Pre-season build-up continues with strong display

Pre-season build-up continues with strong display
Canvey island 1 v 1 Grays Athletic

Grays boss, Mark Stimson, took his new-look squad to Canvey Island for the latest of this year’s pre-season friendlies and came away with a very creditable 1-1 draw against a side that will surely be one of the front runners again in Isthmian Premier again this season.
Stimmo’s time on the training ground with the players is clearly starting to bear fruit. The passing was crisper and more confident, with better link-up play and running off the ball. Several new faces were on show for the Blues, with the rumour of more to come before the league season starts on 12th August.
In the early exchanges, Grays took the game to their opponents , with Sully Buchanan, Chris Miller and Aron Gordon all showing some good touches. At the back, the pairing of Callum Leahy and Lewis Clark remains a formidable one at this level and Canvey had no way through on goal, with both sides restricted to long-range efforts.
Blues fans were disappointed to see Romaric Logon limping off just before the half hour, with what looked like some kind of hamstring issue. He was replaced by Troy Osei-Bobie who had the visitors’ best chance of the first half, saved safely by Sam Jackson in the home goal. Just before the break, debutant Jordan Peart was guilty of overplaying in defence, allowing Luke Deslandes to test Danny Sambridge.
The second half saw Canvey come out with greater purpose, but the Blues defence stood strong. As is traditional in these fixtures, the slew of substitutions caused the game to lose some of its pattern. Sub Evans Kouassi was as lively as ever for the home side and Charlie Stimson should have done better after some great work from Aron Gordon, but scuffed his shot.
Just after the 70 minute mark came a first for your reporter. Grays took the lead following something of a free-for-all in the Canvey box and somehow the ball crossed the line. But no Blues player has been prepared to claim the goal. Lewis Clark looked a likely contender but he denied responsibility. Perhaps “Trialist G” gets the credit.
Kouassi nearly equalised for Canvey with a fine shot that was parried away by the Grays replacement keeper but the home side kept pressing. And with five minutes left, the pressure paid off when some fine work down the left found Connor Hubble close in and unable to miss.
Grays can be satisfied with their night’s work and with still the best part of two weeks for Stimmo to hone his team before things start in earnest,
Blues fans felt a sense of re-assurance from what they had seen.

Final score: Canvey Island 1 v 1 Grays Athletic

Grays Ath starting XI : Sambridge, Trialist A, Peart, Evans, L Clark, Leahy, Gordon, Miller, Stimson, Logon, Buchanan.