Readers of a nervous disposition should look away now. In what is one of the most historic derby fixtures anywhere in the country, fans of both Grays Athletic and Tilbury look to gain bragging rights over the other. The Dockers came into the game on a great spell of form, with Grays struggling to put any run of results together. And so it followed, with Tilbury much the better side and deserved winners.

The writing was on the wall as early as the first five minutes, when Tilbury created three separate chances, with David Knight and Oliver Spooner getting good chances, with Spooner unleashing a shot that Grays keeper had to tip over the bar. The Blues weathered the pressure and made what proved to be a rare incursion into Dockers territory when Reuben Soares Jr made a great run to the edge of the box but shot wildly. Gradually though Tilbury began to turn the screw, playing much the more confident and structured football, with Grays misplacing passes and standing off too many tackles. Brian Moses was using his legendary height to good effect, winning everything in the air.

It was only a matter of time before the lively Ola Ogunwamide made a telling contribution. On 22 minutes his darting run from the right was met with a poor challenge by Macaulay Joynes, downing the winger and giving referee Mr Fissenden an easy decision to point to the spot. Knight put the penalty away off the crossbar for a deserved 1-0 lead.

Matters went from bad to worse, on the half hour when an innocuous ball into the penalty area from Ogunwamide caused unnecessary panic in the Grays defence. Thomas Barton picked up the loose ball and calmly slotted past Sambridge for a 2-0 lead to the Dockers.

With the visitors losing their shape, Moses and Spooner had further chances to stretch the lead but failed to find a finish. The Blues miserable first 45 minutes was completed when having drawn a foul from Moses, Grays skipper Lewis Dark, inexplicably lost his head and kicked out at the Tilbury striker, again giving the referee no choice but to show the red card. The customary melee ensued but Mr Fissenden chose to take no further action.

Half time Tilbury 2 Grays Ath 0

The second half for Blues was marginally better, the 10 men finally showing some fight and spirit. Straight from the kick-off Soares Jr went on another of his mazy runs before being felled 25 yards out. Fox’s free kick was parried by Dockers on-loan keeper Joseph Osaghae but Soares could not finish the rebound. Minutes later a Blues corner fell to Tony Stokes who shot over, perhaps unaware of the time he had to control the ball. Tilbury were generally content to sit back, soaking up what pressure Grays could exert and preserving their lead.

Grays clearest chance of the night came on 58 minutes when after a great run through the middle of the park, Soares Jr fed Nathan Fox who found himself clean through one-on-one with the keeper but he could only side-foot the ball wide of the upright. Soon after Fox gave way to Mitch Hahn, whose long throws added something to the Blues attack, although without the cutting edge to go with it, the weapon was firing blanks.

Jack McQueen, had come on at the break for the Dexter Peter, who was struggling with his fitness, and looked assured at the back but on 75 minutes he felled David Knight on the edge of the box. Knight got up but could only put the free kick into the wall. For the Blues, Joao Carlos tried in vain down his left wing but the Tilbury defence held firm. The final minutes of the game were played out with Grays looking desperately for a consolation, but the Dockers were in no mood for charity.

Full time: Tilbury 2 Grays Ath 0

Truth be told, Tilbury were the better team in all departments as their push to cement a play-off place gathers momentum. However, the Grays set-up will need to ask some serious questions of this poor performance, from which it was difficult for the travelling Blues faithful to draw any real crumbs of comfort. Next up for Grays is the visit of another play-off hopeful, Bury Town to Parkside on Saturday.

Grays Ath: Sambridge, Sammons, Joynes, Clark, King, Peter (McQueen 46 mins), Soares Jr, Fox (Hahn 62 mins), Stokes, Dark, Carlos (Ogunrinde 80 mins)

Unused subs: Pearce, Girling