All seasoned football watchers will know that a team is at its most successful when it is clearly greater than the sum of its individual parts. And Blues’ performance on Saturday against big-spending Brentwood Town was just that – a masterclass in determination and organisation. For all their outlay and recruitment over the close season, Brentwood have yet to fire this term and their manager, Rod Stringer, will be disappointed that his side could not make more of their possession and opportunities.
Once again, Grays were slowly out of the blocks, and should have conceded another first minute goal. Good work by the visitors’ Matt Price and Kane Phillip found marksman, Tom Richardson who, to amazement of all watching, hit the woodwork with the goal at his mercy. Blues were laying deep, allowing Brentwood onto them, with the pace of Josh Osude and Aron Gordon being their main outlets. Osude, in particular, was giving Town’s left back, Chris Gregan an afternoon to forget, with a series of excellent runs and crosses, but Blues failed to capitalise.
Grays slowly took more control of affairs, but neither side could fashion a clear goal-scoring opportunity, with both keepers relatively unflustered. The deadlock was eventually broken in the 37th minute when Callum Watts found that man Osude, who again got his cross into a dangerous area and this time, Sam Bantick got in front of the defender at the near post and flicked the ball past keeper Harry Girling for a 1-0 lead.
And it was 2-0 just five minutes later, when Macaulay Joynes found Bantick, this time outside the left corner of the penalty area, and he deftly lifted the ball over the advancing Girling, whose frantic back-pedaling was to no avail.
And with the Blues flying, it was nearly three when, just before the break, Watts unleashed one of his trademark 20 yard rockets, that Girling tipped over the bar.
Half time : Grays Ath 2 v 0 Brentwood Town
For the Blues, the second half was all about game management. And it was a tremendous display by the two centre-halves Okonkwo and George Winn and the midfield trio of Toussaint, Hahn and Watts, who together worked tirelessly to keep the visitors quiet. That said, the expectations of this Brentwood squad are wholly justified, and they pressed the home goal throughout the half. But the Blues were in a “they shall not pass” mood. On 51 minutes, Price brought a good save from Danny Sambridge and ten minutes later it was the keeper’s poor distribution that led to a chance for sub Lennie Armstrong, whose long shot cannoned back off the crossbar, with Geoff Okonkwo launching himself to block the rebound. A period of concerted Brentwood pressure induced several melees in the six-yard box but a Grays boot was always there to clear the danger.
Chances for Grays were few, although both Bantick and sub Ryan Melaugh might both have done better when opportunities did present themselves.
The visitors started to run out of options, stifled by the Blues rearguard action, but not before Price again hit the woodwork from close range. But it was Grays who finished the stronger. On 82 minutes, sub Ronnie Winn broke the offside trap and found Callum Watts, who let fly from distance but just over the bar. Watts then returned the favour to another replacement, Correy Davidson, who brought a smart save from Girling. The game was wrapped up on 88 minutes, when from the award of a free kick just inside the Brentwood half, quick thinking by Melaugh found Ronnie Winn free on the left wing. He cut in and finished smartly past the keeper for 3-0.
Brentwood were left ruing a hatful of chances and must have left Parkside wondering how they failed to score. But it was a fine all-round team performance from Grays that won the day, packed with great individual efforts. The show moves quickly onto Witham on Bank Holiday Monday, where Blues fans will hope for more of the same.

Final Score : Grays Athletic 3 v 0 Brentwood Town

Grays Ath: Sambridge, Homans, Joynes, Watts, G.Winn, Okonkwo, Gordon (Davidson 81), Toussaint, Bantick (R.Winn 73), Hahn, Osude (Melaugh 65)