Grays Athletic vs Heybridge Swifts (From Thurrock Gazette)

9:41pm

Brilliant first half from Grays, as they went in 3-0 up at half time. Should have added to their tally in the second half, but missed several great chances.

Needless to say, it's a great win.

Goals from Sweeney, Bunn and Hall.

Grays excellent record at their new Rush Green home continues!

Full match report will follow shortly!

Thanks very much for following us this evening.

The Gazette will be at Aveley on Saturday as they take on Ryman Premier table toppers Margate in the FA Cup!

9:35pm

Junior Baker has needlessly talked himself into the book, as Swifts have a free-kick in the centre circle.

9:34pm

The edge just gone out Grays game a bit now. But 3-0 up, with only 3 minutes of stoppage time to play, you can hardly blame them.

9:31pm

A rare forray forward by Heybridge sees them win a corner, which beats everyone and goes out for a goal kick.

9:30pm

I have no idea how Grays haven't scored a fourth. West, then Carlos both had excellent chances within seconds of eachother to make it 4-0. But 3-0 it remains.

9:28pm

Great run by Luke Marshall sees him taken down mid way inside the Swifts half. Brown has his name put in the book for the challenge which was a poor one.

9:27pm

Grays Athletic substitution: Jack West on for the impressive James Bunn

9:25pm

More great play between Flynn and Carlos. Flynn's final ball sets Carlos away.

Bunn is screaming for the ball in the middle, but Carlos opts to shoot, with his effort spiralling away high and wide.

9:23pm

Maybe a chance for Swifts now.

They have a free kick, but Taylor Hastings ball fails to beat the first man.

The ensuing counter attack is marvellous from Grays. Led by Joao Carlos who winds up in the Heybridge corner. His cross is perfect but Bunce can't quite adjust his feet to direct the header goal wards.

9:21pm

Baker's up and ok as Grays immediately go about breaking down Swifts again.

9:19pm

Break in play here as Baker receives some treatment for what looks like a head injury.

9:18pm

Still no chances of note from Swifts. In all honesty though, they've hardly had the ball.

9:18pm

James Bunn's playing well, he's like a man possessed. Harrying and closing down defenders, as well as barking orders at boys in blue around him.

9:16pm

Grays Athletic sub: Joe Sweeney replaced by Danny Bunce.

9:16pm

Clever play between Flynn and Carlos. Carlos back heels for Flynn to cross in, but Marshall heads over at the back post.

9:15pm

"Ole" chant the Blues fans as Grays knock the ball around. An imperious footballing display from the Thurrock side here.

9:12pm

Grays Athletic substitution, Hall off, Kenny Beaney on.

Flynn lining up a free kick. But it deflects into the arms of Eyre.

9:11pm

Craig Pope is desperately unlucky. A well worked corner ends up with Pope on the edge of the box. A couple of clever touches see him beat the last defender.

He prods a shot goalwards which is saved by Eyre. A fourth for Blues is imminent, I expect.

9:09pm

Yellow card for Luke Callander as he scythes down Lee Flynn, 40, just inside the Grays half. Flynn had the beating of the Swifts number 12.

9:08pm

A corner that shouldn't be a corner now for Blues, as Bunn catches a shot with the outside of his boot and it swerves wide. But the referee thinks its taken a deflection.

Nothing comes of it though.

9:07pm

Another good chance falls to Carlos at the other end. This time he collects a loose ball and from the angle shoots at goal, but it's just wide. The Grays fans think it's in though!

9:04pm

An excellent run in from the left Solomon Ofori, jinking past Blues defenders with quick feet, dispatches a low shot which Kamurasi parries. A Swifts attacker then shoots straight at Kamurasi who puts it over.

9:00pm

More terrific football from Grays. Expertly worked from top to bottom, left to right then a great dummy from Jake Hall allows Carlos to take the ball through on goal, but he's forced a little wide and his drive is saved well by Eyre.

8:58pm

Good strike by Michael Cheek from 30 yards following Swifts' most positive play of the game. Kamurasi gets down well to collect it though.

8:55pm

Strong calls for a Grays spot kick waved away by the referee. Bunn appeared to have been shoved over in the box as he latched on to a chipped through ball.

8:54pm

148 is the attendance at Rush Green this evening.

8:53pm

Chris Moore has gone off for Heybridge. Endured a shoddy half. Lee Kersey has dropped to centre half and Luke Callander has come on up front.

8:51pm

First good chance of the half for Grays. Pope crosses from the right and Carlos steers the ball towards goal, but Eyre is down to stop it.

8:46pm

Heybridge out very early for the second half. Been on the pitch for 4 or 5 minutes already.

Going to need a significant improvement and a few shades of luck if they're going to get anything here.

8:39pm

Well, that was a superb first half display from Grays.

No player having a bad game.

Sweeney scored the opener for Grays after 15 minutes, prodding home Flynn's cross from the left after some brilliant Grays build-up play.

James Bunn then headed home Grays' second in the 28th minute with Jake Hall sweeping home the third two minutes before the break.

Baker and Cooper are looking decent at the back, with George having had little of note to do. Ofori missed Swifts best and only chance early on, but aside from that Swifts haven't had a sniff.

8:31pm

Grays are utterly dominant here. That was superb, again. It's a wonderful exchange of passes down the left between Lalite and Carlos. Lalites through ball for Carlos was then crossed in low from the left and swept in at the near post by Hall.

This is turning into a torrid night for Swifts, who are struggling to match Grays all over the pitch.

8:27pm

Since scoring the second, Grays have dominated. They're mixing play up well, switching it, going short, going long where necessary. It's working a treat.

Swifts have no idea what's coming next and are struggling to clear their lines.

8:23pm

More great football from Blues. A little more direct on this occasion, as Cooper plays a long ball which Bunn controls with his chest, before spreading the ball to Carlos. He cuts in, heads for goal and his strike from 20-yards is tipped over.

Nothing comes from the resulting corner.

8:21pm

Excellent football in the middle from Jake Hall as he picks up the ball, beats his man and threads a terrific ball through to Carlos. He scuffs his shot though.

Hall really coming into this game in the middle of the park.

8:19pm

I was tapping away as Grays scored their second. I was about to say that the Swifts forward three look dangerous but had just been called offside.

But it's all Grays now. And Sweeney has just had a goal disallowed - it was a wonderful strike, but he was judged to have fouled the Swifts defender before netting the ball.

8:16pm

Another very well worked goal. Great endeavour from Sweeney down the left, he tees up Flynn to cross and Bunn heads beyond Eyre from eight yards.

8:11pm

Grays having to work hard off the ball, but they're looking sharp on it. Few instances in the last few moments where they've just been lacking a decent final ball.

8:09pm

This is a fantastic game. Plenty more goals in this.

Muted appeals for a penalty from Swifts as Ofori goes down in the box.

He's fast, very fast and it looked a little like he was just a little to quick for himself there.

8:07pm

And seconds later, Joao Carlos has a great chance to make it 2-0, but he skies it over the bar from close range!

8:05pm

Fantastic football from Blues. Lalite's been quiet so far, but he showed his quality to win the ball in the middle and get the game moving. He rolled the ball into Sweeney's feet, who dropped a shoulder before playing the ball out wide to Marshall. He beat his man, and worked the ball wide to the opposite flank. Flynn's cross from the left was put into an empty net by Sweeney. Lovely move!

1-0!

8:00pm

Wasted chance for Swifts. Newson beat the offside trap and collected the ball. Had a great chance to cross, with Brown in the box, but his cross-come-shot was poor.

Very even game. Far too tight to call at this stage.

Sweeney looking good for Grays, Baker a beast at the back.

But it's not happening for Blues just yet, as Flynn's free-kick from the left beats everyone.

7:57pm

Free kick midway inside the Grays half for Swifts. The lively Ofori tripped by Hall.

The ball in is good but well claimed by Kamurasi who is standing in for Lamar Johnson who is still out through injury. Good assured touch for the Blues keeper.

7:54pm

This time, Flynn's ball in from the left is just headed over a Swifts defender. Very important clearance, Bunn was lurking!

Carlos' corner to the near post is tapped wide by Jake Hall.

Great start to the game. End to end stuff!

7:52pm

Great persistence on the edge of the box from Bunn sees the ball squirm out to Joao Carlo, who, from the left and 12 yards out fires a volley that Eyre punches over the bar.

Grays looking good going forward.

7:51pm

Heybridge should lead! Great wing play by Newson for Swifts, and his cross from the right is excellent. It finds Ofori unmarked at the back post, but from five yards, he heads over.

Let off for Grays.

7:48pm

Early free kick for Grays, taken by Flynn out on the left. Swung in towards Baker but headed clear. Heybridge just repelling a little early pressure here from Blues.

7:44pm

We're about set here.

Sweeney scored after 16 seconds for Grays on Saturday - hoping for a start like that tonight!

7:39pm

The teams are in:

Grays Athletic:

Kamurasi; Pope, Baker, Cooper, Flynn (c); Marshall, Lalite, Hall, Sweeney, Carlos; Bunn

Subs: Bunce, Beaney, West, East, Richards

Heybridge Swifts:

Eyre; Edwards, Hastings, Moore, Morgan; Newson, Kersey (c), Foakes, Ofori; Cheek, Brown

Subs: Callander, Amass, Stamp, Malton, Holdstock

7:33pm

But at their new home, Hakan Heyrettin's Grays Athletic have been very solid and are unbeaten in all competitions. Should be an interesting game this evening!

7:27pm

Heybridge, located near Maldon in the north east of Essex, have been better on their travels than they have at home so far.

At home, they've played two: draw one, lost one. Away, they're unbeaten: drawing one, winning one.

They have some good cup results to boot as well, including a 4-1 over the Ryman North league favourites - before the season start, at least - AFC Sudbury.

7:21pm

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