Redbridge 4, Grays Athletic 3

ON an entirely unpredictable and extraordinary Monday night (11 August) in north-east London, Blues failed to capitalise on their opportunities against a skillful Redbridge side and can really only have themselves to blame for returning home empty handed. It was though an incident-packed evening - both good and bad.

The home side started the Isthmian North game much the brighter, keeping the ball and breaking fast on their excellent 3G surface.

And it was no surprise when Redbridge took the lead after just ten minutes. Nice work down the left worked the ball to Darren Esuka and he finished smartly past Blues keeper George Marsh to make it 1-0.

And he nearly repeated the trick moments later but this time Oscar Shelvey came to Grays' rescue. Blues were being outplayed in midfield and their only joy was out wide where Jayden Silcott-Brown and Aron Gordon were doing their best to get through the home defence but without seriously troubling home keeper, Samuel Nwabuko.

Grays were allowing Redbridge to to run the game and they left too much space for Solomon Ogunwomoju who for once avoided the offside flag but shot over the bar. Both sides were also becoming frustrated by the inconsistent decision-making of referee Mr Templey and his team, especially when and when not to play advantage.

Redbridge almost doubled their lead just before half time when Esuka again tried his luck from long range and Marsh was forced to tip the ball over the crossbar and then clutching the ball on the line following a melee in the box from the ensuing corner.

Nothing that had gone on in the first 45 minutes prepared anyone in attendance for what was to follow.. 

Just two minutes into the half, with nothing seemingly on, centre-half Jack Chawnertried his luck from fully 30 yards out . The ball threaded its way through the packed defence and somehow squirmed beneath Marsh in the Grays goal to make it 2-0 to the home side.

Somehow though this seemed to wake Grays up, especially Silcott-Brown who almost single-handedly went about lifting the visitors back into the game. Having drawn the wrath of the Blues fans for buying a cheap foul right in front of the Blues faithful, home skipper Josh Taylor was soon on the other end of the chants when he upended Silcott-Brown in the penalty area. Callum Fitzer stepped up and and planted the spot kick in the net to make it 2-1.

Redbridge started to sit deeper, using their pace up front to play on the break and giving Blues back line a difficult time.

Then, just after the hour mark, there was a complete action replay of the earlier penalty incident with Taylor again bringing down the advancing Silcott-Brown inside the box, giving Mr Templey no option but to award another penalty. However, Fitzer had by now been substituted, so manager Darren Manning sent Sam Bantick on, from the bench, to take spot kick which he despatched with his first touch of the ball to level the match at 2-2.

However, the inevitable tussle to reclaim the ball out of the net (as too often happens at all levels of the game) led to an unholy stramash with players from both sides piling into the six yard box, whether as aggressors or peacemakers. Whatever the rights and wrongs it was a sorry sight. (In your writer's opinion, how about a new law of the game, that when a goal is scored it is solely the ref's responsibility to retrieve the ball from the net and return it to the centre spot - would eradicate the problem in an instant).

Time and again Mr Templey tried to bring about order and restart the game but through goading and chiding from wherever, skirmishes continued to break out. At one point, thoughts on the terraces turned to an abandonment if order could not be restored. The officials' conclusion was a straight red card for home keeper Nwabuko and a yellow for the bloodied and bruised Sam Bantick. It was fully ten minutes before peace was restored and the game continued with defender Jack Chawner pressed into emergency service between the sticks for Redbridge.

How many times though have we seen teams struggle to play against ten men and when things settled down again, it was the home side who managed the situation much the better. With the clock approaching the original 90 minute mark Ogunwomojufound himself in the clear , although with more than a hint of offside yet again, he was allowed to play on and rounded the keeper to score and retake the lead for the home side.

And things got even worse for Blues moments later when defender David Romer stood on the ball, allowing Ogunwojomu to repeat his trick and extend the lead to 4-2, sending the home fans into raptures.

But after the earlier disruption, there was still plenty of time in the game. And after 97 minutes Grays won a corner which Macaulay Joynes sent into the box. The ball bounced around and Oscar Shelvey was on hand with a deft overhead backheal to reduce the deficit to 4-3.

It was 10pm by the time the final whistle blew and try as they might Blues were unable to find another equaliser. 

Credit must go to Redbridge for their style of play and their fortitude when going a man down, having been pegged back. But Blues will rue a missed opportunity to build on their opening day success.

After the game, manager Darren Manning highlighted the continued ability to get his first choice XI out on the pitch, something that will hopefully right itself very soon, especially with Blues back in FA Cup action at the weekend away at Hitchin Town.

Grays Ath ; Marsh, Brampton, Joynes, Romer, Jude, Gordon (66, Bantick), Fitzer (60, Nolan-Samuels), Hirst, Paxman, Silcott-Brown, Shelvey, 

Subs not used: L Clark, Gardner