Grays Athletic F.C.
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Matches

Grays Athletic 3 Charlton Athletic XI 1 (Pre Season Friendly)
Sat, July 26, 2008. Kick off: 3:00 PM

Match Report By Martin Candler

Grays added another impressive scalp in their pre-season build-up with an emphatic win over a strong Charlton XI.

The 331 fans watching witnessed an entertaining game played at a surprisingly fast pace considering the sweltering temperature. Charlton had the first chance in the 9th minute when a pin-point cross from Rashid Yussuf found the head of ex-Forest Green star, Stuart Fleetwood, but his thumping header crashed against the bar.

Grays responded with an incisive attack down the right where the lively Matt Bodkin made ground before delivering a fine pass to Danny Kedwell who headed home to open the scoring. Jamie Taylor then fired over after another smooth passing phase. Late in the half Charlton had their best spell of the match and just before half-time Ben Godfrey went past the limping Grays debutant Lee Cannonville but shot wide. Jon Ashton then came on to replace Cannonville and renew his partnership with Jamie Stuart.

The Blues made several second half changes but it must be said that they continued to play in the same fluent style, attacking from all angles and constantly stretching the visitor‘s defence. With a little more luck, crowd favourite Taylor could have had a hat-trick, the best chance coming after a thrilling high-speed move involving several players which saw Taylor shooting narrowly over the bar.

Charlton‘s equaliser came when a speculative shot by Dean Sinclair struck Stuart and looped over the stranded Grays keeper.

Stuart nearly made amends straight away but his goal-bound header was inadvertently blocked by Charlie Ide; however, the Blues‘ skipper was not to be denied for in the 71st minute he produced a powerful header from a Sam Sloma corner kick to beat Charlton‘s keeper, Jack Binks, and restore the home side‘s advantage.

As Alex Campana and Mark Moseley began to ask questions of the Charlton rearguard with their powerful running and close control, it came as no surprise when Ashton flashed in a fine header from another Sloma corner to set the seal on a convincing performance.

After the match, Mick Woodward said both the management and players share a desire to play the game “in the right way” but refused to get carried away with his squad‘s heartening pre-season results.

Instead he stressed the need to transfer the squad‘s good form into the up-coming league programme and then evaluate their progress after a number of games.

Grays Athletic: Arnold, Gier, Cannonville(Ashton 40), Stuart, Gross(Bailey 58), Bodkin(Sloma 58), Elliott(Campana 58), Cogan(Molesley), Welsh(Haines 82), Kedwell(Ide 45, Davis 75), Taylor
Subs not used: Woolley

Goalscorers: Kedwell(12), Stuart(71), Ashton(82)

Charlton Athletic: Elliot; Long, Sinfield (Mambo 60), Thomas, Clark, Tunani (Lozano-Calderon 46), Faye (Tuna 77), Sinclair, Yussuff, Godfrey (Perkins 84), Fleetwood (Jensen 67)
Subs (not used): Binks, Stavrinou.

Goalscorer: Sinclair(58)

Referee: M Stewart

Attn: 331