Grays Athletic 0, New Salamis 0

FOR the second time in a week, Grays were frustrated to end the 90 minutes with no goals at either end in Wednesday evening's (15 February) clash at Parkside.

But unlike the previous weekend's encounter against Stowmarket, Blues had more than enough possession and chances against New Salamis, on their first visit to Grays Ath, for the home side to have won the game comfortably.

From the outset, Blues pressed forward. Callum Watts, Marlon Agyakwa and Courtney Homans all had early chances before Roman Campbell worked a great opening, unselfishly squaring the ball but no-one was on hand to apply the finishing touch. The chances kept coming but New Salamis defended in numbers. Just after the half hour mark, Grays created perhaps their best chance of the game when an Agyakwa cross was met by a fine header by Campbell which cannoned back off the crossbar.

New Salamis then created an opportunity of their own on the break, when Albert Adu Donyinah broke free of Courtney Homan's attentions but lost his footing at the key moment. And there was still time for Campbell and Aron Gordon to combine for one final chance of the half, that again came to nothing.

Half time: Grays Athletic 0 v 0 New Salamis

The second half started with the game's most controversial moments. The visitors' Ryan Hervill was in a foot race with Cortney Homans towards the Grays penalty box. Hervill went down and the Blues crowd expected the worst. But referee Mr Charles, who hitherto had cut Grays little slack, showed Hervill a yellow card for simulation. New Salamis then had their best period of the game. Adu Donyinah put a header over the bar and George Lutaaya was saved the embarrassment of a horrendous miss by an offside flag.

In between these chances, Ronnie Winn was another victim of the visitors mass defending when his shot from the edge of the box just had no way through the crowded penalty area.

Campbell and Gordon had further half chances, the latter curling a shot across the box and past the far upright. Off the bench, Cheyce Grant ran the channels but he too could find no way through. Late on, one final opportunity for Grays came from the unlikely source of a great cross from Callum Leahy onto Campbell's head. But the visitors' keeper, Reuben Rabstein was alert and tipped the ball over the bar. The last action saw Macaulay Joynes make a great block to deny Arti Krasniqi what would have been a harsh winner on the balance of play.

Grays will be disappointed not to have taken all three points to keep their challenge for playoff place on course. Whilst scoring at one end is proving problematic at present, every clean sheet is a bonus. Another trip to Suffolk at the weekend awaits.