Matches

Grays Athletic 2 Aldershot Town 1 (Home)
Mon, August 29, 2005. Kick off: 1:00 PM

MATCH REPORT VS ALDERSHOT TOWN by Carol Smith-Allen

Having gained a two goal lead, Grays were made to work hard for their win by struggling Aldershot Town who when the chips were down dug deep to produce a spirited and battling second half display. Had it not been for some tenacious defending by Blues the Hampshire side, currently propping up the League Table might well have left the New Rec a point to the good.

Mark Stimson made three changes to the side that had so emphatically beaten Hereford United two days earlier, with Dean Brennan starting instead of Gary Hooper, ex-shots Aaron Mclean replacing the injured Dennis Oli and new signing Stevland Angus partnering Jamie Stuart in the centre of defence. Shots without the injured Tim Sills and departed Bertrand Cozic adopted a 3-4-2-1 formation.

Grays had the edge in a first half which in the main lacked flair with the ball spending long periods in the air, and although play was end to end there were few real chances created by either side.

For the visitors Tarkan Mustafa mis-kicked a close range effort sending the ball skimming across the goal-face, and Blues first scoring opportunity came from Tony Battersby but his goal bound drive took a deflection off another player and flew over the bar.

Playing against his old club McLean appeared to have added incentive, and had a shot saved by Shot?s keeper Nikki Bull, and then came within a whisker of converting a Glenn Poole cross.

The opposition?s best chance came on twenty-two minutes when Chris McPhee headed wide following a precision cross from Nick Crittendon who had beaten both Poole and John Nutter.

Both Cameron Mawer and Shot?s Ryan Scott were cautioned for rash challenges, and then in the 34th minute Blues opened the scoring when Battersby got on the end of a long ball from Brennan, knocked it into the path of McLean who skilfully held the ball up for the approaching Poole leaving the winger to fire home ? a truly accomplished piece of play.

Mclean himself could have got on the score sheet but his low drive from an acute angle was saved by Bull, and he sent a further shot just wide of the back post having been set-up by Brennan. Poole then had the chance to get a second but was dispossessed by Hassam Sullaiman.

Grays quickly made their intentions clear at the start of the second half, and before Shots had even got out of the starting blocks Blues had extended their lead. Although Bull pulled off a brilliant save to deny McLean, he could do nothing a minute later when poor defending allowed Battersby to rise almost unchallenged and head home at the back post from Poole?s corner.

Immediately Shot?s made their first substitution replacing Sullaiman with ex-QPR player Lewis Hamilton, and then two minutes later made a further change bringing on Bertie Brayley for Tobi Jinadu.

As the Shot?s fans upped the volume their team gave them something to really cheer about by reducing the deficit. The ball was flicked by Ryan Scott to the influential Nick Crittendon who wasted no time in poking it past Bayes.

The ex-Chelsea trainee, who was causing Nutter and Poole a few problems, could have had a second two minutes later had it not been for a brilliant full stretch save from Bayes - in a heart stopping moment a defensive error by Grays gifted Crittendon a golden opportunity but fortunately Bayes was equal to the task.

Grays then made their first substitution replacing McLean with another ex-Shots player Jamie Slabber.

As the half progressed the visitors continued to heap on the pressure in a bid to get the all important equalizer, but Blues held firm. Scott Guyett had a shot easily saved by Bayes, and then the troublesome Crittendon was denied by the Grays keeper.

It wasn?t to be Slabber?s day and in the 78th minute the striker assisted by Physio Paul Wilson was forced to leave the field of play, and promptly replaced by Gary Hooper.

Blues fans then found their hearts in their mouths for the second time when Bayes parried Crittendon?s fierce strike, but Chris McPhee?s follow-up header was cleared off the line by ?newboy? ex-Cambridge United player Stevland Angus. Phew!!

By this time Blues were camped out in their own half doing everything they could to preserve their precious lead ? even Battersby had taken on the role of defender.

As the fourth official indicated there would be a minimum of five minutes time added on Shots made another change replacing substitute Bertie Brayley with teenager David Wingfield, and continued to bombard the Grays goal making for a frantic and tense finish to the match.

However, Blues withstood the pressure with Angus making a vital clearance from Scott?s shot and then deflecting McPhee?s strike out for a corner. Grays fans breathed a sigh of relief as Referee M. Cann blew his whistle to signal that the match had come to an end leaving no time for the dead ball kick to be taken.

After the match Manager Mark Stimson said ?Obviously we are going to come up against that a few times this year where teams are direct. We came up with the right answers today because we won the game 2-1. They got a goal and they came back into it ? they put us under a bit of pressure. Crittendon caused us a few problems but he has played at a higher level.?

He also paid tribute to his players and in particular to Thurgood, Mawer, Angus and Martin. ?The last two games we have seen the Stuart of last year. It has taken him a while to adjust to the division, but I thought him and Johnny Martin were excellent today.? He also commented ? Cameron gave an excellent performance, and Stevland looked tidy and cleared one off the line ? great defending.?

Teams:-
Grays Athletic:- Bayes, Mawer, Stuart, Angus, Nutter, Brennan, Martin, Thurgood (c), Poole, McLean (Slabber 60 mins then subbed due to injury - Hooper 78 mins) Subs not used:- Kightly, Bruce, Eyre

Aldershot Town:- Bull, Mustafa, Guyett, Tobi (sub Brayley then subbed Wingfield 90 mins), Sullaiman (Hamilton 49 mins), Somner, Watson (c), Deen, McPhee, Scott Subs not used:- Weait

Goals:-
GAFC:- Poole (35), Battersby (48)
ATFC:- Crittendon (54)

Booked:-GAFC:- Mawer (27)
ATFC:- Scott (33), Watson (68)

Referee:- Mr. D Cann

Attendance:- 1869

Supporters Man Of The Match:- Tony Battersby

Tony Battersby heads for goal with the Shots' keeper stranded