On Saturday 18th April, it's our Annual Community Day, at the EMR Stadium, with fun for all the family. Our previous Community Days have been a great success, so please come down early, (the gates open at 12.30), to join in the fun. All the details are on our website and our socials.

Half time will also see a pitch parade of many of our youth and community teams, with your chance to celebrate their achievements this season. There will also be the end-of-season draw in the Big Draw - worth an amazing £500 !

It's also your last chance to vote for your Player of the Season - get your voting slip in the box.

Then, at 3.00pm, we host Lowestoft Town in our final home game of the season and what must be one of our most important league games for many years. This is a proper six pointer, with the two teams separated by just one point. Together with Takeley and Mildenhall, we are covered by just three points, as we all battle to avoid the final relegation place from Isthmian North.

Our Last Meeting

We met in the reverse league game at Lowestoft back on 15th November. A goalless and fairly even first half was followed by what must have been one of Lowestoft's best 45 minutes of the season, and one of Grays' worst. The game ended 3-0 to The Trawlerboys, with their goals coming from Aaron Bullent (2) and William Unadike.

Head to Head Record

Blues fans will not be reassured by our head to head record against The Trawlerboys, as it's a poor one. In 10 games against them we have W2 D2 L6, with one of our wins coming in the first encounter, in the FA Cup in 1991. So in 9 league games we have only managed 1 win. We are long overdue a big performance and three points against our visitors!

In the Dugout

Andy Reynolds and his team left Crown Meadow at the end of January. Ironically, his last win as manager was their victory in November over Grays.

Since then I have not seen an announcement on either Lowestoft's social media or local online channels confirming a replacement. I think its most likely that Robert Eagle, who made over 200 appearances for The Trawlerboys, following a career in the professional game, has taken on the role of player manager to the end of the season

Trawlerboys Season So Far

This looked like being a transitional season for The Trawlerboys, following their relegation from the Step 3 last year. A number of experienced players moved to rival teams in close season and a rebuild was required. However, they started well enough and following their victory over The Blues in November, were sitting just outside the top 10. A difficult run then saw them drop into the bottom four in late January.

They have won 12 games in the league this season with 8 of those victories coming at home. Away from home, they took the notable scalp of Waltham Abbey on 4th November, but since then, they have only managed one win in 13 away games, a recent 1-0 over Walthamstow.

Despite a tough campaign, Lowestoft have not lost their sense of humour; they posted a picture of Mo Salah dressed in their home kit, confirming his loan move from Liverpool for the remainder of the season! Only problem was the post was dated 1st April....

Leading Scorers

Aaron Bullent joined the Trawlerboys from the Anglian Combination League for this season and has taken to life at this level really well. He has 19 goals so far this season (17 in the league), Kyle Haylock has scrored 8 (7) and Mitch Belmar has 6 (all in the league).

Recent Form

Lowestoft's last 6 games have resulted in an uptick in form with W3 D0 L3 and 7 goals for and 7 against. The three wins have come in their last 4 games.
In their last 6 away games they have W1 D1 L4 with 6 goals for and 11 against.

For Blues our last 6 games have led to W2 D0 L4 with 4 goals for and 7 against.
Our last 6 home games show W4 D0 L2 with 6 goals for and 4 against.

Last Time

The Trawlerboys had a must win game at home to relegated Heybridge Swifts. With Swifts changing manager in the week before the game and with the pressure now off them, there was always a possibility of a bounce back from the Essex side. However, that did not materialise and The Trawlerboys won 2-0 to climb out of the relegation zone. Luca Upton and Mitch Belmar scored either side of half time.

The Blues also needed the three points at home to Concord Rangers. There were four changes to the side that lost so unluckily to Tilbury. A remarkable 9 members of the first team squad team were unavailable and that does not include Oscar who has moved to the land Down Under. It was a real test, but the boys came through 1-0, thanks to a second half penalty won by Manny Ogunrinde and calmly dispatched by Gabriel Chapps for his fourth goal in ten games.

Final Games

Blues sit in 16th on 44 points and face a trip to Gorleston in our final game. Gorleston are in a close scrap with Stanway Rovers and Bowers and Pitsea for the final two play off places and have plenty to play for.

Takeley, level with Blues on 44 points, but with a significantly worse goal difference, travel to mid table Brightlingsea Regent, before finishing their debut season at Step 4 at home to Wroxham, who are all but out of the running for the play offs, after a fine campaign.

Our guests on Saturday, Lowestoft, are on 43 points and host Brightlingsea on the final day.

Mildenhall, who are on 41 points, host a Walthamstow side who are now safe after a difficult season, before travelling to Felixstowe on the final day. If Maldon win their home game with Gorleston this Saturday, they will become Champions. This, in turn, would leave Felixstowe secure in second place and focused on the play offs. In these circumstances, Mildenhall may fancy their chances on the last day.

Summary

This game is huge for both of our clubs. Although we have both have difficult campaigns, we have both found some form recently.

Whilst Lowestoft's away results have not been great, they have been a lot more competitive recently, shoring up their defence and retaining their ability to score goals. Of their 56 league goals, 22 have come in away games.

A win for The Trawlerboys would allow them to leapfrog us and (depending on other results today), potentially leave The Blues needing to at least match Mildenhall's result on the final Saturday.

For Blues, this is our big opportunity; win the game and we secure our position in Isthmian North next term. Our recent home performances have been better and hopefully we will have two or three of our senior players available again. It could be a game where experience counts for a lot.

So please come and join us for all the pre-match fun and then give your support for your team. Whether you have never been to a non league game, or you have seen more games than you can remember, you will be made very welcome and never taken for granted.

COYB!!