

© Mark Gardner

© Mark Gardner

© Mark Gardner

© Mark Gardner

Forthcoming fixtures