Blues fans threw £10 notes into the air and sang "where's your money gone?" during their encounter with cash-strapped Hornchurch at the weekend. The good-natured banter was aimed at Hornchurch boss Garry Hill whose club have found themselves up Financial Creek - without much of a paddle.
The notes were, of course, only imitation. But Grays were determined to rub in the fact that they head the table, have the best of the Urchins squad on their books and are the Conference South's new real deal. The high spirited manager baiting even produced a smile on the face of Hill. He's seen Hornchurch implode....but he's struggling on despite the cash crisis.
But the travelling supporters chanting only spurred on Urchins as they scrapped for every ball and gave Grays a scare or two on the way.
The sight of several of their old number sporting Grays shirts added more than a frisson of excitement to this encounter.
Lacking the sharpshooting talent of Mitchell Cole, out for a week with an injury, Grays' playmaker and cheif goalmonger Leroy Griffiths was keen to remind his boss what a talent he remains. And he did. His fast boots, nifty touches and speed was evident in the early part of the game.
Grays' opener came before the quarter hour was up when Dean Brennan poached the ball and former Hornchurch hero Steve West dented the net with a rocket right foot shot.
But Hornchurch have made new manpower arrangements and their line up at the weekend included Northampton Town loanees Chris Carruthers and David Hicks, plus striker Greg Ngoyi.
Urchins weathered the storm and came back with a Danny Shipp drive which tested Ashley Bayes. The home side had other chances too when Jean-Michel Sigere's right wing run and shot drew another great stop from Bayes, who has had little to do in Grays' last few encounters. Ngoyi should then have equalised but shot high and wide.
Gary Hooper went off for Vil Powell, who was immediately the subject of a bruising challenger from Jamie Southon. after the half time £10 notes incident the unthinkable happened as the Urchins were awarded a penalty.
Blues fans were insistent that the incident which centred around David Hicks' on target shot and whether Jamie Stuart - covering for his keeper - had handled. Bayes had come out to ward off Ngoyi but was wrong-footed by Carruther's cross.
Stuart protested that the ball struck him in the chest but the ref saw it as handball and dismissed Stuart. It was an angry Grays keeper who parried the initial shot, but Shipp's boot levelled proceedings and temporarily silenced Blues supporters.
Striving to recapture the initiative, Powell found Griffiths, but the 27-year-old striker blasted wide of the mark. At the other end Grays rightly survived a penalty appeal after Sigere went to ground.
Just when a point looked on the cards - and after Stuart Thurgood's shot had skimmed the bar - Grays turned things around again. Griffiths produced one of his trademark runs, this time on the right and slid the ball to Powell. His shot game Baruwa no chance and the visiting fans celebrated.
Thanks to the Thurrock Gazette for the report.
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