Grays and Bowers & Pitsea served up a Halloween spectacular on Friday night with goals, cards of all colours, shots, saves and a rousing finish that eventually saw Blues take all three points, although the home side will wonder how they left empty handed.

The game got off to the most unbelievable of starts. Bowers kicked off and looked to work the ball back to their keeper, Joe Whitney. Nothing unusual there but Grays centre forward Jack Stone charged the ball down against Whitney as he advanced. He would have had a clear run to the open net but the keeper, deliberately handled outside his area and referee Mr Oakes, had no option but to send him off with only about ten seconds on the clock ! Fortunately, for Bowers they had their U21s keeper, Harry Carter, on the bench and he went on to have a fine game.

From the resulting free kick, Harry Hope shot just wide.

The game was a real harum-scarum event. Sid Walker was booked for a clumsy challenge and Jack Turner was poleaxed when he took a full-blooded shot straight in the face. Then, after just a quarter of an hour, it was 10 against 10, when Oscar Shelvey-Negus also saw red for an unnecessary and late tackle after the referee had blown his whistle for an earlier infringement.

We then had what was almost the piece-de-resistance, when Macca Joynes brought the first good save of the evening out of Carter, for what would have finally broken his Blues goal-scoring duck. But the gods decided that there had been enough extraordinary activity already !

The experienced Jamie Salmon then also went into Mr Oakes’ notebook for a challenge on the lively Joe Paxman and Hope’s long-range shot was spilled by Carter and cleared for a corner. Hope again swung the dead ball in and Kye Jude rose highest to score with a clinical header to make it 1-0 to the Blues.

But Bowers were still well in the game, especially in the wide areas and they so nearly equalised when Rene Batlokwa rattled the Grays crossbar with a classic curling shot from outside the area.

With five minutes of the half left Blues won another corner and it was a case of deja-vu. Harry Hope took the set piece, Carter missed the ball and Kye Jude, was on hand again with a looping header, to make it a double for him on the evening and 2-0 to Grays.

The work of Grays two new boys is worthy of mention. Michael Bareck wove and jigged his way through the midfield all evening, rarely losing the ball and Jack Stone never gave up a lost cause, exemplified by two runs late in the half to win corners by closing down the full back - something Blues have been missing all season.

Half time : Bowers & Pitsea 0 v 2 Grays Athletic

In the early exchanges of the second half, Grays should really have put the game to bed and it made for a much nervier night than it should have been. Tyler Brampton shot well over the bar, Harry Hope had an attempt cleared by Jimmy Wallace and at one point, centre-half, Jack Turner found himself out on the right wing and crossed for Jack Stone who brought a good save out of Harry Carter.

But Bowers played fast and well on the break. A cross from Luca Albon skimmed the crossbar, Batlokwa brought a save out of George Marsh and Michael Faulkener should have done better from close range.

Marsh and Jude almost combined to present Bowers with a gilt-edged chance when there was a breakdown in communication on the edge of the Grays box but the ball was hacked away to safety in the nick of time.

By the midpoint of the half, Bowers were well in command of the play and it seemed only a matter of time before they reduced the deficit. George Scales crossed and Blues left experienced marksman Ross Wall in far too much space and he netted crisply to make it 2-1.

With both sides tiring, being a man down each, Bowers smelled blood, bringing fresh legs off the bench and throwing everything at Grays. But this Blues side has discovered a resilience that is commendable. Sub, John Elongo’s shot was blocked by Turner and Marsh saved an effort from top scorer Faulkener.

Grays had few forays down the other end but on one attack, Bareck was fouled on the edge of the box and Callum Fitzer, just off the bench, nearly squeezed the ball round the wall but Carter got down low to shovel the ball past the upright.

Bowers thought they had levelled things late on when Jamie Salmon bundled the ball into the net but he was denied by a linesman’s flag for offside. An extended period of added time saw further chances with Marsh denying Faulkener again. But an exhausted Blues side held out for the win and a vital three points, with the home side probably thinking they were good for a draw.

This game was above all, a great advert for non-league football. Skill, commitment and excitement from the off, with the two red cards and several yellows, out of character in what was a battling but fair contest.

Next week, Blues welcome two Suffolk sides to Thurrock. On Tuesday, bottom side Brantham Athletic will come looking for a win to ignite their season and then on Saturday, Newmarket are the visitors.

Final score : Bowers & Pitsea 1 v 2 Grays Athletic

Grays Ath : Marsh, Brampton, Joynes, Walker, Jude, Turner, Bareck, Shelvey-Negus, Hope, Paxman (74, Fitzer), Stone

Subs not used : Gjonbala, Strugurian, Frempong