Grays Ath meekly surrendered their place in this year’s FA Trophy with a deeply disappointing performance away at Canvey Island. Given the club’s heritage in this competition, the fans have every right to expect better than a showing of this kind. The game was played with a strong wind blowing straight down the pitch but such are the conditions that have to be contended with.

And yet in the first ten minutes of the game, it could have been so different. Blues made most of the early running and probably should have taken the lead when Denzel Effah broke through the back line and advanced into the penalty area. In that critical moment, he chose to stick rather than twist and went for the shot, which was well saved by home keeper, David Hughes, rather than square the ball to a teammate.

But that was as good as it got for Grays in the first half, which descended into a horror show. There were warning signs when a George Scales corner found Jack Cawley at the back post but somehow he headed the ball right across the goal and beyond the other post.

The opening goal on 19 minutes was readily preventable as Grays switched off - allowing an easy throw-in and space for Scales to put a cross into the box which Mitchell May met unchallenged for a 1-0 lead.

And it was so nearly two, when the same player found space again but this time, Blues keeper Danny Sambridge made a point blank save to deny May a second.

Attacks were coming in waves, as Canvey made the most of the wind in their backs and Blues lack of quality engagement. Tyler Brampton committed a foul twenty yards out and free-kick specialist Connor Hubble stepped up and planted the ball over the wall and into the back of the net to make it 2-0.

There was then a moment of contention when Hubble took out Guy Norton with a really nasty late tackle. But referee Mr Claussen only produced a yellow card. Bear this in mind for later.

And it was 3-0 soon after, when a long clearance found Mitchell May in acres of space. Sambridge had come way out of his goal leaving no-one at home and giving May the easiest of opportunities to lob the ball from distance into an open net. Blues were falling apart.

It took until five minutes from the end of the half before Grays offered anything up front. And it was almost a comedy goal when having forced a corner, the clearance cannoned off of Denzil Effah and rebounded not far wide of the post. Guy Norton then went on a fine mazy run from near the half way line deep into the penalty area, only to get crowded out inside the six yard box. But at the other end, there was still time for May to just miss out on a hattrick when Sambridge tipped his effort over the bar.

Half time : Canvey Island 3 v 0 Grays Athletic

Whatever was said in the dressing room at half time, plus the change of ends gave Grays some hope. Lewis Clark went on a charging run out of defence giving Ned Hepburn the chance of a shot and then the roles were reversed with Hepburn’s cross headed into the keeper’s hands by Clark. Effah also produced a lovely cross from the right that just evaded everyone in the area. And moments later Rob Harvey pressed well in midfield with the ball falling to Effah, who worked his way into the box, with his shot giving Hepburn an easy tap-in to make it 3-1.

Grays were then indebted to half-time sub, Freddie Moncur for some great chasing back and defending to deny Canvey a quick response - a level of commitment that had been sorely lacking before the break.

But try as they might, Grays were unable to make further in-roads. Gael Kileba, off the bench, hit the side netting after a fine through ball from Alex Moss before Effah tried an audacious volley that cleared the bar.

And it really should have been 3-2 and all set for a tight finish when Connor Hogan found Kileba clear inside the penalty area but he dithered too long allowing Hughes the chance to come out and smother the ball at the second attempt.

Former Blue, Michael Bareck was only denied a goal by a fine goal-line clearance by Lewis Clark. And then the wheels came off big time.

With a quarter of an hour remaining and still somehow in the game, Tyler Brampton, having been booked earlier in the afternoon, said something untoward and was shown a second yellow by Mr Claussen. And just a couple of minutes later, Jordan Clark cleaned out another ex-Blue Michael Finneran and was given a deserved straight red. (But how much worse was that tackle than the one by Hubble on Norton in the first half that only received a yellow ? All we ask is for some consistency, please.)

Canvey tightened the screw by bringing Evans Kouassi off the bench and in the final few minutes he could have had four goals but only hit the net once, to make it 4-1.

By every measure, this was a thoroughly dispiriting performance by Grays in every department against a Canvey team who used the conditions to their advantage and took their chances well.

But Blues have a quick opportunity to put things right, with another trip to the Island on Bank Holiday Monday, for a league encounter against Concord Rangers.

Final score : Canvey Island 4 v 1 Grays Athletic

Grays Ath : Sambridge, Brampton, Norton (46, Moncur), Jude, L.Clark, Moss, Hepburn, Hogan, Chapps (61, Kileba), Harvey (57, J.Clark), Effah

Subs not used : Joynes, Salmons