Unusually, I decided to leave writing this report for 24 hours, to see whether my mind would see things afresh with the light of a new day. Sadly, nothing has changed and the story is still a tale of one of the poorest games I’ve seen in many a long year.

It was one of those occasions where the ball spent way too long in the air, whether from booming clearances or bouts of head tennis. No-one from either side seemed to be able to get the ball down and play. Defences were in charge throughout and it is difficult to recall either keeper being seriously stretched.

Grays actually started the game quite brightly. Callum Fitzer blasted an early chance wide and Jayden Silcott-Brown looked lively out wide. It was his good work that won a corner for Blues that Kye Jude headed over and he then went on a lovely run into the box and produced a shot that visitors keeper, Billy Lawlor tipped over the bar.

Both sides tried to exert pressure but neither could create the clear chance they were looking for. An exchange of long throw-in between Casey Nolan-Samuels and Luke Ige couldn’t break the deadlock either.

For the visitors, Ernest Okoh out wide looked as dangerous as anyone but he was unable to pick out a team mate with the final ball.

As the half progressed, Witham came more into the game and both Sid Walker and Macca Joynes put their bodies on the line to block shots. But otherwise, there was little of note.

Half time : Grays Ath 0 v 0 Witham Town

The second period started with the afternoon’s only moment of drama when George Marsh in the Grays goal was adjudged by referee Mr Demetriou to have picked up a back pass from Lewis Clark. However, Sonny Dutton put the resulting indirect free kick well wide.

The half drifted along with neither side able to dominate the other. WItham’s best chance came from a quick break following a Grays corner but Callum Fitzer was on hand at the back to intercept the chance. Mention should also be made of Oscar Shelvey-Negus who battled hard all afternoon in an attritional exchange in midfield.

As the clock wore down, Blues had the better of the late exchanges, especially Jayden Silcott-Brown. He produced a lovely jinking run into the penalty area but the visitors’ defence blocked the chance out and Lewis Clark couldn’t bury his header from the resulting corner. And moving into added time, Silcott-Brown was bundled over in the box but the referee was unmoved.

On the brighter side, the game saw Blues deliver another clean sheet and a league point that in time to come could be crucial.

We go again next Saturday with another home league game against Felixstowe & Walton.

Final score : Grays Athletic 0 v 0 Witham Town

Grays Ath : Marsh, Nolan-Samuels, Joynes, Walker, L Clark, Jude, Fitzer, Shelvey-Negus, Hirst (63, Gordon), Paxman, Silcott-Brown

Subs not used : Drew, Romer, Brampton