Bulls are gored
Grays’ impressive start to the new campaign continued in spectacular fashion on Saturday when they gunned down Conference title-favourites Hereford United.
A crashing drive from Tony Battersby and an injury-time striker from Gary Hooper helped Blues to their first away win of the season and confirmed that Mark Stimson’s men have what it takes to compete with the division’s big boys.
A comfortable victory could have been resounding for Grays who had two efforts come off the woodwork and another two hacked off the goal-line as their opponents struggled to live up to their star billing.
A hamstring injury to right back, Andy Sambrook, forced Stimson to shuffle his pack for the first time in a couple of games prior to kick off.
Cameron Mawer came in for his debut while Joe Bruce was handed his first start of the season in place of Lee Matthews as the visitors looked to nullify the pace of Hereford’s attack.
The Bulls tested that new backline in the opening exchanges with Jon Brady going closest with a left-foot drive but Grays weathered the early storm and hit their opponents with a sucker punch.
Hereford skipper, Tony James, was dispossessed by Dennis Oli as he tried to dribble the ball out of defence and the ball fell kindly for Battersby who cracked a low shot past Craig Mawson from the edge of the penalty area.
The home side were clearly rattled by the audacity of the Conference new-boys and struggled to stamp any authority on the game.
The imperious Stuart Thurgood rose to Blues’ biggest challenge of the season and bossed the centre of the midfield while Oli was causing the Bulls’ backline problems with his searing pace.
Chances were at a premium at both ends and neither goalkeeper was particularly tested for the remainder of the half with Brady coming closest for the Bulls with a 20-yard free kick that soared over the bar.
Grays picked up where they left off in the first half following the tea-break and Hooper came within inches of connecting with a dangerous free kick from Nutter.
Then Dean Brennan, who seems to be back in favour at the New Rec, came on for Oli and had a header hacked off the line by Ryan Green. Remarkably the full back rescued his side again when Thurgood had a similar effort blocked.
The follow-up fell invitingly for the Grays’ skipper but his next effort clattered against the bar and fortuitously fell into the grateful arms of Mawson.
In between Hooper watched an effort crash against the bar as the away side continued to dominate.
Tamika Mkandawire had a good effort saved by Ashley Bayes and Adam Stansfield watched his header flash past the post as Hereford desperately sought an equaliser.
But the final nail in their coffin arrived in injury time when Brennan chased a long ball down the right and crossed for Hooper who sneaked in ahead f Mawson to seal the points for Mark Stimson’s men.
Afterwards the Grays boss was understandably purring at his side’s performance. He said: “It was a fantastic result against a side I’m sure will be in the top two at the end of the season.
”The result will give us a real boost and it was all down to desire both in attack and defence. We didn’t have to do too much defending last but we proved we could do it today, there were blocks out there that Italian defenders would have been proud of.”
Of the two new boys in the Grays back four, Stimson added: “They both came in and did very well. Joe Bruce was brought in for his pace and did everything that was asked and Cam Mawer came in and on his debut was excellent.
”Our fans were excellent as well today, I think they made more noise than all the Hereford supporters put together and the boys really appreciated that.”
Thanks to the Thurrock Gazette for the match report
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