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16.07.2005 @ 15:00 The Recreation Ground |
Crowd:
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Grays Athletic
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2 - 1
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Colchester United
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Trialists impress
After a somewhat pedestrian start to the season at East Thurrock United on Thursday night, Grays click into gear on Saturday to notch an impressive win over League One side, Colchester United.
Grays boss, Mark Stimson, again used the game to field as many trialists as possible with two of the potential recruits wasting little time in making their mark.
Michael Kightly and Jamie Slabber grabbed a goal apiece for the Blues, either side of a neat goal from United’s Neil Danns, with both staking strong claims for permanent contracts in the process.
Ex-Southend man, Kightly was particularly impressive, lighting up the first half with a portfolio of weaving runs, intricate skill and crisp passing, before he was one of 10 changes Stimson made at the half time interval.
But, by that point the 19-year-old had already produced the highlight of the match, when he opened the scoring in the 10th minute.
The right-winger took a sweeping pass on to his chest mid-way inside the Colchester half and surged towards goal, skipping past defender at will, before dinking the ball, with his weaker left foot, over the on-rushing United goalkeeper, Dean Gerken.
It was a goal full of quality and had everyone in the ground asking the same question, “who is this guy?”.
Kightly’s goal buoyed the home side who looked sharper than their Essex counterparts and Tony Battersby twice went close before being carried off with a damaged back after he collided with a post.
At the other end Colchester’s superior height advantage was causing the Grays backline problems with England U21 International Greg Halford particularly dangerous.
But with keeper Ashley Bayes picking up from where he left off last season, there was no way through for Phil Parkinson’s men.
The second half shake up was always going to let Colchester, who made very few changes throughout the game, back into the match and so it proved when Danns found room in the box and headed home past Nicky Eyre.
Grays lacked the fluency they found in the first half but grabbed the winner nine minutes before the end when Ade Olayinka’s pinpoint left-wing cross found Slabber who bundled the ball home from no more than six yards.
Afterwards, Stimson professed his delight at his side’s performance.
”It was an excellent performance,” he said. “We picked up one injury with Tony Battersby’s back but hopefully that’s nothing too serious and he is back training with a week.
”There were a few new players out there who impressed me and put into a games what I have seen them do in training.”
In particular, Stimson picked out Kightly for praise, commending the quality of his first half strike and was clearly pleased at the quality of players that are jostling for a position at the club.
Report by Ryan Goad
Thanks to the Thurrock Gazette for the match report
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