This is recession football. Two teams scraping on the pitch for three points with a collection of loan signings and listed players as they hope that what goes on off the pitch doesn’t impact on the 90 minutes.
Grays actually played an expansive game with Cogan, Sloma and debutant Pugh able to express themselves in a free flowing game.
That isn’t a judgement on the quality that was, well a Blue Square Premier dogfight. Not going to attract supporters but then again in a recession, 415 fans is all Grays can expect right now.
In some ways it becomes an irrelevance as to who is playing well. Stuart Thurgood looked way off the pace but this is the cloth from which the team is cut.
The new boys played well. Andy Pugh showed industry, pace and a willingness to shoot while Beavan at left back showed discipline and strength.
Grays started brightly when a Sam Sloma corner curled threateningly in the 3rd minute.
The Terras struck first in the 9th minute as tricky Ryan Williams crossed from the left and an unmarked Stuart Beavan nodded it in.
Barry Cogan was finding plenty of scope in midfield. He stormed 40 yards, passed to young Andy Pugh whose shot was well held by Danny Knowles.
Wes Thomas tried to carve out openings but was well shackled by the Terras defence.
He then missed an absolute sitter in the 23rd from three yards out.
Grays should have equalised in the 28th minute when the dangerous Sam Sloma hit the post from a free kick twenty yards out.
Weymouth could have doubled their lead but a fierce James Coutts strike was superbly saved by Steve Arnold.
Grays started the brighter in the second half with Cogan switching to the flank and sub Stefan Bailey bringing much needed bite to the midfield. Weymouth found it hard to get going
Weymouth found it hard to get going but a Steve Arnold miscue in the 52nd should have let Stuart Beavan in but his shot was smothered by the Blues keeper.
At the other end, Andy Pugh should have made more of a shot when in space five yards out.
Both teams totally lost their rhythm. Lee Phillips’ speculative shot went wide but the Terra midfield machine with Anton Robinson putting in a shift were holding Grays at bay.
Then out of nowhere Grays equalised. A series of sleek passes by Grays in the 69th minute saw Wes Thomas shoot from close range. Santos Gaia met him to the ball but it seemed to deflect into the goal.
Weymouth woke up. Williams stepped up a gear but Grays countered well. In the 75th minute, Cogan surged down the right with Sandwith doing well to scamper back and concede a corner.
In the 79th minute Stuart Beavan did well to eke out a shot from the edge of the box without ever threatening.
For the last ten minutes, the Terras did well to shepherd and marshall the Grays attack with both teams seeing a point as a positive.
In the end, a scrappy performance with some impressive flourishes. Ironically, they dropped two points at home but rose up the table as the results elsewhere went their way and that may well be the pattern up until April 26th and beyond.
Report by Michael Casey
Thanks to Your Thurrock for the match report
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