Oli inspiration in draw
Blues boss Mark Stimson was left ruing a below par performance by his defenders and keeper Ashley Bayes that he believes cost Grays victory at the Lamb and saw them slip to third place.
His side twice had to come from behind to earn a point, while leaders Exeter have edged four points ahead of them and York have nudged past into second place.
While the defence might have slipped below their normal standard, the same couldn’t be said of striker Dennis Oli who enhanced his growing reputation with another sparkling display and the first equalising goal.
Grays started the match looking much the brighter and in the early stages Glenn Poole, Gary Hooper and Aaron McLean all tested James Dormand in the Tamworth goal.
However Tamworth, eager to show they had recovered from a 4-0 pasting at York the previous week, settled to their task and on 12 minutes Bayes was forced into making a fine save to deny Dave Bampton.
Last week Grays had cause to be grateful for a late Kidderminster own goal to earn a point and as the Tamworth pressure mounted, Blues’ Jamie Stuart returned the favour for Tamworth and opened the scoring when he headed into his own goal on 13 minutes after Julian Alsop had flicked a long clearance from Dormand into the danger area.
Tamworth then enjoyed a period of superiority against a somewhat nervous visiting defence. But they couldn’t capitalise and Oli was to make his presence felt on 38 minutes when he curled home a superb strike from a tight angle.
The sides went in on level terms at the break but it was to be the home side who enjoyed the better of the early stages of the second and they grabbed the lead again just four minutes into the half when James Francais, son of England and Nottingham Forest legend Trevor Francais, won a corner. It was swung over by Scott Stamps, Matt Redmile got to it in front of several defenders and Bayes, whilst Darren Mansaram was alert enough to head home from close range for a goal on his debut after signing on loan in midweek from Halifax.
Spurred on by the goal Tamworth stepped up the pace and tried to press home their advantage. However, despite some ragged play, Grays held firm. There was one anxious moment when only Bayes’ legs came between Alsop’s header and a goal but the Oli influence came to Blues’ rescue again on 69 minutes when he combined with Stuart Thurgood to create an opportunity which Poole rifled home.
Fans of both sides suffered palpitations in the closing stages that became an exciting, end-to-end affair. Jamie Slabber and Poole both saw efforts cleared off the line by Jimmy Turner and, deep into added time, Tamworth might have nicked all the points but Francais could only find the side netting with the goal at his mercy after good work by former Dagenham striker Tristam Whitman.
Tamworth boss Mark Cooper believed hi side ought to have taken the spoils. He said: “We should have won. We had plenty of energy and pace. Darren Mansaram capped a fine debut with a goal and had Julian Alsop’s header not been stopped by their keeper’s legs we would have gone 3-1 up and that should have been in.”
On the other hand Stimson believed he too should have been going home with all three points tucked away.
He said he was bitterly disappointed and laid the blame at his defence. “For some reason my defence and keeper were not at their best and they gave away two goals which were out of character. However on the plus side I was pleased with the way we passed the ball and the display of Dennis Oli was brilliant”.
Thanks to the Thurrock Gazette for the match report
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