Blues back to winning ways

Grays Athletic and Stowmarket went through the motions of playing out their end-of-season fixture in a game that won’t live long in the memory of those fans who were there. Notwithstanding Stowmarket’s position and predicament, it is perhaps some measure of comfort for Blues supporters that they were the only team in the division to score three times on Saturday and they came away with three points - and yet there was a sense of dis-satisfaction about the level of performance. Both they, and the manager Darren Manning, are looking for much more from the squad.

At the very start of the game, the Stowmarket players had clearly not read the script. In just the second minute, a long ball out of defence found Ewan Gordon-Clement out wide and in acres of space. He looked up and seeing Anthony Page off his line in the Grays goal, went for the most audacious 40+ yard lob that stunned everyone by nestling in the back of the net for a 1-0 lead.

That seemed to wake up the Blues and they set about rescuing the position. And it took until only the 12th minute for Charlie Stimson to take advantage when Stowmarket failed to clear a Lewis Duberry free kick and he headed home from close range for the equaliser.

Matas Skarna then had two great efforts on goal, one well kept out by visiting keeper, Glen Morrison and the other a curling shot that went just wide. In between, Michael Finneran had the ball in the net with a great finish at the far post, on the end of another Duberry dead ball, but he was harshly adjudged offside. Stimson also had another great chance from a Gianni Ashley cross, but headed over the bar.

Then just before the half hour, Elliott Sartorius produced some fine trickery on the left edge of the box and cut the ball in, leaving Aron Gordon with the simplest of tap-ins to take a 2-1 lead.

Sartorius almost reproduced the magic ten minutes later, setting up Stimson this time, but he put the chance wide.

With half-time approaching, Blues flooded forward. Skarna’s shot was blocked by the visitors’ defence, but the ball rebounded to Stimson who finished smartly to make it 3-1.

Half time: Grays Athletic 3 v 1 Stowmarket Town

The second half was a largely forgettable affair. Grays lacked the quality and drive to take advantage of their opponents, who seemed equally bereft of ideas on how to break down the opposition back line.

Aron Gordon created a great chance early in the half, but there was no Blue shirt in the six yard box to get on the end of his wicked low cross. But there was little else to report, until with just over fifteen minutes left on the watch, Marcus Milner lost his footing in midfield and Stowmarket thought they were in, until captain Finneran came to the rescue with a timely interception. The visitors sensed the chance to capitalise. Bobby Rea created a chance for Dylan Kirk who scuffed his shot wide and then from a Kalum Benham long throw, Kirk scraped a post with another attempt.

Off the bench late on, Albert Perry almost opened his Grays Ath account with a thunderous shot from the edge of the box which Morrison did well to fend away.

But that really was about it. A poor 45 minutes but, at the end of the day, another three points for the Blues - although the crowd expected more, on the day that the club paid tribute to James Chisnell. At least the result was a positive one, even if there was little else to take away from the afternoon.

Final score: Grays Athletic 3 v 1 Stowmarket Town

Grays Ath: Page, Ashley, Humphrey, Machado, Finneran, Milner, Skarna, Duberry, Stimson, Sartorius (Crook, 70), Gordon (Perry, 86)

Subs not used: Matyar, Clarke, Maccari