"BANK HOLIDAY POINTS SHARED"
Any manager, will probably tell you that a point on the road is a result, and I'm guessing Mark Stimson would more than likely say the same, but equally I'm guessing he will be bitterly disappointed that the 'Blues' didn't leave Maldon today with all three points, because in my opinion we were well worth the maximum from the game by the seaside, which would have almost certainly been 'job done', had the game, not been ruined by yet another over zealous match official, who seemingly made the game all about him and a successful match assessment, rather than the ambitions of two sides striving to get their season's up and running, as well of course as 245 Bank Holiday football supporters looking for entertainment, on a sunny Bank Holiday afternoon.
There will no doubt be those that disagree, everyone is entitled to an opinion, but I thought the referee ruined the game, and wouldn't allow it to flow. I lost count of how many times he pulled that confounded yellow card out of his back pocket, six times for Grays players, which would seem to suggest we were a 'dirty' side and it was a war zone out there, when in fact nothing could be further from the truth. There wasn't a meaningful over the top challenge all afternoon! I suppose we must be grateful he didn't pull the red one out, maybe he lost it, in the confusion of some very poor decisions, one in particular, close to the end of the game, that cost Grays and their fans those elusive three points that we all craved. I'm not saying Maldon's equaliser wasn't a fine goal, it certainly was, a stunning free kick struck superbly up into the right hand corner of Danny Sambridge's net, but the decision to award a free-kick on the edge of the box, was another dubious one.
I accept that the days of referee's allowing games to flow and be entertaining are long gone, but some of these officials, seem to have their common sense stuffed into their back pockets with the offending cards!
After a pretty much non competitive first half where nether side really laid a glove on each other, 'Blues' came out after the break with far more purpose, and no doubt with the managers views 'ringing in their ears' and young Troy Osie Bobie, rose magnificently into the air, in the box, twelve minutes after the restart, and headed home a beauty. A goal, indeed fit to win any game, and he celebrated 'Bantick style' and why not, showing once again what an important player he will be for us this season, his goal capping off what was a fine all-round performance by the young man who is maturing with every game.
Unfortunately it did not prove to be the winning 'episode' to the match, that it should have been, that was 'scrubbed out' by the match day referee, who sadly had other ideas.
The bonus however? Those 'green shoots' of achievement certainly starting to show through, with some really good football played at times, Skipper Lewis Clark and Callum Leahy solid at the centre of the defence, Chris Millar really starting to settle down now, and danger-man Aron Gordon impressing as always, despite limited supply for his wonderful pace and skills. Danny Sambridge, had in truth very little to do, other than pick the ball out of his net, but did make one superb reaction save in the first half, to keep the scores level.
My 'Man of the Match' has to be young Troy, if only for the joy he brought to the occasion with that super goal, and wonderful celebratory smile!