For the first time in many years, boos rang out at the final whistle as the loyal Grays Athletic followers saw the Blues fall apart in the final ten minutes of a game against opposition in the lower reaches of the table, who had caused little concern up to that point. In many supporters’ eyes, excuses for the desperate run of form since Christmas are running very thin.

This was not a game high on quality between two teams both struggling for form but Grays certainly had the better of the exchanges in the first half. Twice in the opening ten minutes, Mitch Hahn caused concern in the Felixstowe box, with keeper Jake Alley looking far from confident. Only once in the early action did the visitors break through the Blues line, but Oliver Canfer pulled his shot well wide. Hahn was again the creator, when on 18 minutes he say Alley off his line and tried his luck from within his own half, with the keeper lucky to palm the shot wide of the upright. Grays forced a succession of corners but could not find a finish and on the half hour, Ryan Sammons let fly from distance, which again Alley was forced to tip over.

A few minutes before the break, defender Macaulay Joynes was forced from the pitch after falling awkwardly, to be replaced by Jack McQueen. And with the break imminent, Blues finally made the breakthrough. A deep Mitch Hahn corner, was headed back across goal by Lewis Clark, finding Tony Stokes just a couple of yards out, who nodded the ball home.

Half time: Grays Ath 1 Felixstowe & Walton 0

Felixstowe looked to improve in the second half, making a double change at half time, bringing on Stuart Ainsley and Armani Schaar, and the pair helped the visitors to play at a greater pace, pushing Blues back deeper into their own half and failing to press the ball, as they had done earlier in the game. Early in the half, Canfer again found space at the near post from a throw but could only head tamely to Grays keeper Danny Sambridge. Ten minutes into the half, Blues nearly extended their lead, when another Hahn long throw found Steve King, whose header just cleared the bar. Ainsley was becoming an increasing presence down the left wing and he created another chance for Canfer who brought a great save from Sambridge.

As the half progressed, Blues dropped ever deeper, which served only to give Felixstowe a sense that they could take something from the game, with only a rare break ending in a brave bicycle kick from Reuben Soares Junior giving the Grays fans any real excitement. Joao Carlos made a brief appearance off the bench before pulling up and having to be replaced himself by Emmanuel Ogunrinde.

With the clock running down, the Grays fans were beginning to think that maybe that elusive win would finally arrive, but things are rarely what they seem for the Blues at present. On 84 minutes, a ball swung into the Blues box was met sweetly on the volley by sub Schaar, giving Sambridge little chance to keep out the equaliser.

Not for the first time this season heads dropped just when brave hearts were needed. And worse was follow for the home fans. Deep into five minutes of injury time, an innocuous ball was played from wide left into the Grays six yard box and Canfer was allowed to steal into the near post and poke the ball into the net and steal the game for Felixstowe.

Full time: Grays Ath 1 Felixstowe & Walton 2

This was a game that Grays could have and should have won but somehow they contrived to throw away three points at a time in the season when they can ill-afford to do so. Seven consecutive defeats (amazingly the last five all by a 2-1 scoreline) leave many supporters asking some serious questions, alarmed at the team’s slide, with no real sign of any improvement.

Next Saturday Blues face a trip to AFC Sudbury with another chance to make amends for a string of sub-standard performances.

Grays Ath: Sambridge, Sammons, Joynes (McQueen, 41 mins), Clark, King, Arthur, Miller, Hahn, Stokes (Carlos 70 mins, Ogunrinde 80 mins), Dark, Soares Jr

Subs not used: Fox, Girling