Grays Athletic 0 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 (Pre-Season Friendly)
Sat, July 14, 2007. Kick off: 3:00 PM
Match Report By Martin Candler
Grays hosted Championship side Wolves in a friendly arranged as part of the deal that took Michael Kightly to Molyneux and achieved a creditable draw. Both Kightly and another ex-blue, Fredy Eastwood, were introduced to the appreciative home crowd before the game which was delayed by 15 minutes owing to a serious accident on the M25. A good few travelling Wolves fans unfortunately missed most or all of the match!
Watching from the Directors‘ seating area were Wolves Chairman, Sir Jack Hayward and owner-in-waiting, Steve Morgan and they witnessed a moving minutes applause for Wolves legend Derek Dougan, who died recently.
Only Simon Downer, Cam Mawer and Craig McAllister were missing from the Grays squad and Assistant Jimmy Dack, in charge for the holidaying Justin Edinburgh, rang the changes in the second half.
The match itself had the air of a testimonial rather than a competitive encounter but Jimmy Dack said afterwards that he was pleased with the fitness levels, application and team work of a squad blending in both debutants and youth players. In the first half, Grays matched their illustrious opponents with Dennis Oli prominent up front, skipper Stuart Thurgood as busy as ever in midfield and the immaculate Jamie Stuart marshalling a solid back four, in which Jon Ashton made a most encouraging debut. In truth, chances were few and far between but, early on, Oli flicked an Abdou El Khoti cross into the side netting before home keeper Danny Knowles twice denied Jody Craddock with fine saves (what a tussle for No1 spot it will be between him and Ross Flitney!)
The second half saw multiple substitutions from both sides and Grays fans had their first sight of Jamie Day, Charley Hearn, Ben Watson and Ernie Cooksey as well as trainees Danny Baigent, Jamie Nelson, Ashley Barnes and Luke Woodward, who announced himself with a shuddering tackle on big Jay Boothroyd. Hearn conjured a fine long ball with the outside of his right boot to put the hard-working Danny Kedwell through but the well-marshalled Wolves rearguard managed to block him off. With so many changes it was no surprise that the visitors held the edge and both Boothroyd and Kightly had chances, followed by Adam Gross‘s fine goal-line clearance from a Boothroyd shot.
A satisfactory start to the season for the Blues and an opportunity for the home fans to get their first view of the squad assembled by Justin Edinburgh.
Grays Athletic 1st half: Knowles, Sambrook, Stuart, Ashton, Gross, Oli, Thurgood, Murray, El Khoti, Kedwell,O‘Connor.
Grays Athletic 2nd half subs; Flitney, Day, Hearn, Watson, Bodkin, Cooksey, Baigent, Nelson, Barnes, Woodward.
Wolves 1st half: Hennessey, Little, L.Collins, Gleeeson, Craddock(cptn). Breen, Gobern(Bennett 28), Potter, Keogh, S.Ward, Jarvis
Wolves 2nd half: Hennessey, Edwards, Mulgrew, Olofinjana, D.Ward, N.Collins, Kightly, Henry, Boothroyd, Eastwood, Jones
Ref: F. Graham
Attendance: 2172 (430 Wolves Fans)
Matchday pictures supplied by Grays Athletic FC Official Photographer, Graeme Truby
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