Title-favourites bury Magpies (13.11.04)

TITLE favourites Grays Athletic proved too classy for the Magpies on Saturday in a match which added to the visitors’ relegation and injury worries.
Grays, a full-time professional team augmented by recent signings from top of the table but cash-strapped Hornchurch, lined up against the part-timers of Maidenhead who featured three new signings to cover an injury crisis.
Grays were soon on the front foot with the visitors having to settle for a more defensive opening.
The Magpies held out for the first 25 minutes with Andy Goldman making one particularly brave save at the feet of the front line, but eventually the hosts broke through thanks to a speculative long shot from Grays captain and England under 23 international Stuart Thurgood.
Just four minutes later Villi Powell, who was a constant threat, hit the post with a fine effort, but the Magpies responded well and enjoyed the better of the remainder of the half.
However they lost new signing Ben Townsend just before the break who limped off with an ankle injury.
Grays effectively won the game in the opening 10 minutes of the second half.
On 50 minutes Dean Brennan’s inch-perfect cross into the box was met by Powell, who skipped through the defence and finished coolly.
Then, five minutes later, Thurgood made it three from the penalty spot, following a foul on West by defender Chris Elsegood.
The Magpies tried to raise their game and created some chances in the last half hour, the best falling to Craig O’Connor, who broke through the Grays defence on the right side of the penalty area only for his shot to be foiled by the body of keeper Ashley Bayes.
However, it was the Essex side who had the last laugh when, in the last minute, Grays substitute strikers took their chance to impress manager Mark Stimson, with Dennis Oli crossing to Tony Battersby who finished with ease.


On Tuesday night Grays beat Bognor Regis 6-0, a result which brought their three-game goal tally to 17, while conceding none.
The win also lifted them to the top of the table, which is where they look likely to finish the season.
United manager John Dreyer said: “In the previous four games before us they’d scored 21 goals. So now they’ve had 31 in six.
“They’re sending out a message.
“If you’ve got the finances and clout to sign four player from Hornchurch then you’re obviously looking to make your mark.”
On the defeat itself, the York Road supremo seemed to accept his team’s fate.
He said: “I’ve no complaints.
“We went there with a game plan but we didn’t trouble them. Our chances were few and far between.
“You can talk all you like. They were just too strong for us.
“It was a big disappointment.”
However, United did create the odd chance to score, the best falling to Craig O’Connor late on in the game.
Dreyer added: “I suppose I would say this, but it was the best move of the game.
“But Craig played it too close to the keeper.”