Concord Rangers 1, Grays Athletic 3

GRAYS ventured back onto Canvey Island on Tuesday evening (23 September) to take on Concord Rangers in the Isthmian League's Velocity Cup.

And without resorting to football cliches, this was the ultimate game of two halves. Whatever was said in the Blues changing room at half time, it turned the match on its head and ultimately saw Grays through to the next round.

The encounter could though have hardly started worse for Blues. In just the second minute, Mackenzie Drew in goal for the evening went to pass the ball out to a team-mate but somehow managed only to gift the ball to the Beach Boys forward Harrison Day, who gratefully took the chance to give the home side an early lead. To be fair to the young keeper, he gave an exemplary performance for the rest of the evening, kicking and distributing the ball well. He was even man enough to own up to the error to fans afterwards. All power to him.

Having already played Concord in the League, Grays would have known exactly what to expect – a side that closes down quickly, chases the ball hard and gets forward with speed. That is exactly what we got – and Blues really struggled to cope with the speed and energy of their opponents. Jack Turner was well placed on the line to deny Franklin Craik and Khris Oti was a persistent danger in the air.

Catch the goals:-

The Blues defence was well and truly tested but held firm under persistent pressure – something that must be commended. Further forward though things were more disjointed and it took almost half an hour for the visitors to carve out a clear chance.

Alfie Wellens fed Sam Bantick in behind the home defence but he could only shot high and wide but not very handsome. And then Harry Hope produced a fine cross that found Kye Jude lurking in the box but he couldn't finish.

Concord could have extended their lead just before half time but Kian Cocking didn't take the chance.

Sid Walker replaced Sam Bantick at the break and immediately gave Blues more bite in midfield which seemed to fire them forward.

In the first five minutes, Grays produced more than in the whole of the first half. Joe Paxman and Callum Fitzer combined with some intricate passing but the cross was cut out in the box. Then Paxman and Hope worked well, creating a chance for David Romer.

All of a sudden Blues were on the front foot and it was no surprise when they equalised when an in-swinging Fitzer corner was met with a bullet header by Lewis Clark.

Grays kept going forward with further chances for Fitzer and Romer. But the game turned with a quarter of an hour left. Jayden Silcott-Brown, just off the bench, drove through the home midfield and slipped the ball through to Paxman who passed the ball beyond Charlie Brown in the home goal to take a 2-1 lead.

And it got better soon after, when another Blues sub, Aron Gordon fed Silcott-Brown inside the penalty area and he was downed giving the referee no option but to award the spot kick. Silcott-Brown himself took the ball. Brown made a great save to deny the initial attempt but Silcott-Brown was quickest to react to the loose ball and he fired into the net to make it 3-1.

Concord rallied late on but it was too little too late and Blues held on comfortably for the win – one that at the break would have been a long-odds bet.

In the next round they will face Redbridge away.