Blue's:2 U's:1

Is there a town in the country more aptly named than Grays? It might be because I’ve only ever visited during the winter, but the whole place seems to be permanently shrouded by a layer of grey grime. The townsfolk wandering the grubby shopping centre are similarly ashen-faced, and although it’s not as bad as Canvey Island or Stafford, it would certainly sit comfortably in my top five worst places I’ve been to watch United.

Travelling down the M11 on Saturday morning, it seemed highly unlikely that the game would take place at all, as rain of monsoon-like ferocity buffeted my car. But as we passed Brentwood the skies cleared, and a couple of shop-tastic hours spent at Lakeside later, we were welcoming the teams onto the pitch at Grays’ (again aptly named) Recreation Ground home.

United, with new boys Wayne Hatswell and Lee McEvilly making their debuts, found themselves immediately on the backfoot, with Ben Watson and Aaron O’Connor stretching our back three with some skilful running down the flanks. Watson fired wide and O’Connor blazed over the bar, before the best chance fell to Danny Kedwell, who sent a shot soaring over the top from 15 yards.

Evil impressed early on, putting himself about and linking the play effectively. One flick header sent Reed away down the left, and his cross found Gleeson, who blasted high and wide. The largely-anonymous Mark Convery was also off target with a shot from outside the box, while Reed whacked a disappointing free kick straight into the wall.

The match settled into a more even pattern, with both sides enjoying periods of possession, and it was United who hit the front in the 26th minute following their best move of the match. Gleeson and Wolleaston exchanged passes on the right, allowing the former to race to the byline and cut the ball back for Rendell to finish from close range. 1-0.

Glees went looking for a penalty shortly afterwards when he burst into the area and was blocked off by a defender. Unfortunately the referee was unmoved, and despite JQ’s claims that it was a definite spot-kick, from where I was standing it looked like the correct decision.

But for the most part United retreated into their shells following the goal, and Grays spent the rest of the half on the offensive. O’Connor forced Potter into a good save, before driving a low cross/shot across the face of goal which somehow eluded a clutch of players lurking in the area.

While I was not privy to Jimmy’s half time team talk, I suspect that conceding a goal within 45 seconds of the restart was quite high on his list of things not to do. Almost straight from kick off, Karl Murray burst into the box, evading half-hearted challenges from Reed and Hatswell with ease. His cross took a deflection, looping up over Potter, who did brilliantly to get a hand on it and deflect the ball away from goal. The rebound fell to O’Connor, and although Pottsy blocked his shot too, Michael Standing was on hand the blast the ball into the empty net. Calamity. 1-1.

Earlier in the season you would have expected United to take this in their stride, but heads dropped following the goal and Grays attacked with renewed intensity. Although Albrighton had a goal ruled out for pushing, this represented an isolated attack, with United struggling to retain the ball, leaving Rendell and Evil increasingly isolated.

The inevitable second goal arrived about 15 minutes from time. The U’s defence half cleared a free kick, but the ball dropped to Standing who, under no pressure from any defenders, fired a superb volley into the corner. No chance for Potter. 2-1.

The introduction of Pitt and Wilmott added a bit of impetus to our attack, but it was to little real effect. Evil saw a shot deflected over, and we got a couple of corners, but nothing unduly troubled Grays’ youthful custodian David Button, and in the end the home side were comfortable and worthy winners.

We’re still in the play off places on goal difference, but there will have to be a considerable improvement in performance if we are to remain there much longer. There has been a lot of talk about the formation hampering us, but I believe the problem to be mostly confidence-based. The players will have no better chance to restore some much needed self belief than a match against the leagues bottom team, and it will be interesting to see what their response is on Tuesday night. Certainly after the Droylsden and Altrincham games we should have a better idea of the squads capability of sustaining a promotion challenge.

Man of the Match: Dan Gleeson - Comfortably his best performance of recent weeks, defending solidly and providing useful support to the attack.

Bad haircut of the match: Danny Potter – Oh dear, I don’t know where to start with this one. DP’s new shaved back and sides look makes him resemble Gordon Ramsay’s younger brother.