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15.10.2004 @ 15:00 The Recreation Ground Crowd:
Grays Athletic 1 - 2 Chelmsford City
Referee: Friendly-Match

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Match report |

Grays lose in friendly



Chelmsford City from the Ryman Premier league defeated Mark Stimson’s Grays in a Friday night friendly at Bridge Road.

As the visitors put out two former Grays Athletic players. Sammy Cooper and Lee Williams, Grays experimented with a new line up too. Freddy Eastwood’s goalmongering start at Southend United may have delighted Shrimpers fans looking for goals but it has forced Stimmo to rethink his options.

Luckily for Stimson he has a number of choices. As well as the return of Martin Carthy, also running out were Darren Williams, Ricky Dobson and Tony Battersby. And Friday saw a first outing for Grays new boy, midfielder Zeljko Popovic.

Initially the game see-sawed, but Blues’ fighting spirit was the match of City despite a close call from the boot of Sammy Cooper.

First blood went to City keeper Paul Nicholls who was called in as spot kick-taker after Grays were adjudged to have handled.

Blues keeper Carl Emberson could not keep his opposite number’s shot out and Blues were chasing.

Corners looked to be where the equaliser would come from thanks to Eddie Youds’ headers several came close but it was 27-year-old attacking fire-branded Leroy Griffiths who came within a keeper’s glove tips of scoring before half time.

Stimson experimented with a different set up in the second period, installing Gary Hooper, Vill Powell, Joe Bruce and John Nutter. The fresh-legged oncomers changed the game, and Powell nearly scored immediately.

Ironically City scored against the run of play when a dubiously positioned Kevin Budge was ignored by the linesman and danced round Emberson to score.

Griffiths had threatened several times, but made good his promise with 30 minutes remaining with a close range blast in. Chance after chance went Blues’ way from Griffiths, Hooper, and a woodwork-shaker from Brennan serving to illustrate Grays second half dominance.

Griffiths had threatened several times, but made good his promise with 30 minutes remaining with a close range blast in. Chance after chance went Blues’ way from Griffiths, Hooper, and a woodwork-shaker from Brennan serving to illustrate Grays second half dominance.

Thanks to the Thurrock Gazette for the match report