Grays pulled off one of the upsets of the day in this FA Trophy 2nd Qualifying Round tie with a comfortable 2-0 win against high-flying Felixstowe & Walton. With the Seasiders having beaten the Blues 3-0 in the league just a couple of weeks ago and Darren Manning’s squad littered with injuries, the omens weren’t good. However, the manager shuffled his pack, playing three centre-halves behind a combative midfield trio - a formation that did the job wonderfully well, denting Felixstowe’s ambition all afternoon.

The first half was a relatively uneventful affair. What chances there were fell to Grays. Early on, Sam Bantick thought he was through on goal but defender Toby Stevenson got back well to deny him the chance. Blues also forced a series of corners throughout the half but couldn’t make them pay. Jack Turner headed wide from a Bantick in-swinger and then a few minutes later, visitors’ keeper Harry Wright produced the first of three fine saves over the afternoon, tipping a Jordan Clark long-range effort over the bar. And from the resulting corner, Luke Hirst headed over.

With the half time refreshments beckoning, Blues finally broke the deadlock. Keeper George Marsh weighed in with the assist, from a long free kick that he drove into the visitors penalty area, finding Kye Jude who rifled a header into the net for a 1-0 lead.

Half time : Grays Athletic 1 v 0 Felixstowe & Walton

Felixstowe came out after the break with more urgency but the Blues midfield, especially Sid Walker and Harry Hope were excellent all afternoon, breaking up the play and getting a foot in where it mattered. In a rare opportunity for the Seasiders, Zac Brown fired a wicked cross through the Grays penalty area but there was no team-mate on hand to apply a finish.

Wright then came to the fore, doing his best to keep his side in the tie. Firstly palming out a fierce , angled Kye Jude shot after a great cross from Bantick, who was then himself denied when Wright kept out his curling shot. But for their keeper, the game would have been long over.

Felixstowe were being limited to efforts from long range, with George Marsh rarely troubled, forwards, Josh Hitter and Josh Mayhew firing high and wide on several occasions.

Blues then doubled their lead midway through the half. Jayden Silcott-Brown, off the bench, sent the ball into the area, which eventually fell to Luke Hirst and although his shot wasn’t a clean one, it had enough on it to nestle in the corner of the net to make it 2-0 and to start serious thoughts of progression to the next round.

But Felixstowe kept fighting. Ethan Garcia headed over and then Marsh made a bit of a horlicks trying to collect a long punt downfield, but Lewis Clark was on hand to clear the danger.

The final chances though fell to Grays. Callum Fitzer broke the defensive line but couldn’t square the ball, with Alfie Wellans unmarked in the box. And then Wellans himself had a couple of chances. The first, a free kick after he was unceremoniously upended by Stevenson, which earned the defender a yellow card and then a rocket shot, set up by Silcott-Brown’s good work that flew just the wrong side of the post.

As has been well documented, this competition means more to the fans and the history of our club than probably any other. It was therefore so rewarding to see the side deliver such an energetic and combative performance, to progress to the next round. Indeed, we are the only one of the 32 clubs from the Preliminary Round still standing.

After the game, assistant manager Callum Bolger, and stand-in coach Paul Joynes were delighted with the performance. The plans laid out for the squad had been executed to the letter and the win was a well deserved one. The only downside was further injuries to Jordan Clark and Oscar Shelvey-Negus - giving the club physio yet more candidates for the treatment room.

So, the final qualifying round awaits, with sides from Step 3 entering the competition. Look out for the draw on Monday lunchtime.

Final score : Grays Athletic 2 v 0 Felixstowe & Walton

Grays Ath : Marsh, Brampton (60, Silcott-Brown), Norton, Turner, L.Clark, J.Clark (25, Shelvey-Negus; 70, Wellens), Walker, Jude, Hirst, Hope (80, Fitzer), Bantick (88, Gordon)