Grays Ath 0 v 2 AFC Sudbury

This clash of third v first was always going to be a close-run thing. Both Grays and AFC Sudbury came into the match on fine winning runs, so something had to give. Blues were though missing the two Clarks, Lewis and Rob, through suspension, Courtney Homans fit enough only for the bench and Aron Gordon unavailable. So it was destined to be a challenging encounter.
Blues did though start quickly and created two chances in the opening couple of minutes. A Mitch Hahn long throw and some tricky footwork from George Winn might both, on another day, have seen an early goal. At the other end, Sudbury fired an early warning, when Joe Grimwood found space in the Grays box but headed straight at keeper, Danny Sambridge.
Grays cause was not helped when in just the 10th minute, Sudbury star striker Nnamdi Nwachuku caught Geoff Okonkwo on the back of the leg and he had to be replaced, requiring a reshuffle across the back line. However, referee, Mr Stratton, who had a poor game all afternoon, saw no need for any sanction.
Sudbury slowly worked themselves into the game and put the home goal under constant pressure. Oliver Caley-Brown blazed over, when put through by Harrison Chatting and Grimwood again brought Sambridge into action, to tip his effort over the crossbar.
Grays’ periods of possession were relatively few and far between. Cheyce Grant was the brightest light running the left channels tirelessly, and he had the Blues best chance of the half, which was cleared by the excellent Caley-Brown.

Half time: Grays Ath 0 v 0 AFC Sudbury

The second half saw Blues have more of the ball but still struggling to break down a strong Sudbury defence. Roman Campbell was winning his fair share of headers and Mitch Hahn was industrious in midfield. But still though Sudbury looked the more likely to score, with their two wide Joshuas – Mayhew and Stokes always lively. Grays had a good chance in the 54th minute, when Bantick and Campbell combined to release Grant in the area. But visiting keeper, David Hughes dived bravely at the Blues man’s feet to kill the opportunity. There were other occasions when the home side threatened, but they failed to carve out the clear chance they were looking for.
At the other end, the visitors created a number of opportunities but again couldn’t find the finish, with the makeshift Blues defence holding strong, with both Malaki Toussaint and sub Macaulay Joynes making valuable last-minute interceptions.
But it was, in retrospect, only a matter of time before the Grays goal was breached. It was though a heavily-disputed corner in the 79th minute that brought the breakthrough, with the Grays players adamant that a Sudbury player had the last touch. However, they should still have defended the corner better and the ball fell to Stokes, who couldn’t miss from close range for a 1-0 lead.
Grays pressed urgently in the final minutes for the equaliser, with Grant firing a shot through the crowded penalty area that Hughes somehow saved, ending up sitting on the ball.
But as the clock ticked past the 90 minute mark, Sudbury put the game to bed with a swift counter-attack that saw Nwachuku pounce to score his umpteenth goal of a highly-productive season and close the game out 2-0.
The patched-up Grays side can be proud of having held the league leaders at bay for so long in the game. But ultimately, they were unable to produce the quality necessary to topple their high-flying opponents. But with players back in the line-up imminently, a push for a play-off place remains the target.

Final score: Grays Ath 0 v 2 AFC Sudbury
Grays Ath: Sambridge, Toussaint, R.Winn, Okonkwo (Joynes, 13), Leahy, Watts (Osei-Bobie, 81), Bantick, Hahn, Campbell, G.Winn, Grant
Subs not used: Griek, Homans