Grays moved sixteen points clear at the top of the table yesterday, and made promotion to the Nationwide Conference look virtually inevitable after comprehensively defeating potential play-off contenders Hornchurch FC by five goals to one. In an exciting match Blues gave a good all round performance culminating in an impressive second half display against a Hornchurch side lacking in conviction and cohesion.
Right from the outset Grays, with Ade Olayinka in for the injured Mitchell Cole were in control, and their first real chance came on seven minutes when Steve West set up Dennis Oli, but the winger’s low shot was smothered by Hornchurch keeper Mickey Desborough.
Blues continued to dominate play and in the 15th minute opened the scoring. Aaron McLean connected with Joe Bruce’s pinpoint cross at the near post to send a diving header past Desborough into the bottom left-hand corner of the net, giving the ex-Grays keeper no chance.
Minutes later Blues came close to getting a second. Nutter’s thirty-five yard free kick, given for a foul by Jamie Southon on Lee Matthews, found West but the striker’s low drive went narrowly wide of the upright.
On the rare occasions that the visitors mounted an attack the Grays rearguard was more than capable, leaving keeper Ashley Bayes appearing to be surplus to requirements. In fact the first time the ex-Urchin touched the ball was on the stroke of half-time.
Just after the half an hour mark the Urchin’s Skipper Southon followed Gooding into the Referee’s notebook, when he brought down the highly effective Oli.
Four minutes before the interval Blues had the opportunity to extend their lead but Oli’s close range shot went narrowly wide, and then the same player saw another shot saved by Desborough.
Second half play might have started as the first had finished with Grays having the upper-hand, but the weather conditions changed dramatically. What started off as rain turned into sleet and then heavy snow making visibility poor at times.
With only nine minutes of the second period gone, the visitors found themselves reduced to ten men when Lee Allen was given a straight red for a two-footed challenge on Jamie Stuart. As a result of this incident a minor melee occurred, but Referee Mr. Jones quickly calmed matters and played resumed.
Within minutes Blues had increased their lead. Good interplay by West and Martin set up Thurgood, who sent his low twenty yard fierce drive into the bottom left-hand corner of the net. This goal prompted the young and rather boisterous Hornchurch contingent to dance the conga around the perimeter of the terraces, taunting the Grays fans as they passed bye. However, the Blues supporters showed good restraint by refusing to rise to the bait.
In the 62nd minute Grays almost got a third goal. McLean, now beginning to look settled and having his best game since arriving at Bridge Road, made a brilliant turn and strike from the edge of the area, but Desborough produced a save of equal parity tipping the ball over the bar at full stretch.
Following a succession of corners by Blues, Hornchurch made a double substitution replacing Sean Dear and Chris Stowe with Danny Hill and Tony Maynard. The opposition then stepped up a gear, and were rewarded for their effort on 69 minutes when Southon slotted the ball past the stranded Bayes from Matt Glynn’s corner.
Grays then made a double substitution bringing on Gary Hooper and Vill Powell with McLean and Oli making way.
For a few minutes following the visitor’s goal play was a bit tense, but it soon reverted to one-way traffic with Martin having a shot saved, and substitute Powell having a great opportunity but sending his shot just wide of the near post.
Then in the 77th minute Blues got a third goal; a long deep cross from the in form John Nutter found Hooper, who with superb composure and technique picked his spot and calmly looped the ball over the keeper.
Two minutes later Powell’s perseverance paid off, when he got on the end of another great cross by Nutter to power the ball home from close range. Hornchurch’s Adam Locke was then cautioned for protesting to Referee Mr. Jones having already approached the linesman about the validity of the goal.
Four minutes before the final whistle Matthews appeared to have got his second for the club and Blues fifth of the match, but in fact his vigorous strike from Bruce’s forty yard free-kick had hit the side netting.
Then in the 88th minute it happened. With the Urchins now in disarray, the ball fell to Martin on the edge of the box, and the ex-Hornchurch midfielder deftly curled it into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.
A good confidence boosting result for Grays, as they now look ahead to next Saturday’s FA Trophy Quarter-Final against Exeter City.
Report by Carol Dover
Thanks to the Thurrock Gazette for the report.
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