Matches

Match Report By Martin Candler

Grays were beaten at the Broadfield Stadium to end their fine recent unbeaten run. When sub Jeff Goulding scored an equalizer in the 84th minute, it looked as if the Blues had gained a hard-earned point, but Crawley‘s Jamie Cook had the final say with an 87th minute winner to send Grays home with thoughts of what might have been.

Starting brightly Grays took the game to their hosts and Danny Kedwell, receiving from Adam Gross, conjured a clever chip which former Grays legend Ashley Bayes tipped over the bar in acrobatic and photographic fashion. Kedwell managed two further goal attempts in the half but could not breach Bayes‘ goal.

Then from a Simon Downer howitzer-style throw-in Jamie Taylor, from 6 yards out fired over, his blushes saved somewhat by an off-side flag. Crawley began to find their feet and the pacy running of Mustapha Carayol and Cook, in particular, unsettled the visitors defence.

With the Grays mid-field of Stuart Thurgood and Michael Standing noticably lacking their customary energy and drive and the two wide men Aaron O‘Connor and Barry Cogan finding it difficult to get into the game, Grays‘ attacks became less potent.

In the 44th minute, however, Grays created their best chance when Cogan went on a fine run on the left, checked inside and set up Kedwell, whose meaty shot was inches wide of the post with Bayes well beaten.

A minute into the second half, a quick break by Crawley saw Cook put in Carayol who, unchallenged by a sleepy Grays defence, had time to set himself for a sweet shot that found the corner of Nicky Eyre‘s net and put the home side in front. It must be said, however, that for all Crawley‘s attractive attacking play, their blatant “simulation” angered the near-100 Grays fans in the crowd of 755.

Time and again they went down after often minimal physical contact. What compounded this irritating tactic from a Grays perspective was that the referee Mr S.Hooper continually fell for their theatricality and Grays found it almost impossible to gain any sort of fluency as they were continuously penalized by the referee.

The introduction of Jeff Goulding in the 66th minute gave Grays the extra physical presence and guile they needed and he almost scored with his first touch. Grays began to pile on the pressure and in the 84th minute a fine move involving the other subs Neil McCafferty and Scott Taylor provided Goulding with the opportunity to prod home the equaliser.

Then disaster struck when Jon Ashton nudged over the flying Cook outside the box and as Ashton was the last defender, off he went. Salt was rubbed in the wound when Cook struck the resultant free-kick to Eyre‘s right and the Grays custodian would have been disappointed to see the ball end up in the back of the net as he got a “full hand” to the shot.

Crawley manager Steve Evans refused to shake hands with the Grays bench after the game as he felt they should not have clapped Ashton off the pitch after his dismissal, fair enough, but perhaps he should look at his own players‘ antics exemplified by provocative attempts to get Simon Downer sent off in the closing minutes!

Grays Athletic: Eyre, Downer, Gross, Ashton, Stuart, Thurgood, Cogan (Goulding 66), Standing (McCafferty 71), J.Taylor, O'Connor, Kedwell (S.Taylor 78).
subs: Whincup, Saunders.

Goalscorer: Goulding(84)

Booked: Stuart(20), Thurgood(45), Downer(59), Goulding(83)

Sent Off: Ashton(86)

Attn: 755

Ref: Mr. S. Hooper

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