Grays Athletic opened their 2024/25 league campaign with a trip to Suffolk to play newly-promoted Mildenhall Town and created more than enough opportunities to come away with all three points, but ended up sharing the spoils after being caught with a late, late sucker punch.

Blues started the game minus recent top performer Alejandro Machado, out for an extended period with an ankle injury. However, Grays made most of the early running, especially out wide, where Bobby Unwin was seeing a lot of the ball and Aron Gordon was causing his usual torment. Alex Moss was also overlapping well down the wing and giving the home defence plenty to think about. Mildenhall were relying largely on the long ball from the back but were also showing skill and Jake Chambers-Shaw produced a fine cross but no-one was on hand to get on the end.

Blues pressure finally paid off on twenty minutes when Unwin and Gordon swapped wings. Unwin played a lovely one-two with Moss and the cross eventually fell to Elliott Sartorius, who finished from close range for a 1-0 lead.

But the home side were not behind for long. Full back Ben Nolan was given way too much space out wide right and, with time to measure a cross, picked out Adam Capel unmarked in the box and he thundered home an equalising header.

The home side now had the wind in their sails and Alfie Connor sent a dangerous ball skimming across the Blues six yard box, but fortunately for the visitors, it continued out past the far post.

However, eight minutes before the break, Blues were back in front. Alex Moss’ cross was fumbled by home keeper, Josh Pope, leaving Bobby Unwin with the simplest of opportunities to tap the ball home to make it 2-1 to Grays.

Pope was luckier moments later when after a series of corners, he dropped the ball but was fortunate to see his defence scramble the ball away. And there was still time for both Luke Hirst, set up by tenacious work from Sid Walker, and Unwin again to create further chances that went begging.

Half time: Mildenhall Town 1 v 2 Grays Athletic

Blues came out for the second half looking to make further inroads and they created a host of presentable chances but simply weren’t clinical enough in front of goal to make the possession count.

Unwin shot just wide and then Sartorius brought a fine save out of Pope but there was no Blue shirt following in for the rebound. Aron Gordon also called Pope into action before Hirst intercepted a short back pass but was closed down by the home defence before he could get his shot away - although eventually his ball into the box caused a game of pinball in the Mildenhall area that came to nothing.

For long periods, the home side were unable to mount any serious attack on the Grays goal. When they did go forward, full back Ben Nolan continued to look the most dangerous and his cross on the hour mark deserved a team mate to find a finish.

Back at the other end, sub Louis Remi produced some fine ball control to set up Sartorius for yet another Blues chance, but he shot straight at the keeper. And then Matas Skarna, off the bench had a shot deflected for a corner, which fell to Jack Humphrey who scuffed the chance.

The longer the game went, the more Mildenhall realised that only being one goal behind, they still had the opportunity to take something from the game, and credit to them for that. With five minutes left there was an almighty stramash in the Blues box with boots and bodies flying in all directions, only ending when Danny Sambridge managed to fall on the ball and hold on tight.

And, as any supporter will tell you, the points are not signed and sealed until the final whistle is blown and the home side sensed their chance. With the watch past ninety minutes, another ball thrown into the Blues box was met bravely by the head of sub Jarid Robson to bring the scores level again at 2-2. Blues were now hanging onto a point. Jack Humphrey blocked one effort and Sambridge palmed another wide of the post to take a point back to Essex.

Blues really have only themselves to blame for not chalking up the victory. There was much to like about a lot of their play, with plenty of pleasing football, and on another day the scoreline could have been a handsome one. But at crucial times, decision-making was poor and game management in the latter stages needed to be better to protect the lead.

Next weekend, Grays return to FA Cup action with a home tie against local Essex rivals, Witham Town, keen to launch a good cup run - something Blues fans have been missing for a number of years now.

Final score: Mildenhall Town 2 v 2 Grays Athletic

Grays Athletic: Sambridge, Dariri, Moss, Walker, Finneran, Humphrey, Gordon (74, Skarna), Toussaint, Hirst, Sartorius, Unwin (67, Remi)

Subs not used: Damrell, Perry