If Taylor Swift had provided the half time entertainment, this game would have had everything ! It was great watching for neutral, but fans of both sides would have needed a long sit down at the final whistle with a strong cup of tea to calm the nerves and to process what they had just watched. Darren Manning was able to put out his strongest XI and bench for some time, with players returning to full fitness, as well as the welcome return to this parish of last year’s player of the season, Elliott Sartorius.

Grays were dominant in the first half, barely letting Downham out of their own half. The line-up meant that Sid Walker was able to push further forward, providing more bite in midfield. Similarly, Joe Paxman and Michael Bareck played like terriers, constantly in the faces of the opposition and not allowing them to settle.

The first moment of controversy came as early as the fifth minute when Macca Joynes advanced into the penalty area, getting ahead of Downham full back Nathan Davies, who seemed to bring the Grays man down clumsily from behind, but referee Mr Botton was unmoved. Chances kept coming for Blues and it seemed only a matter of time before they broke through. And on 18 minutes, Joynes swung a wicked corner into the danger area and amidst a crowd of players, the ball seemed to come off a Downham head into the net for a 1-0 lead.

Blues were playing some of their best football of the season - and all on a difficult, rain-soaked pitch that really didn’t encourage that level of play. Harry Hope provided much of the heavy lifting with Michael Bareck skipping around tackles and Elliott Sartorius joining up the ends in his own style. But for all their pressure, the Downham defence remained stubbornly resolute. Keeper, Jasper Briggs, made a good save to deny Bareck and Jack Gould blocked bravely to get in the way of a Sid Walker rocket shot.

Downham’s first real chance didn’t materialise until just before the break when Dylan Kirk found space for a shot that went safely wide of the goal.

Half time : Grays Athletic 1 v 0 Downham Town

The second half, if written as a Hollywood script, would have been turned down by the studios as too much fantasy !

Downham had to come out fighting if they were to take anything back to Norfolk. And the scores were soon level (for the first time). Oscar Shelvey-Negus transgressed just outside the area and Eoin McQuaid stepped up, curling his free kick round the insufficient Grays wall with ease, to make it 1-1.

It was then end-to-end stuff, with Downham looking much more dangerous, especially on the break, whilst Grays sub, Jack Stone, gave the visitors’ defence something new to think about - with one shot straight at keeper Briggs and another deflected just over. At the other end, the increasingly influential McQuaid, set up Downham sub Artur Visocanskis, but he scuffed his shot.

It wasn’t long though before Blues were back in the lead. A long clearance from George Marsh was flicked on by Stone, the two Downham centre backs hesitated and Michael Bareck nipped in between them and fired past Briggs to make it 2-1. And it could soon have been three when Sartorius fizzed a cross right through the six yard box without anyone able to get a toe-end on it.

But with only one goal difference, Downham always felt in the game. And when Ethan Young was left alone at the far post for a simple finish to make it 2-2, there was renewed optimism amongst the visitors.

For a while, there was a lull in goalmouth action, with play getting bogged down in a midfield battle, as players tired in the heavy conditions.

Then with ten minutes left, somebody lit the blue touch paper and the game went into overdrive. Michael Bareck pinged a lovely crossfield pass to Macca Joynes whose even better cross was met by the head of a diving Jordan Clark to make it 3-2 and surely win the game. But no, Downham quickly passed the ball out wide and William Moxon swung a cross into the box that Marsh missed and the ball nestled into the net for yet another equaliser. 3-3.

But Blues were not to be denied. With the watch showing almost 90 minutes, Grays won a corner which Callum Fitzer took. Alex Moss, who had been excellent alongside Kye Jude all afternoon, rose highest at the near post and guided his header goalwards to put Grays into the lead for the fourth time in the afternoon at 4-3.

There was then still time for an unsightly brawl in midfield that saw referee Mr Botton show red cards to both Blues’ Sid Walker for his initial challenge and to Town’s Nathan Davies for some afters. With 10 against 10 neither side laid down. Oscar Shelvey-Negus thought he had sealed it for Grays from close range but McQuaid was in the right place on the goal line to clear the ball and then Downham broke away and everyone held their breath as Visocanskis’s shot cleared George Marsh but also the crossbar.

It was a breathless finish and a fine advert for non-league football. Downham must be praised for never giving up the fight but also applause to the Blues for their resilience and character after being pegged back three times. But after their recent run of form, Grays will be mightily pleased with the three points, especially as their next two fixtures are away at front runners Maldon & Tiptree and Felixstowe & Walton, before this season’s first instalment of the El Chavico classic, when we take on our landlords, Tilbury in the traditional festive clash.

Final score : Grays Athletic 4 v 3 Downham Town

Grays Ath: Marsh, Paxman (72, Nolan-Samuels), Joynes, Moss, Jude, J Clark, Walker, Shelvey-Negus, Sartorius (83, Fitzer), Bareck, Hope (46, Stone)

Subs not used : Imasuen, Norton