Ryman Div One North
Grays Ath 0 v 2 Redbridge
GRAYS ATHLETIC have become a tense team at home, probably since their home defeat against Tilbury and this “playing with fear” led to them to lose 2-0 to Redbridge at Rookery Hill.
The truth as well is that they were poor against Great Wakering and they were really poor against Cheshunt but that could be disguised as “winning ugly” but here they were exposed by a competent team that out-thought them and out-fought them on every level.
Redbridge’s Ruan Wade opened the scoring in the 22nd minute with a neat free kick curled from the edge of the area.
Grays had the fair share of the possession with great sweeps across the pitch but they couldn’t find the final shot.
And now it appears that none of the strikers are in the groove. The only hope is that Hakan will stick with the Sweeney/McKenzie duo and they, sooner than later, will click. They are too good not to.
Grays showed no sign of improving at the start of the second half with mis-timed challenges and wayward balls and Redbridge looked as if they knew how to play Grays. David Cowley went close in the 47th minute from three yards.
But Grays were piling on the pressure but failing to hit the target, while at the back they played a suicidal passing-game.
It was difficult to pin-point what was wrong: they had the shape, they had the players, they simply weren’t playing very well.
Louis Dennis came on in the 67th minute and had a great chance to score as he ran onto a pass in the box but all he could do was shoot lamely into keepers, Joe Wrights arms.
It was also one of those nights and as Louis Dennis danced across the area he passed to Kenny Beaney who with the goal opening up, shot but saw the ball hit the post and trickle across the line and away.
The last ten minutes were horrible: Kenny Beaney was sent off for a poor challenge and second yellow. In the 88th minute, good work on the right saw Nathan Gordon get into the box and slip the ball under Tony Tucker.
The fans drifted away depressed in the knowledge that Grays, although still in the play offs are a country mile away from the form needed to compete in the play offs.
And just to add: One fan disgraced himself by haranguing the referee, shouting: “I hope you die, I hope you die.”
He started it on the far side of the ground and then continued all the way to the entrance. We are confident that the club will take appropriate action.
Grays Ath: Tucker T, Pope C, Baker J, Olima P, Bunce D, Cowley D (Muguo S 80),, Beaney K, Sweeney J (Dennis L 66), McKenzie L (Ryan A 77)
Subs not used: McEvoy J, Sigere J-M
