Witham Town 2, Grays Athletic 1

THE concept of the "bogey side" is one familiar to people across all sports. It has no logic in science or reason but Grays Athletic fans approach any game against Witham Town with trepidation. Last season, Blues mustered just a single point against the Town. Would this year be any better?

There was little to report from the opening exchanges of Monday's (29 August) clash.

Both sides worked hard to break the deadlock but neither could create a clear-cut chance. For the Blues, Callum Watts was lively in an advanced midfield position, and as ever Aron Gordon caused the home defence problems with his pace and trickery. Several times, Grays worked the ball well out wide and got good service into the middle but couldn't find a finish. A series of corners for the Blues equally came to nothing. Indeed, the Witham goal seemed most in danger from "clearing" headers by the home defence, which caused alarm to keeper, Ben Lane, on more than one occasion.

There was more than half an hour on the clock before Grays created their best chance of the half. Neat work on the left side of the box by Sam Bantick, picked out Watts by the penalty spot but his shot was scrambled clear by keeper, Lane. In all honesty, Blues were too often guilty of rushing the play and looking for long balls over the Witham defence, which produced little end product.

Despite looking sharp on the break, especially through the pacy former Tilbry player Ramiah Mills, and the presence up front of the ever-industrious Adam Vyse, it took Witham 40 minutes to earn their first corner, with Danny Sambridge largely untroubled throughout. But on the stroke of half time, Witham took the lead. Mills crossed in from the right and with Blues unable to clear the ball, Liam Whipps scuffed a shot that deflected off Vyse and past the despairing Sambridge – the first goal Grays had conceded in the league this season.

The second half saw Blues dominate possession but fail to trouble the home keeper enough to make any real impact. The closest they came early on was a smart interchange between Ryan Melaugh and Aron Gordon, with the latter letting a shot fly from 25 yards, which Lane shovelled round the post to safety.

But the pressure told on 64 minutes, when following a period of good possession, Malaki Toussaint fed a fine ball into Ronnie Winn, who had only just entered the fray for Sam Bantick. And he found Callum Watts in space in the box, who finished coolly to make it 1-1.

Manager Lewis Dark sent Correy Davidson on, searching for a winner and he created several half chances in quick time. The Blues defence looked generally in control against Vyse and Mills, although the latter's pace remained challenging. And twice, sloppy play by Blues at the back threatened to allow Witham the chance to create an opening, but sound defending by Courteney Homans and Geoff Okonkwo made good the errors.

Grays almost took the lead on 77 minutes, when Watts controlled the ball well on the edge of the penalty box and found Ronnie Winn breaking through the defence, but his shot cannoned back off the crossbar. Just a couple of minutes earlier though, Winn had been fortunate when referee, Andrew Crossley, who had a good game, chose to administer only a yellow card for a hard, late challenge.

Blues were largely in control of the game, with shots coming thick and fast. But with time almost up, Witham had the final say. A long clearance down the left touchline was adjudged to have stayed in play and found the lively Mills, who outsprinted Okonkwo and fired a clean shot past Danny Sambridge for a late winner.

Grays will feel hard done by leaving with nothing. But game management at the bitter end left them with nothing to show for a good afternoon's football, and undone once again by their "bogey side".