Grays put the division’s crisis club, Lowestoft, firmly to the sword on a wild and windy afternoon in Suffolk. After the midweek three points at home to Walthamstow, it was important for the Blues that there was no slip up against a side struggling hugely both on and off the pitch. But the travelling faithful need not have worried, as Grays went about their work with endeavour and efficiency. Despite missing key players and others playing out of position, they had far too much in the tank for their opponents.

Across the ninety minutes there were chances aplenty for Grays and on another day, it could have been a cricket score. The first opportunity came after just seven minutes, when Sam Wade, who had the freedom of East Anglia all afternoon down the right wing, crossed but Brandon Adams sidefooted the chance wide. But it wasn’t long before the floodgates opened. On ten minutes, Wade put in another delicious cross and Matt Price was strong at the far post to head home for a 1-0 lead.

Blues front two of Price and Adams were on it all afternoon, with a constant feed from Wade and Freddie Price out wide. But it Matt Price who threaded a lovely ball through for Adams to run on to, only for home keeper Jack Trowbridge to be alert and just beat the Grays man to the ball.

Chances were coming from all angles. Home captain Dylan Ruffles nearly sliced a Gabriel Chapps effort into his own net; and the resulting corner from Callum Burkey bounced off the crossbar. Tyler Brampton then set up two opportunities, a glancing header from Adams that went just wide and a shot from Wade that missed the target.

But Blues didn’t have to wait long. Freddie Price skipped down the left wing and his cross was met by a fine header from Adams that gave Trowbridge no chance, making it 2-0.

Moments later Trowbridge denied Adams another with a tip over the bar from the Grays man’s turn and shot from by the penalty spot. And shortly after, Adams was only denied a breakaway run onto goal by an offside flag.

And things went from bad to worse for the Trawlerboys just before half time when another Freddie Price cross was headed into his own net by Baliey Sutton, to extend the visitors’ lead to 3-0, to complete a half of total one-way traffic for Grays.

Half time : Lowestoft 0 v 3 Grays Athletic

The second half was more of the same, with Grays in no mood to relinquish their stranglehold on the game. Sadly, it is not difficult to see why Lowestoft are in such a wretched run of form. Blues players had way too much time to play their football and when the home side did advance forward there were misplaced passes and straightforward interventions by the Grays back line. Keeper Ayaz Kazi will rarely have such an easy afternoon.

Early in the half, Tyler Brampton danced through the home defence but there was no Grays boot in the six yard box to apply the finish. There was then a right horlicks between Trowbridge and the men in front of him but Brandon Adams couldn’t take advantage from distance. But again he didn’t have long to wait. Bringing down Tyler Brampton’s cross, he checked back before lofting the ball beautifully over the helpless Trowbridge, to make it 4-0. And he so nearly had his hat trick when getting on the end of Freddie Price’s fine pass but couldn’t believe himself that he only found the side netting.

Briefly then, Lowestoft went on the attack. Ashton Blogg’s deflected shot from distance was kept out by Kazi before he pulled off a better save to deny Sam Howell from close range.

But that was as good as it got for the home side. Matt Price fed the ball through to an onrushing Sam Wade down the centre-foreward channel and he finished with aplomb for a 5-0 lead before Gabriel Chapps found Price who was given all the time he needed to turn and finish past Trowbridge for 6-0.

Grays could easily have had more but several chances ended up in the side netting rather than between the sticks.

This was though a thoroughly professional performance from Grays, giving their beleaguered opponents no quarter. Six goals and a clean sheet was the very least their afternoon’s work deserved. After the game, interim manager Lewis Clark was delighted with the work rate and character that the squad had shown over both of his games in charge.

A word though for the Lowestoft fans who still turned out in numbers to support their ailing side and there was great banter and camaraderie between the two sets of fans on the terraces all afternoon. The sense of humour amongst football crowds, even in the darkest of times, is something to behold. We wish everyone associated with the Trawlerboys all the best in their endeavours to rebuild their club.

But it was Grays who registered their vital second win in just a few days, giving them something to build on in the weeks ahead.

Final score : Lowestoft 0 v 6 Grays Athletic

Grays Ath : Kazi, Brampton (75, Osas), F.Price (72, Harris), Moss, L.Clark, J.Clark, Burkey, Chapps, Wade (69, Kileba), Adams, M.Price