Grays Athletic made a triumphant entry into this season’s FA Cup with a comprehensive 5-1 win over Essex neighbours, Hullbridge Sports. Given the recent spectacular failures in this premier cup competition over recent years, the Blues fans went home relieved as well as excited about the level of performance.

Grays were quickly out of the blocks and could have taken the lead in the very first minute. Bobby Unwin found a yard of space on the edge of the penalty area but his shot hit the inside of the post and spun across the goalmouth before being cleared.

It then looked as though things might be heading in a different direction when the visitors took the lead after just eight minutes. Jack Humphrey missed a tackle, allowing Hullbridge to get in behind and when the cross came in, Charlie Morris was in the clear to put the ball past Danny Sambridge for 1-0.

Unfortunately, for the visitors that was about as good as it got. The goal served only to stir the Blues and the chances started to stack up. Aron Gordon got about his work and ran tirelessly at the Hullbridge defence. He set up Luke Hirst, whose shot was saved by keeper Luis Shamshoun and then whipped in a fine cross that couldn’t find a team-mate. But it was only a matter of time. Twenty minutes in, Elliott Sartorius worked his way into the penalty area and shot past Shamshoun to equalise.

Blues were then soon in the lead. Man of the match, Alejandro Machado picked up the ball on the edge of the area and let fly an unstoppable shot to make it 2-1.

And it could have been more before the half time whistle. Machado and Hirst played a lovely one-two but the former headed just wide. Gordon, Hirst and Sartorius then all spurned further chances to increase the scoreline. Hullbridge’s best spell came late in the half. Their best work was down the right flank, and from there, Louis Bragg produced a great cross but there was no yellow and green shirt to apply the final touch.

Half time : Grays Athletic 2 v 1 Hullbridge Sports

Grays effectively ended the match as a contest in the first minute of the second half. Good approach work found Bobby Unwin and his shot deflected off a defender, leaving Shamshoun helpless and extending scoreline to 3-1.

It was now really just a question of how many Grays could score, with any Hullbridge attack well marshalled by the Blues back line.

Machado pulled off the trick of hitting both posts with one shot, but somehow the ball stayed out and Shamshoun then pulled off two saves, one from Sartorius, set up by Malaki Toussaint and the other a top-drawer, flying stop from another Machado rocket.

Twenty minutes from the end, Blues fans screamed for a penalty, when Gordon was downed just inside the box and the indignation could have been worse, as centre-half, Ollie Jenkins ran the length of the field with the ball but, lacking composure, shot wide.

As manager Darren Manning rang the changes, Blues continued to press and Sartorius produced a wonderful inswinging cross with his left foot that found that man Machado ghosting in at the far post to make it 4-1.

And then the Blues subs took over the running of the game, as Hullbridge tired, with Louie Remi, Joe Damrell, Dhillon Sandhu-Nelson, Albert Perry and Matas Skarna all looking lively and keen to impress. And it was the latter who completed the scoring - Remi, looking a class act on the right, found Sandhu-Nelson, whose shot was deftly turned past the keeper by Skarna for a 5-1 scoreline.

After the game, Darren Manning was delighted at the all-round team effort. Again, character shone out across the squad; having gone 1-0 down early could have caused heads to drop but nothing could have been further from the truth.

Hullbridge fought to the final whistle and we wish them well for the coming season. They will undoubtedly be one of the front runners in the Essex Senior League. But it is Grays Ath who progress to the next round of the FA Cup (and I haven’t written that very often in recent years) with another home tie in the next round against our old adversaries from Witham Town - watch out for announcements on social media for match arrangements - Tilbury are also at home again in the Cup that same weekend.

Final score : Grays Athletic 5 v 1 Hullbridge Sports

Grays Ath : Sambridge, Dariri, Moss, Machado (84, Sandhu-Nelson), Finneran, Humphrey, Gordon (74, Skarna), Toussaint, Hirst (74, Perry), Sartorius (77, Damrell), Unwin (63, Remi)

Subs not used: Long, Carlos