A WONDER strike by winger Joao Carlos put Grays Athletic on the way to sitting three points clear in the league. Grays picked up where they left off on Saturday playing expansive attractive football that put the opposition on the back foot.
The goal sparked a change in the momentum of the game and Rocks found themselves increasingly on the defensive and they were lucky when Ryan Sammons was outpaced on Hendon’s left flank and Ngoyi raced through to flash a shot goalwards that came back off the underside of the bar and bounced out to safety.
GRAYS Athletic have really hit the ground running this season. Five game, four wins and a draw. Suddenly expectations are high and that can be a tricky thing to manage.
Grays have played well, looked settled and controlled. The defence has been peerless with the mixture between experience at left and right back and class and timing in the middle with Bradley Thomas and Junior Baker. Things look even more settled with the addition of Andy Hall between the sticks.
The Essex based team have overcome season ending injuries to two of their star riders to battle through to the end of season deciders for the third time in the five year reign of Promoters Stuart Douglas and Jon Cook and it has already been confirmed that the Hammers will race the first leg at home next Monday, 19th September, with the second leg away seven days later.
A Martin Tuohy winner ten minutes from time secured the points for near rivals Hornchurch in an entertaining match at the Mill Field. Aveley had recovered from going behind 1-0 in the first few minutes through Elliot Styles but a double strike by Ellis Remy before half time saw the Millermen in front.
Tilbury came off second best in their long trip to Suffolk side Leiston on Saturday. With confidence high and spirits good, it took a blow just before kick off when Keeper James Marrable was ruled out of the game due to a injury in the warm up. Left back Aaron Matthews took over between the sticks.
THE Millers suffered a disappointing day at the Dripping Pan on Saturday, well beaten by their hosts in this Ryman Premier clash. The writing was on the wall for the Millers as early as the second minute when keeper Dave McCartney did well to keep out Michael Malcolm’s dipping free-kick but he was beaten on 11 minutes when Paul Booth broke through and evaded the keeper’s challenge to slide the ball home.
England internationals Peter Crouch and Theo Walcott are amongst the star names who’ve given their backing to a new FA Mars ‘Just Play!’ initiative to raise informal participation in football over a specific two-year period, the local centre of which is based at Hassenbrook School in Stanford-le-Hope every Monday evening.
The second promised more and around the hour mark Thurrock hit a purple patch and only some excellent goalkeeping from visiting keeper Lee Worgan kept the scores level.
Lee Boylan and Steve Ferguson both had splendid chances first Worgan saved diving to his right then Boylan had a close range header saved diving to his left and then Steve Ferguson drove in a deflected shot that Worgan again saved.
EAST Thurrock grabbed a welcome three points thanks to Neil Richmond’s second half goal – rich reward for the hard-working frontman who ploughed a lone furrow up front all afternoon. Both sides featured debutants, Oliver Poole and Ray Freeman featuring for Horsham and Sam Collins for East Thurrock.
Grays extend lead at top. Fine victory for East Thurrock. Reality check for Tilbury as three first half strikes make it a long journey back to Tilbury.
Gray steadily applied pressure: Cowley had a thunderbolt charged down but he was a villain at the other end in the 25th minute as he needlessly scythed down a Chatham attacker on the edge of the area. Grays easily headed the free kick away but they would have heard Hakan's demands for the team to 'Wake up!"
Last Saturdays victory will have rallied the troops as Fleet look forward to getting out of the relegation zone. Second play first and this will be a big test of Grays table topping form.
It took Tilbury 21 minutes to get back into the tie when Aaron Matthews played in Emiel Aiken behind the Biggleswade defence to chip over the goal keeper to level the scores. Kevin Malthouse went close five minutes later but hit wide. Right on the half time whistle, Matthews went in to the box and was tripped, leaving the referee no choice but to award a penalty. Centre-Half Sam West scored to the keeper's right.
