Basildon United 1, Grays Athletic 0

BUOYED by Saturday's first league win of the season against Sporting Bengal, Grays travelled to the Hive in good spirits, but manager Darren Manning's hopes of putting one over his former club were ultimately dashed – though afterwards the boss admitted he was perplexed how his side had not done better.

It's been an impressive start to the season by Basildon, who have played now played five matches in League and Cup, and won all of them, three of them by one goal to nil.

Thet shows the narrow margin between success and failure, which Manning reflected on his post-match comments, saying: "We threw everything at them and they defended very well, though we didn't get a shot on target which I can't really get my head around.

"Our general play was alright, only alright, not good, or bad, not good but alright.

"At the moment we are faltering, not clicking, when it does click we will give someone a hammering."

Grays had plenty of play and for much of the match were in the attacking ascendency, though they had a somewhat blunt finish.

For a large part of the afternoon, this game had 0-0 written all over it.

The first half was a lifeless affair, played on a difficult, bumpy pitch that certainly didn't help either side produce any attractive football.

Too often, Grays seemed intent on playing the long ball out of defence, which the Basildon back line dealt with relatively comfortably.

Indeed, neither goalkeeper was unduly worried by anything approaching a meaningful attack.

Aron Gordon tried his luck from distance a couple of times to no avail, as did former Blue, Karl Kayembe, who was let in when Grays failed to clear the ball.

Sid Walker and George Craddock were industrious for Blues in midfield but the closest Grays got to a goal was a penalty shout just after the half hour mark, when Malaki Toussaint went down in the box, but referee Abdul Olol waved play on.

The deciding goal came on 51 minutes and came from substitute Darren Esuka who had emerged from the bench only 60 seconds earlier. Michael Finneran and Danny Sambridge will be haunted by a short back pass and failure to deal with the situation, leaving Esuka with the easiest task of putting the ball into an unguarded net.

After that, Grays dominated possession but couldn't find the quality necessary to equalise. Too many passes went astray and distribution from the back just wasn't clean enough. And too often, Blues put the ball into the box but there was no-one on hand to apply a finish.

Grays almost drew level when Toussaint so nearly broke his goal drought - his volley from the edge of the box coming back off the upright with home keeper, George Marsh, motionless.

Grays are back in action on Friday evening, when they host Redbridge in the league at Chadfields (7.45pm).