Grays Athletic 1, Concord Rangers 0

THIS Thames derby victory, coupled with a defeat for Mildenhall, may be enough to keep Grays Athletic in the Isthmian North as they are now three points and three places above the drop zone with a much better goal difference than teams also embroiled in the battle at the bottom.

Saturday's (11 April) win came from a scrappy game, played with a strong wind blowing straight down the pitch, with neither keeper unduly troubled across the afternoon. But Blues fans will not care one jot!

But it could all have been so different had Harrison Day converted a golden chance in just the second minute. Put clean through by Sherquan Toussaint's pass, he blazed the ball horribly high and wide. And it was probably Concord's best chance of the afternoon.

At the other end, Gabriel Chapps played a delicate ball over the visitors' defence and as Manny Ogunrinde bore down, keeper Charlie Brown was quick off his line to just beat his opponent to the clearance. Soon after Ramiah Mills picked up the ball from a corner and sent it back into the danger area, finding Kye Brown whose header was caught by Brown on the goal-line.

Mills himself then fired just wide before Ned Hepburn was taken down on the edge of the box by the impressive Kai Torres. But the free kick was cleared to safety.

At the other end, just before the break, Torres tried to go through the Grays defence but the ball was well marshalled out of play.

The first 20 minutes after the break were a complete non-event. Concord struggled to adjust to playing with the wind in their backs and Grays couldn't put enough passes together to worry the opposition. For the visitors, Torres set up Toussaint but he shot weakly straight at George Marsh.

Grays then seemed suddenly to wake up and realise that the game was there to be won. 

Manny Ogunrinde found Ramiah Mills with a great through ball and his low shot was turned round the post by Brown. And then the game turned. Gabriel Chapps set Ogunrinde free and in a rush of blood, Brown chased out and downed the Grays man inside the box. Chapps stepped up and buried the penalty, giving Blues the lead.

The goal seemed to give Grays much more confidence and they started playing their best football of the afternoon, with Sam Wade shooting just wide. Equally important though was surety at the back. Deprived of several first choice players, the Blues defensive line help out with confidence, led superbly all afternoon by Kye Jude but Tyler Brampton, Myles Anderson and Connor Martin all played their part.

There was a sense of disbelief when Ogunrinde and Brown had another coming together - virtually an action replay of the earlier incident, except this time referee Mr Rister deemed that the Grays man had dived. It looked like a harsh call.

In a late chance for Concord, sub Owen Moore found a yard of space but shot straight at Marsh.

The final whistle was met with sheer joy from the Blues faithful, who recognised that these three points are a huge step forward and with just two games to play, everything is still in Grays' hands. Next Saturday's game against Lowestoft is another massive fixture - and with a bumper crowd expected for the club's annual Community Day, it promises to be a memorable day.

Grays Ath : Marsh, Brampton, Martin, Jude, Anderson, Hepburn (90, Remy-Dee), Stimson, Mills, Chapps,Wade (82, Tawiah), Ogunrinde. Subs not used : Sambridge, Paxman, Hahn.