Grays Athletic 2 Yeading 1 (F.A. Trophy 3rd Round) -- Matches -- Grays Athletic F.C.

The Recreation Ground, Bridge Road,
Grays, Essex, RM17 6BZ
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Matches

Grays Athletic 2 Yeading 1 (F.A. Trophy 3rd Round)
Sat, February 3, 2007. Kick off: 3:00 PM

Match Report by Martin Candler

Two goals by man-of-the-match Johnny Martin were enough for Grays to ease past a spirited Yeading side, who ply their trade in the Conference South, and keep the Blues‘ hopes alive for a record 3rd consecutive Trophy Final appearance. With almost an entire team injured, loaned out or cup-tied, manager Justin Edinburgh introduced new signings, Maheta Molango, Gavin Grant, Pierre Joseph-Dubois and Tom Wilkinson into the squad.

The starting pair up front, Molango and Grant, soon struck up a rapport and Grays tore into Yeading who took time to adjust to the pace of the game. In the 2nd minute Molango raced down the right and from his cross Martin scored from close range. Ashley Nicholls, twice, and Glenn Poole both went close but as the half progressed the Blues began to lose some of their edge and in the 31st minute a harsh decision by referee Graham Horwood gave Yeading a penalty which breathed new life into the visitors. Andy Sambrook was adjudged to have brought down the gangly Jeff Goulding but it looked to many as if the Yeading player simply muffed his shot and fell over.

Ten minutes later Martin scored a goal which was almost a carbon copy of his first, only this time Grant was the provider, Martin netting from 6 yards. In the second half, the pace slackened and Danny Knowles was called upon to make an excellent save from a header by sub Marvin Morgan but the chance of the half fell to Molango. After a fine run and cross by the marauding Cameron Mawer, Molango somehow managed to put the ball wide from only a few yards out. Molango and Poole then both had decent chances to put their team out of sight but the Blues were were denied any further additions to the score-line by the dogged Dings defending.

Not a classic match by any means but nevertheless a workmanlike performance by the homesters and a promising first glimpse of the new additions.

Grays Athletic: Knowles, Sambrook, Stuart, Martin, Williamson, Molango, Mawer, Cowan, Nicholls, Poole, Grant(Joseph-Dubois).
Subs Not Used: Bayes, Boylan, Smith, Wilkinson.

Goalscorer: Martin (2, 42)

Attn: 649

Referee: G. Horwood

Fans man of the Match: Martin

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