Grays Athletic produced one of their best all-round performances for some considerable time to put Heybridge Swifts to the sword. Controlled possession and clinical finishing were in clear evidence all afternoon, but especially in the second half, as Blues pressed home their advantage to put goals on the scoresheet, to make it five wins in a row and move into a play-off place for the first time this season.

Grays began the game on the front foot, with Elliott Sartorius seeing a lot of the ball. From his early cross, Reon Smith-Kouassi headed straight at home keeper Callum Chafer and then his good work led to a corner from which Alejandro Machado headed over.

Heybridge looked dangerous on the break but they lacked something of a cutting edge to make their chances count, for example when Scott Sloots ghosted into the box but shot wide.

Kenedi Dariri was a force to be reckoned with all afternoon and it was his fine ball out of the back line on the quarter hour mark that set Luke Hirst free but the home defence marshalled him wll and snuffed out the chance. Aron Gordon then tried his luck from distance and Chafer could only juggle the ball before clutching it safely.

Blues were controlling the game well and enjoying long periods of possession, knocking the ball around with confidence on the excellent 3G surface. Gordon was starting to get about his work down both flanks and leading the full backs a merry dance. He should have done better with a chance after half an hour and then created a chance for Smith-Kouassi that he couldn’t control, with George Craddock picking up the pieces and shooting over.

But Grays were not to be denied for their superiority. Gordon and Hirst exchanged passes and the former’s cross was met with a deft header by Smith-Kouassi, past Chafer for a 1-0 lead.

They should really have been further ahead given their dominance and were almost made to pay just before the break, when Sloots again found himself free only to be denied by a great Dariri block.

Half time : Heybridge Swifts 0 v 1 Grays Athletic

The second half turned a good afternoon for Grays into a great one. Gordon picked up where he left off with two tantalising crosses that no-one could get on the end of. He then went on a lung-busting run down the pitch but he couldn’t hit the target at the end of it.

Things turned just after the hour, when Louie Remi came off the bench. It is one of this side’s great strengths now, to have players waiting in the wings to come on and change the game. With almost Remi’s first touch of the ball, he was put through by Craddock and finished beautifully for a 2-0 lead.

Grays now looked to put the game firmly to bed. Danny Gould, on for Gordon, put Luke Hirst clean through but he could only shoot straight at Chafer, who saved comfortably.

At the other end, with fifteen minutes left, Danny Sambridge was finally forced into his first significant intervention of the afternoon, saving from Vinnie Bowman.

Swifts then handed Blues a third goal, when Danny Nesbitt underhit a pass back to Chafer and Hirst intercepted. His finish was a fine one curling round the keeper and inside the far post for 3-0.

And the icing on the cake came late on when Sartorius found Remi on the edge of the box. His first shot with his right foot was blocked but the ball came back to him and he steered a left footed attempt past Chafer to make it 4-0 and send the Blues fans home buzzing.

This was a great team performance and almost impossible to pick out a man-of-the match. Sid Walker barely put a foot wrong in midfield, Dariri and Machado were solid at the back, full-backs Tyler Brampton and Matas Skarna were a constant threat out wide, with George Craddock controlling the midfield. And another clean sheet to top things off.

Games come thick and fast at this time of the season. Wednesday sees another midweek fixture, with a long away trip to Gorleston, who groundshare at Great Yarmouth FC. Details to come in the match preview.

Final score : Heybridge Swifts 0 v 4 Grays Athletic

Grays Ath : Sambridge, Brampton, Skarna, Machado, Dariri, Gordon (69, Gould), Walker, Sartorius, Hirst Craddock, Smith-Kouassi (63, Remi)

Subs not used : Finneran, Moss, Henry-Rose