Grays Athletic 2 Braintree Town 1 (ESC 3rd Round)
Tue, November 6, 2007. Kick off: 7:45 PM
Match Report By Martin Candler
An 87th minute goal by Aaron O‘Connor, on as a second half sub, settled a hard-fought encounter with Conference South side, Braintree. Now managed by former East Thurrock boss Lee Patterson, the visitors began as if determined to provide an upset but their cause was hardly helped in the 14th minute when the Iron‘s Andy Porter was red-carded for a two-footed lunge on Charlie Hearn.
They did however take the lead in the 33rd minute from the penalty spot when Jack Haverson handled the ball in the area, Louis Riddle converting. Haverson redeemed himself somewhat in the 39th minute by rising highest to head home Hearn‘s corner kick.
In the second half, Grays continued to press 10-man Braintree but yet again were profligate in front of goal, Gavin Grant missing three good opportunities. Finally the pressure told three minutes from time when O‘Connor found the corner of the net with a smart strike from the edge of the area to put the Blues into the next round.
Grays Athletic: Knowles, Murray, Gross, Haverson, Tandon(O'Connor), Hearn(Cooksey), Marshall, Day, Grant, Watson, Obersteller
Subs: Flitney, Barnes, Oli
Goalscorers: Haverson(39), O'Connor(87)
Ref: S. Beck
Attn: 178
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