James Bunn continued his good form as he held up laid off the ball to give the wide men space to run at the home defence and it was a good lay off into the path of Danny Bunce that created the first attempt of the game, but the well struck shot went wide.

In a generally even half the home side found a rich vein of form as they took the game to Grays. Aime Blessing was finding space on the right but his crosses were poor as the away defence cleared time and again. The Ware defence looked solid as both Lee Flynn and Nathan Gordon had shots cleared as both teams could not find a way through. Gordon shot over from a Joao Carlos corner and Jake Hall shot straight at the home keeper as ware frustrated the Grays attackers.

An error by Grant Cooper saw the ball loop back to the Grays goal but Tony Tucker was at hand to hold and clear the danger. Cooper was having a torrid time as Ware pushed forward and a quick run by Blessing saw his low cross deflected into the net by Cooper to give the home side the lead half way through the first period.

Grays looked to get straight back into the game as Carlos found a way past his defender only to shoot high over the bar. Lee Flynn found his long pass drop to Bunn but his clever flick only found Madden to hold with Bunce bearing down. Tucker was imperious form and held a solid free kick by Querry with Ware on top. A quick free-kick by Querry was hit high into the Blues box but Tucker was there to hold under pressure from Blessing.

The away side were looking to level and a cross into the box by Carlos looked to have struck the hand of Bostock but no foul was given. Kenny Beaney found Carlos on the left and his mazy run goalwards was brought to a halt for the ref to give a free-kick just on the left edge of the box. The well struck kick saw the ball deflected into the right corner of the goal to get the Blues back on level terms late in the half.

In a niggly second half Grays were struggling to find the form that had seen them win their previous three games but the ever faithful Bunn was finding space in the middle of the park to distribute the ball. Carlos picked a Bunn lay off to run forward and pass to Bunce but his shot was cleared. Bunn was instrumental to the best move of the game when he received a return pass from Carlos to accurately find Gordon clear but the winger could not find a way through and the ball was cleared by the home defence.

Carlos and Gordon combined well to create another chance but Hall could only scoop the ball over. Carlos put in a cross through the middle to Bunn and his chest down sat nicely for Hall, on the edge of the box, to strike the ball hard and straight past the home stopper to give Grays the lead.

The play moved from end-to-end as Ware astounded their lowly position and created several chances and Tucker had to be at his best to tip over both a cross and a corner as the chances came and went and he held a hard shot by Richards when clear. Gordon found Bunn clear and his header down to Bunce was hit well over the bar. Gordon and Carlos were still trying to go wide past their respective defenders but the ball was kept clear.

Tucker had to punch clear a corner with the Ware forwards in close attendance and then held a cross from a corner after a goalmouth melee to ease the pressure and help to run down the remaining time. A second yellow card saw Kenny Beaney get his marching orders late in the half but the Blues held up to dig out a fourth consecutive win.

Grays Athletic: - Tony Tucker, Stephen Ikumelo, Grant Cooper, Bradley Thomas, Lee Flynn, Danny Bunce, Jake Hall, Kenny Beaney, Nathan Gordon, Joao Carlos, James Bunn

Subs not used: - Charlie Brien, Joe Smallwood, Jason Fontaine, Joe Sweeney, Jean-Michel Sigere.

Report by Steve Allen