Grays caught in Thurrock headlights
Thurrock outplayed and outshone Grays in the re-run of the Boxing Day ‘floodlight fiasco’ derby on Tuesday.
Unlike the abandoned Yuletide clash – which was called off at 1-1 after a floodlight failure – super confident Thurrock dominated this clash of the borough’s Ryman Premier League Titans.
The Ship Lane defence was water-tight, the midfield belonged to Terry Bowes, Jimmy McFarlane and Gary Howard, and up front the goals came, with aching predictability, from two of the Premier’s top three goalscorers – Tresor Kandol and Cliff Akurang. The pair made light work of a panic-prone defence.
Grays’ Freddy Eastwood – who like Kandol had 23 goals to his name at the start if the match – did not get the delivery he needed. A sub standard midfield and occasionally nervous defence meant that Blues – playing in white rather than their usual sky-blue – failed to make much genuine attacking impact.
It did not help that the visitors were a goal down inside eight minutes. A weak back pass from Steve Robinson put Grays keeper Mel Capleton under pressure and his half block fell to Kandol who drilled the ball into the net.
Then the crowd, lured to Ship Lane by Hotel boss Tommy South’s generous £1 entry promise, saw Thurrock maintain and strengthen their grip. Grays’ defence gave away nervous half chances. Blues came back into the game near the end of the half – Hayzelden created a chance for Eastwood which the striker put just wide.
Pocket rocket Wes Daly produced a bar-thumping volley early in the second but in the 56th minute came Thurrock’s clincher. A Dave Collis cross was met by the tall figure of Akurang who headed past a jittery Capleton.
In the final minutes Thurrock were unlucky not to add to their goal tally with a fearsome low drive from beach football international Bowes. Kandol seemed to have another last minute chance on a plate, but hit wide.
Thurrock’s simple tactic of dominating the midfield paid off and left Eastwood marginalised and Leroy Griffiths chasing balls. Thurrock supreme Colin McBride will want his team to use derby win as a springboard for their League ambitions.
Blues boss Mark Stimson was left wondering why, when Grays’ youngsters are capable of more, they were so easily transfixed by the Ship Lane headlights. Big match experience and self-belief is this reporter’s opinion.
Report by Frazer Clark
Thanks to the Thurrock Gazette for the match report
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