Matches

Match Report by Martin Candler

In a thrilling display of attacking football, particularly in the first half, Grays gave themselves every chance of avoiding the drop by beating a pedestrian Kidderminster side who looked to have one eye on their Wembley date in the F.A.Trophy Final. The home crowd soon sensed that the Blues were giving everything on the pitch and responded with a noisy support which has perhaps been missing of late. With a solid back four, a committed mid-field and a pacy front three, Grays took the game to Kidderminster. Making light of the twin concerns of relegation and an unreliable pitch, the Blues tore into their opponents and early on both Johnny Martin and Dennis Oli went close. Then in the 5th minute a free-kick by Stuart Thurgood was headed on by Ashley Nicholls only for Simon Downer to be pushed over by James Constable. After a considerable delay, the dynamic Thurgood stepped up and coolly slotted home the resultant penalty to give the Blues a flying start.

For some reason Andy Sambrook was singled out for some rough treatment by the visitors and, in the 23rd minute Jonny Harkness received a straight red for an elbow in Sambrook‘s face, a stupid act which puts him out of the Wembley showpiece. Two minutes before half-time, Grays increased their lead after a slick move involving Oli and Martin saw Downer head home. At the interval, Kiddies manager, Mark Yates was so frustrated with his team‘s performance that he kept his players out on the pitch for the whole of the duration of the break!

In the second half, Grays were keen to hold on to their lead and apart from a smart save by Danny Knowles from a header by Luke Reynolds the home rearguard coped comfortably with the Kidderminster attacks. However Grays still managed to craft openings for Aaron O‘Connor, sub Alex Rhodes and Martin but poor finishing and fine goalkeeping keeping by Steve Taylor kept the home side out until the dying moments of the match. An early, penetrating through ball by Rhodes set Martin scampering into the box and after drawing the keeper he unselfishly squared the ball to sub Leroy Griffiths who gleefully side-footed home to give an emphatic edge to the scoreline.

A fine performance then which leaves the small matter of a single point needed at Morecambe on Saturday to make Grays absolutely safe; otherwise their survival rests on others. So to the Grays fans travelling to Morecambe, and we‘re taking more then a few, let‘s hear it for the Blues!

Grays Athletic: Knowles, Sambrook, Stuart, Downer (Barness 85), Tonkin, Nicholls, Thurgood, Martin, Oli (Griffiths 63), O'Connor, Bodkin (Rhodes 76).
Subs Not Used: Bayes, Harding.

Goalscorers: Thurgood(7 pen), Downer(43), Griffiths(90)

Attn: 846

Ref: J Linington (Hampshire

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