GRAYS ATHLETIC 4 - 1 BRENTWOOD TOWN

Ryman Division One North

GRAYS Athletic are laying down a marker.

Two games played, two wins, seven goals scored and just the solitary one - a dubious penalty - conceded.

In their first competitive game at Rush Green last night, Blues cruised to victory over a Brentwood Town side lacking spark.

Hakan Heyrettin, the Grays boss, was pleased at full time after watching his well balanced outfit score four to take all three points in game two of this new season.

Blues beat Waltham Forest 3-0 on Saturday and continued their impressive start to the campaign last night.

Heyrettin said: “We played some fantastic stuff tonight against a good Brentwood Team and I think we deserved our three points.”

In the end, 4-1 was a score line that accurately reflected the game.

Grays started the game well and looked sharp as they hassled for the ball and then shifted it quickly and precisely once they had won it.

Blues won the game in the central midfield, with the tenacious Leon Lalite and industrious Kenny Beaney winning the ball well and showing some deft touches and precise passing to get Grays going forward.

Despite Grays early dominance, with Junior Baker striking the post, it was Town who had the best chance to draw first blood.

Abs Seymour scurried down the left wing before cutting the ball back across goal.

Baker's attempted clearance landed at the feet of Abs Thompson, who 15 yards from goal, looked to bend the ball into the bottom corner of Lamar Johnson's goal but his effort went narrowly wide.

It was the imperious Baker who scored the opener after 25 minutes, powering a bullet header into the top right-hand corner of the goal after connecting with one of several immaculate Joao Carlos crosses.

Beaney almost converted two more great Carlos crosses and moments before half-time, Luke Marshall's turn of pace saw him spring clear of the defence only to have his effort blocked by the sprawling Town keeper.

Blues' dominance continued into the second period but it wasn't until midway through the half that Craig Pope turned a Lee Flynn free-kick into the net at the near post to double the lead.

Then one minute later, Joe Sweeney was judged by the referee to have felled Town striker Butterworth in the box.

Butterworth dusted himself down to lash the spot kick home, scoring his second in as many games and offer hope of an unlikely turnaround.

But a resurgent comeback never materialised and it was Jack West who wrapped up the win with a hard-earned goal when he beat Town stopper Elliot Justham from a tight angle in the 80th minute.

Pope, up from right back again, finished off Grays best move of the game latching onto substitute James Bunn's clever back heel to give Grays a deserved fourth in injury time.

Hakan added: “I’m pleased for Jack West, who worked hard for his goal and the two midfielders Lalite and Beaney were a different class.

“We’re scoring the goals, too, which is encouraging. “We have set the mark that we’re going to score goals. Whoever we play, we’ve got to keep doing the same things.

After his side’s strong start to the season, the Blues boss said: “We’ve got to keep going, keep believing in what we’re doing. Keeping this squad together will be important as well.”

Grays Athletic: Johnson; Pope, Baker, Kirby, Flynn; Marshall, Beaney, Lalite, Carlos; West, Sweeney.

Gazette MOM: Leon Lalite