Matches

Match Report by Martin Candler

Another relegation scrap where containment triumphed over entertainment saw Grays emerge with a vital away point. The late withdrawal through illness of Johnny Martin and Ashley Nicholls (replaced by Tom Williamson and Ben Harding) did not help the Blues match preparations and from the start both teams seemed constrained by the fear of conceding a score. Off-sides and nervous, mis-placed passes contributed to a scrappy match played out on a windy Gloucestershire night and a bumpy playing surface.

In the 17th minute, a Kevin Nicholson cross was headed straight at Danny Knowles by Mark Beesley from 8 yards out and then Danny Carey-Bertram screwed his shot wide. Grays then took a grip on the game and Harding had two efforts well kept out by keeper Ryan Robinson, who thoroughly merited his man-of-the- match award with a string of fine saves. Late in the first half a Stuart Thurgood corner was headed on to the top of the bar by Jamie Stuart.

In the second half the match was more even, an Aaron O‘Connor shot was saved superbly by Robinson and at the other end Andy Sambrook cleared off the line after Alex Lawless, put clean through by Lee Dodgson, had nudged the ball past Knowles. In between these efforts, Grays resorted to an unfamiliar long ball game which failed to trouble the home rearguard. However, despite coming under late pressure by the home side, Grays held on to claim their much-needed point.

Grays Athletic: Knowles, Sambrook, Stuart, Downer, Tonkin, Oli, Harding, Thurgood, Williamson, Griffiths(Howell 65), O'Connor(Rhodes 84)
Subs not used: Bayes, Smith, Barness

Booked: Tonkin(63)

Attn: 782

Ref: Gibbs

Forthcoming fixtures