After the encouraging second half display against Heybridge Swifts, the faithful travelling Grays supporters made the short trip up the A12 to Witham, hoping that the corner had been turned on their side’s fruitless festive campaign. But it was to be a frustrating 90 minutes, when, once again, the Blues failed to land a killer blow on another opposition side at the lower end of the league table.

The Witham pitch offered a heavy surface and with a strong swirling wind, it was no afternoon for cultured football. The opening exchanges offered little, with both sides struggling to adapt to conditions. It was though the visitors who began to dominate possession with Nathan Fox and Emmanuel Ogunrinde combining well down the right hand side and George Purcell finding space on the left, And it was Purcell who had the Blues first meaningful shot on 15 minutes but pulled his effort wide. The returning Lewis Dark was industrious in midfield, keeping Witham shut inside their own half. But far too often, Blues were guilty of carelessly giving the ball away, with too many simple passes going astray, leading to little serious pressure on the Witham goal. Purcell looked the most likely to break the deadlock and on 20 minutes his shot across the box, hit the post and was cleared. There was almost half an hour on the clock before the home side ventured forward with any menace, but Dexter Peter was providing an assured presence at the back.

The game turned just before the end of the first half. An innocuous Blues clearance was caught by the wind, allowing Witham to return the ball into the Grays box and in the ensuing melee, referee Abigail Byrne awarded a goal, with the agreement of her assistant, credited to Witham’s Ollie Emsden. To a man, the Blues protested vehemently that the ball had not crossed the line, but to no avail, Lewis Clark’s name going in the referee’s notebook for his troubles.

Half time 1-0

Grays fans hoping for a more productive second half were disappointed, as the home keeper, Rhys Madden, and his defence were untroubled for large periods. An early shot by Purcell, set up by Tony Stokes, was well saved by Madden but there was little else to cheer the Blues fans. Indeed, it was Witham who played with the greater endeavour and posed the greater threat. On 50 minutes, the lively Emsden provided a teasing cross from the left wing for Scott Kemp, whose diving header flew just wide of the post; whilst the stunning long throws from Marcus Bowers were a constant threat; although Witham too lacked the composure to make their possession tell. Manager, Jim Cooper brought on Joao Carlos for the industrious Manny Ogunrinde and Ryan Sammons for Nathan Fox, who had run all afternoon. However, even Carlos’s box of tricks proved ineffective on this occasion.

The Blues best chance of the second half came after 71 minutes, when the clearance from a Mitch Hahn corner fell to George Purcell lurking just inside the penalty area. He shot perfectly through the crowded box, but straight at keeper Madden. Soon after, Grays were almost made to pay again, when a long Witham free kick from Ollie Bell caught on the wind, evading everyone, and cannoned into the crossbar. A lucky escape, after which Witham were able to run the clock down without too much concern.

Full time 1-0

In truth, the Blues’ performance offered little of real cutting edge, lacking sufficient quality on the ball to threaten an opposition that have struggled for much of the season, but who gave a good account of themselves on a difficult afternoon.

A season that promised so much for the Blues is now in danger of failing to deliver. The next outing offers the final chance of silverware this year, albeit an uphill task in the Essex Senior Cup quarter final on Tuesday evening against big-spending Billericay Town at New Lodge.

Grays Ath: Sambridge, Fox (Sammons 70), Joynes, Clark, King, Peter, Ogunrinde (Carlos 62) , Hahn, Stokes (Girling 84), Dark, Purcell

Subs not used: McQueen, Pearce