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| Us, Draw, Don't be stupid!Grays Athletic 1-1 Woking: 11 March 2006 It was my first visit to Grays today and I'm not inclined to go back there in a hurry. Not only were a fair turnout of Cards fans allocated about a corner of the ground and made to squeeze into a tiny number of seats but after behaving rather well they were held back for about five minutes afterwards while the home fans next to them behind the goal were let out, in perfect time to meet the other Grays fans from the other areas on the way out…more to the point, quite why we weren't designated the spot behind the goal I shall never know. The average Woking fan could have been found squashed between two fellow supporters in a small seat while the average Grays fan could easily have bought a deckchair and fridge with him. Ironically, the best seats in the house were free with an Internet connection and Sky TV (possibly) as the high-rise flats balconies next to the ground overlook it perfectly. Next time I shall try and blag my way in there for a tenner! Anyway, enough ranting about seating, lets not forget that there was a terrific game of football played. It showed the best and worse of the Cards over the 90 minutes. The reasons why they are not a playoff team but equally so very far from being relegation strugglers. Grays started out comfortably eager to attack and with Woking counterattacking the game had lots of chances and could easily have gone either way. The home side had the better of it though and had plenty of possession and territorial advantage in the opening fifteen minutes but for all there pressure they never really made it count thanks to some last ditch defending. On 17 minutes, completely against the run of play the Cards took the lead a long ball forward was expertly flicked on by Craig McAllister and Justin Richards got in behind and without even thinking looped the ball up and over Nicky Eyre and into the back of the net. The goal stunned the home fans but also seemed to stun the Woking defence who went asleep for the five-minute spell afterwards. They were pushed back deeper and deeper, the midfield refused to close down and soon Jamie Slabber was bundling the ball home from close range following a Stuart Thurgood corner for a deserved equaliser. As if that wasn't bad enough literally two minutes after that and the defence found themselves flat footed again and after failing to clear and defending too deep Tom Hutchinson was left in an awkward position to clear right inside the box while almost on the floor and slipped allowing McLean to pounce and lash it into the net. Although Grays had the better of it, the quick turnaround was a little harsh on Woking but they responded well. A speculative Karl Murray volley from out wide forced a good save from Eyre and led to a barrage of corners that pinned Grays back and the Cards threatened to level the game. However, the spell ended abruptly when Slabber got clear and fed Thurgood who drove the ball just past the Jalal's left post when he should have scored and put the home side two goals clear. Both teams continued to threaten for the rest of the half, Karl Murray had another ambitious effort tipped over the bar and Fergie offered a tame effort that was easy for Eyre to stop in a good break. Grays continued to press too though and Hutchinson produced a superb block to stop Michael Kightly getting away a shot inside the area and in one of many melees from corners Jamie Stuart shot wide. All in all it was an entertaining half and the second continued from where the first left off. Woking were fortunate to stay just one behind as the ball was frantically cleared off the line from a corner although they did look more purposeful going forward. The action was frenzied end-to-end stuff and good to watch, it really was a cracking game with lots of moments when a goal looked likely. I'd list chances but I can't recall most of them! The important thing was that on 83 minutes Karl Murray refused to give up his chase for the ball in midfield and forced a tackle in the final 1/3, he delivered a good through ball to Richards and he took his second with so much control and confidence, drawing the keeper out and sliding it past him with the outside of his right boot. It looked like it was going to go wide but just did enough, bouncing off the inside of the post and agonisingly trickling over the line. Cue Justin's awful dance routine. Glenn and the Cards seemed to think that a draw was a good result although the crowd tried to will them on for another but it was not to be. As I said before it showed the Cards at there best and there worst. At there worst, playing with five in midfield, looking for the ball over the top, sitting back too much and even after managing to nick one still letting in two in quick succession to be behind by half time and then even after getting it to 2-2 still not looking for a winner. If only we went for it more often and really fought for games like we really wanted to win them! At there best, the Cards refused to give up, clawed a draw from what looked like defeat defended doggedly and looked dangerous going forward when they really went for it. McAllister, Ferguson and Richards are good attacking options, the latter is a real start but having said all that I can't understand why we can't go 4-4-2 with two really attacking wingers and properly give it a go every week. Otherwise we will get draws and miss the playoffs. Today's draw against a playoff team in a game that they really had to win to be in with a playoff shout sums up the season, just not quite good enough. Woking (4-5-1): Jalal; Watson, Hutchinson, Nethercott (Jackson 90), MacDonald; Smith (Blackman 79), Selley, Murray; Ferguson; McAllister, Richards. Subs not used: Jackson, L Cockerill, Davies Man of the match: Justin Richards - pure class, if he does leave in the summer, we will miss him. Attendance: 1,278 |
