We all know the Bill Shankly quotation about football being more important than life. It was for Shankly as he cut a lonely figure in retirement watching Liverpool train from a distance.
But it isn’t for Ernie Cooksey’s Louise as she starts a new life with a new baby; it isn’t for Stuart Thurgood as he cares for his new baby and proudly shows photos on his phone; and it certainly isn’t for Jamie Stuart who cut a lonely figure in Basildon Crown Court (much respect to Judith Woodward who offered to go up and keep him company).
But meanwhile for all the players, staff and fans, for the ninety minutes, the problem of being in the relegation zone is the paramount problem.
In the week when football transfers have once again gone through the roof, this report was written from the away end where 80 dedicated fans travelled down to Crawley to see their beloved Grays.
It is a game of opinions on the terrace. Some believe that players like Barry Cogan is too peripheral while others think Jon Ashton is a shadow of the player from last year. But to their credit, after four defeats, they are not the boo boys and girls but still warmly applaud the players for their efforts. And players such as Ross Flitney who looked gutted after the game, applauded back as if to say “Sorry” This is what makes it special and it is something you simply cannot buy not even at £32 million.
Meanwhile, back to the game as Grays looked rooted to the spot in the first half as the mobile Crawley swept past them. This game was a disaster for Stefan Bailey who looked so one paced and flat footed as players flashed past him time and time again. Mick Woodward put him out of his misery in the 40th minute.
The game had started so well when Jamie Taylor shot in close range from a Barry Cogan corner in the 5th minute.
But there was a fatal hesitancy in Grays play. The fans may be right. Jon Ashton had a very heavy strapping on his thigh a few weeks ago and he doesn’t have the fluncy and authority that he had last year. Gross is also erratic and you could see that that area on the left of defence was ripe for the taking. With Ishmael Welsh not built to cover in that area when defending you knew that Crawley would exploit it and they did.
In the 10th minute, Cook found space in the box between Ashton and Gross but somehow found the side netting.
In the 40th minute, the midfield combined in a neat 1-2 to leave Simon Weatherstone running through in the box to shoot, hitting the ball confidentally into the net.
Grays had Ross Flitney to thank it would not have been more as he made a series of fine stops.
Stuart Thurgood came on but to no avail. They couldn’t break down Steve Evan’s durable and highly organised team who after this win went into the play-off places.
The final ten minutes was the highlight for Grays as they mounted a series of attacks. Mark Molesley came on and brought off a series of incisive passes while Rob Gier continues to do his hot potato impression.
But you never thought that the chances were golden or truly put the Crawley keeper under pressure.
Where do Grays go from here? This game was truly worrying. Whereas at Mansfield, they played well, here they were made to look very ordinary and they started to wear the face of the strugglers. Those three teams below them look, even at this stage like relegation candidates.
Report by Michael Casey
Thanks to Your Thurrock for the match report
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