Witham Town 2, Grays Athletic 2

THIS Isthmian North game at Witham's Simarco Stadium on Saturday (18 January) was one that Grays should probably have won, could have lost and ended up drawing.

It all rather sums up the Blues at the minute as results are not matching performances on the pitch and a lack of killer instinct upfront is costing them dear. They created enough chances in this game to have won it several times over but again had to settle for a point.

As in recent games, Blues seemed content to let the opposition have the ball in areas of the park that weren't hurting them while staying tight in defence and playing quickly on the break.

As befits this set up, Witham made the early running, but it was Blues who had the ball in the net first, although Louie Remi was denied by an offside flag. The same player was then put clean through by Tyler Brampton, but he hesitated and his shot was blocked.

Grays were then hampered by new recruit Quba Gordon having to be replaced after he sustained an ankle injury, adding to the list of casualties that manager Darren Manning is having to deal with at present.

But Blues continued to carve out chances, taking advantage of hesitancy in the home defence. Alejandro Machado sent a shot over from outside the box, following good work by Elliott Sartorius and set up by Sid Walker; and then had another chance blocked following a long throw-in from Remi.

At the other end, Witham's approach play was sharp, with Archie McFadden pulling most of the strings but Danny Sambridge remained largely untroubled in the visitors' goal.

The final chance of the half fell to Shane Temple, who found himself on the end of a nice chip over the top from Sid Walker, but his shot was well smothered by home keeper, Harry Fairs.

If the first half was a question of what might have been, the second half was a veritable goal fest.

Just seven minutes into the half, Witham took the lead. Grays failed to deal with a long throw and the ball eventually fell to Freddy King, who fired home from inside the box.

Blues' record this season when conceding the first goal is poor. But this time they hit back quickly. Walker hooked the ball through to Louie Remi who ran in on goal unchallenged and, with good control, finished well to make it 1-1.

Grays then were the benefactors of a refereeing decision, for probably the only time in the afternoon, when Michael Finneran was fortunate only to see yellow for a crude challenge on former Blue, Tommy Stagg. The challenge was a long way from goal and there was another defender on the premises, but Blues fans held their breath.

And in a quick turnround, it was 2-1 to Grays, when fine work out wide by Sartorius was finished off by Luke Hirst. Indeed, Blues could have stretched their lead almost at once. Fairs pulled off a great save from Remi and then tipped a long-range rocket from Sartorius just over the bar.

But Grays were made to pay soon after. A cross from Deese Kasinga Madea and shot from Darius Ghinea rebounded kindly to Oscar Shelvey-Negus and he made no mistake with the finish, to bring the game back level at 2-2.

Both sides were now looking for the winner, but the respective defences were holding firm.

Watch match highlights:-

As the game went on, it looked sure that one side or the other would conjure up something and the referee seemed to find an endless amount of added time that both sides looked to take advantage of.

Blues really should have won the game, when Remi found Shane Temple unmarked near the penalty spot but somehow, he directed his header wide of the post.

And there was still time for Alex Moss, off the bench for Blues, to put in a fine block and Sambridge had to be sharp to palm the ball over the bar following a melee in the Blues area.

At the start of the day, Blues fans would probably have settled for a point but these good performances have to be turned into more.

Although as Darren Manning pointed out after the game, his side now have as many points as at the end of last season. However, things don't get any easier with a trip on Tuesday evening (21 January) to league leaders Felixstowe & Walton, who found two late goals on Saturday against Sporting Bengal, to preserve the only unbeaten home record in the division.

See Darren Manning's post match reaction:-