A RE-ENERGISED Grays Athletic produced a positive, determined performance to beat Lewes 4-2 at the Mill Field. This was their first league win after a row of seven defeats in a row and will go a long way to instil a belief that they can avoid relegation.
TILBURY put a dampner on derby rivals Thurrock’s recent run of form that has seen them lose just once in 14 previous matches. However, at the end of the day the points were shared, though Dockers boss Paul Vaughan may feel happier about the result than his counterpart Mark Stimson, who has been guiding his side right into Ryman One North promotion contention.
IN CASE Grays fans did not think things could get any worse, the first game under new manager Andy Swallow saw the team succumb to a 6-0 defeat by Maidstone United. Maidstone are flying high in the Ryman Premier and flew into the finals of the Ryman Robert Dyas League Cup with a garotting of Grays.
However, to lay all the credit for this Ryman Premier formbook upsetting win at the door of Higgins, who opted to leave Skrill Conference neighbours Concord to help out his former club in their hour of need, would be an injustice to the other members of John Coventry’s hard-working squad.
TREMENDOUS victory for East Thurrock United who, with a goal from Sam Higgins, highlight why many say they will survive the drop. Grays, on the other hand, are dumped out of the Ryman Cup and illustrate why they look like they will struggle.
TWO defensive errors from Aveley allowed a clinical VCD Athletic to come away from Mill Field with three points to send them back top of the league. After being relatively untroubled in the first half, Sherwin Stanley opened the scoring, capitalising on a short back pass by Adetayo Osifuwa to round Jack Giddens two minutes into the second half.
GRAYS "Supremo", Andy Swallow has stepped in to take over as Grays Athletic manager. In a statement on the club website by chief executive, Joel Nathan, it states:
A SCREAMER from Nathan Koranteng was the difference as Aveley secured a hard-fought 2-1 win away at 10-man Waltham Forest. Right on the stroke of half time Koranteng ripped a left footed effort into the top corner from 25 yards out to give the Millers the lead for the second time in match, after Kyle Asante’s goal had been cancelled out by Oyetunji Oyewale.
AN incredible last minute winner from David Knight gives the Fleet all the points. Joseph Marsden converted a spot-kick on 15 minutes to give the Yachts men the lead however this was cancelled out on the hour mark by Lewwis Spence. The Wroxham defenders battled with a lot of determination but not as much as Thurrock it appeared as David Knight scored a last minute winner.
A MUCH disciplined performance of late, but the Dockers still went down to a single James Baker goal early in the game. With the loss of Mitchell Gilbey who returned from his loan spell to local rivals East Thurrock, manager Paul Vaughan reshuffled his side, which included Joe Nightingill in midfield and Jake Pooley and Elliott Johnson returning to the side in defence.
GRAYS Athletic looked every inch the relegation candidates as they suffered their seventh straight league defeat, going down 4-1 to Canvey Island at Mill Field. The first attack of the day came from a marauding Danny Bunce who earned a corner. Bunce took the corner from which Ruddock Yala had the simplest of free headers in.
THINGS go from bad to worse for the Ryman Premier teams, Grays Athletic and East Thurrock United as both teams lose to promotion chasing sides. Meanwhile Thurrock grab three vital points at the death and Aveley also make up valuable ground.
AVELEY continued to chase down the other promotion contenders as they secured another vital three points against local rivals Tilbury at Mill Field A goal against his former side for Lee Weemes and a break-away goal from Nathan Koranteng in the second half wrapped up the Millers’ fourth successive league win of a sporadic winter period.
TILBURY returned to action after a lengthy break due to the weather in sunny Norfolk. With the game in doubt until the morning of the game, the pitch was in good condition but a howling wind gave Wroxham the advantage in the first period. Tilbury made a number of changes including a debut for keeper Tristan Hickman and he was picking the ball out of the net after just two minutes when a Gordon's swirling corner was turned as Jordan King poked home at the second attempt.
THURROCK must have really really missed playing football as they made up for lost time by thumping their Kent rivals, 10-1 at Ship Lane on Thursday night.
