Exeter City 2 Grays Athletic 1
Tue, March 6, 2007. Kick off: 7:45 PM
Match Report by Martin Candler
Four minutes into injury time, Exeter‘s Billy Jones broke Grays hearts with a flashing 20-yard drive to deny the Blues a desperately needed point. On a miserably wet night at the St.James Park stadium, Exeter quickly adapted to the sodden conditions and Jon Challinor was wide with a toe-poked shot but Grays responded with a flowing move that ended with Glenn Poole firing over the bar. Ashley Bayes was then called upon to make a couple of fine saves before in the 38th minute Paul Buckle put Exeter into the lead with a shot from 10 yards. Grays had the last word of the first half when Johnny Martin fired wide. But persistence from the Blues was rewarded soon after the interval when Cameron Mawer crossed an inviting ball for Poole to flick in via the underside of the bar.
As the half progressed Exeter increased the tempo and began to dominate possession; only fine saves by Bayes from sub Adam Stansfield and Lee Elam prevented the Blues from conceding a score. Then after Bayes heroics appeared to earn the Blues a priceless point, Jones scored the cruel last gasp winner to send Grays home empty-handed and leave them just one place above the drop zone.
Grays Athletic: Bayes, Tonkin, Stuart, Kemp(Smith 91), Harding, Martin, Thurgood, Poole(Howell 81), Mawer, Grant(Eribenne 62), Griffiths
Subs not used: Joyce, Williamson
Goalscorer: Poole(48)
Booked: Tonkin(34), Griffiths(86), Kemp(88)
Ref: A Watts
Attn: 2894
Fans Man of the Match: Bayes
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