Gorleston 2, Grays Athletic 1

GRAYS's recent run of good results that has seen them win six of their last seven Isthman North matches was interuppted by defeat at Gorleston on Wednesday (4 December) evening.

Just 63 spectators, including a hanful of hardy Grays faithful, took in the encounter at the Wellesley Recreation Ground.

After a frantic start, with the ref trying to let the game flow, it was visiting keeper Luis Shamshoun, substuituting for the unavailable Danny Sambridge, who forced into the first save when Dominic Docherty tried his luck from the edge of the box but the keeper pushed it over.

Two minutes later Grays had the ball in the Gorleston net but it was ruled out for a foul on Greens keeeper, Antoni Bort.

The opening goal came in the 18th minute. 

After some Gorleston pressure, Grays cleared the ball to the edge of the box where Lewis Johnson took aim and thumped the ball back into the left side of the goal.

Twelve minutes later, Gorleston doubled their lead in similar circumstances. A cross from the left into the Grays box was cleared to the edge of the box where Zach Dronfield latched on to it and hit an unerring drive into the net from almost the same spot as Johnson had, into virtually the same part of the goal.

Grays came close to getting a goal back just befoe the break when George Craddock tried to catch Bort out with a shot from the angle of the Greens box but the ball went over.

Around the hour mark, Ryabn Curtis had two chances to make the game safe when he was played through one on one with the keeper. The first time he struck it low and was denied by the keeper's feet. A few seconds later Curtis was through again, lifted it this time but hit it over the bar.

Soon after Grays had the ball in the Gorleston net again when Samir Ali charged down Bort's clearance but the linesman flagged to let the referee know that the block was with his arm.

Grays piled on the pressure with Gorleston happy to soak it up and play on the counter.

And it was only deep into five minutes of added time when the visitors breached the strong Gorleston defences.

Gorleston had a chance to clear the ball into 'Row Z' but it didn't even make it to the touchline. The ball was crossed back in where Alejandro Machado rose to nod in from close range but it proved only a consolation as the final whistle blew moments after the restart.