Grays drew first blood in the double derby festive battle with their old rivals and moved ten points clear at the top of the Conference South thanks to this victory on Sunday in front of 853 at the Hotel ground.
It was a victory they thoroughly deserved and they always looked the better of two sides battling a frosty pitch and a biting chill. Thurrock’s best spell came after Grays had opened the scoring through the impressive Dennis Oli on nine minutes but though they forced an equaliser, they failed to capitalise on having the lion’s share of possession and in the second half Grays always looked the side likely to go on and win, which they did emphatically in the end.
Oli had already threatened to break the deadlock with some lively play cutting in from wide positions so it was no surprise when he notched with a low drive from the right. Though Billy McMahon got down to his shot and got a hand on the ball he was slightly unsighted and couldn’t adjust enough to stop the ball sneaking inside his far post.
Riled by the goal Thurrock embarked on their best spell and Tresor Kandol will rue missing a great chance soon after the opening goal, though he couldn’t really be faulted after outpacing the visiting defence and striking a shot past Ashley Bayes, but it crashed against the foot of the upright.
Thurrock continued to press and the tension in the match came to life on the half hour when Steve Heffer and Stuart Thurgood clashed, with Kandol joining in the ‘afters’. Heffer & Kandol were booked.
Perhaps the incident distracted Grays’ defence because they were caught cold soon after when Glenn Poole fired his side level with a strike from the edge of the box.
Grays had a chance to retake the lead before the break but Billy McMahon proved his worth with a good save to jeep out Oli.
On the second half restart Grays stepped up the pace and regained the lead from a classic free kick move on 53 minutes. Dean Brennan swung the ball in from the right and Steve West was unchallenged as he rose to meet the perfect far post cross and head into an unguarded net from close range.
The goal took much of the passion out of the game, with Grays content to dominate possession and bide their time, while Thurrock lapsed into a somewhat passionless state, appearing to accept their fate as second best.
The game was fading away until a late goal-burst lived things up. John Martin, who had come on for the injured Mitchell Cole at half-time was set up by Oli on 80 minutes and fired the ball goal wards with some acumen.
Oli continued as provide three minutes later when he set up West who fired home his second of the game. Oli then left the field to be replaced by Vill Powell and the replacement striker almost made an immediate impact but spurned two good chances.
The last word was to be with the home side who salvaged a little pride with a late, late goal when Kandol prodded the ball home from a goalmouth scramble.
For Thurrock it was too little, too late and they will be aware they need to step up their commitment and passion if they are not t suffer a similar fate when the sides meet again at Grays on New Year’s Day. .
Report by Neil Speight
Thanks to The Thurrock Gazette for the report.
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