Wroxham 1, Grays Athletic 1

SATURDAY'S (28 September) Isthmian North match at Wroxham was delayed becaue of the late arrival of Grays, who were delayed by a serious multi-vehicle accident which temporarily closed the M25, leaving a coach full of players and supporters still in south Essex when they should have been well into the East Anglian countryside.

Arriving late and with the referee agreeing to delay the kick-off, Blues still had time to got through their usual warm-up routines but the players' were still seemingly on the coach when struggling Wroxham took the lead with less than a minute on the clock.

The ball was worked down the right and the cross found Ryan Miles unmarked and he finished smartly past Danny Sambridge for a shock lead.

The goal shook Blues into action. Joao Carlos, starting up front, worked a cross that was cleared and a George Craddock free kick was met by the head of Michael Finneran but Ollie Sutton saved well in the home goal. At the other end, Jordan King tried his luck from distance but Sambridge saved well.

Grays were working their way positively into the game, controlling the midfield and passing the ball round with confidence - all that was lacking was a cutting edge up front to make the visitors pay. Elliott Sartorius ran tirelessly and Aron Gordon was his usual industrious self, linking up well with Matas Skarna down the left wing.

In the last five minutes of the half, Blues produced a series of presentable chances. Skarna played Craddock through but Sutton kept the shot out; Joao Carlos had another shot saved and then Craddock again found himself close in on goal but put the chance wide, blinded by the low setting sun.

The second half opened with Grays continuing on the front foot. Sartorius blasted a shot closer to the adjoining train line than the goal and Craddock was on the end of a lovely through ball from Gordon, but the cross was overhit.

Then came one of the best sights for the faithful Blues followers - Alejandro Machado coming off the bench for his first outing since his serious injury in early August. He made an immediate impact - a shot from the edge of the box that Sutton tipped over the bar and then another attempt blocked from the resulting corner. At the midpoint of the half, it was then Machado's perfect through ball that Aron Gordon ran onto, with strength to hold off the home defence and plant his shot past Sutton into the net for the equaliser. It was no more than the visitors deserved for their domination of the ball.

There then followed another one of those "What happened next?" moments. Ryan Hawkins, the home side's centre forward having been substituted minutes earlier, received a red card whilst sitting on the bench for something he said to the linesman, who brought the indiscretion to referee, Mr Botton's, attention.

The home side still looked dangerous on the break and a cross from sub Jordan Forbes just evaded the heads of the attackers in the six yard box. That said, mention has to be made of the Grays back line who performed well all afternoon. Kenedi Dariri had one of his best outings in a Blues shirt and Malaki Toussaint barely put a foot wrong all afternoon.

Grays pressed for a winner. Sartorius had an attempt deflected for a corner, Machado shot wide and, off the bench, Albert Perry pulled a cross-shot across the box.

But it was not to be and the points were shared.

Blues fans felt that this was one that got away but with the earlier transport issues, the application shown across the 90 minutes and the re-appearance of Alejandro Machado, this was a decent away day and another point on the board.