Bitterly disappointing result.
We had plenty of chances to win comfortably, and contrived to let them score in injury time - after being in control of third spot, we could find ourselves finishing fifth, and away to either Bognor or Havant in the semi final if we lose next Saturday and Enfield win.
We missed Beaney, and made too many changes to a team that was playing well - Dumaka and Akinyemi looked off their best, and against a team who were always going to set themselves up to defend, Ming didn't offer enough going forward. We looked so much better when Tomlin, Sekajja and Clunis came on.
Hopefully that's the end of the team being 'freshened up', and we can go with our best side from this point onwards.
Don't disagree with that - but can't help thinking that, assuming everyone in the sixteen today were fit, certain players were picked on the basis that we were playing Grays, rather than putting out our best team on form - if that had been the case, Tomlin and Clunis would have started.
And if Akinyemi had scored, and Ming had set him up, we'd be saying it was excellent use of the squad. But that didn't happen.
Of course, all this gets forgotten if we get a result on Saturday.
Biggest flaw in the whole squad for me is the lack of a direct alternative for Beaney & Kargbo. We've lost just four of our last 24 matches in all competitions, and the only defeat they both played was at Havant, away to the side top of the league with one match remaining. Carew was dreadful in Beaney's usual role yesterday - took far too much time on the ball - the deeper he sits, and the less the opposition press him, the more he faffs around, putting his foot on the ball and looking for a hollywood pass to the opposite side of the pitch instead of just moving the ball quickly and efficiently to the enarest teammate in space like Beaney does. He's far more effective in the more advanced role he's occupied since the middel fo the season, with less time and space to indulge himself, and with greater chance of being able to make use of his shooting prowess from the edge of the box in open play. Camara looked our most dangerous forward, but he's very raw and really a third forward, rather than providing a link between the forwards and the rest of the team as Carew does at "number 10". Throughout the first half we just seemed to be passing the ball around in the middle third or our own half while Grays defended in depth; whenever it was passed up to Dumaka & Akinyemi they had their back to goal with a marker right up their backside. No urgency, not enough off the ball movement, although that improved after Tomlin and Sekajja came off the bench.
Grays worked hard for their win, they took the game down to the wire at their place, when our second goal in a 2-0 win only came deep into stoppage time, and they deserved their win here. Some of their players are fairly limited, but they've looked a better unit than some other sides I've seen this season. We still created enough decent openings in the second half to have won it though. The goal was a classic sucker punch - poor pass out from the back and a big strong forward showed more determination to win the ball, broke through a couple of flimsy challenges, and set up a teammate for a good finish from inside the box.
Everything that was good about the win at Burgess Hill - efficient without being at our fluent best and still winning 3-0 - was missing yesterday. I really want to finish in thrid place - we haven't achieved that since 1979/80 in the Premier Division. That's worth aiming for regardless of what happens in the play-offs IMO. I'm getting really pissed off hearing some people saying we'd be better off being away in the play-offs. What, like at East Thurrock last year? We now need to win at W&F on Saturday to secure 3rd, which would probably mean a home semi with Enfield Town; a draw will probably leave us with a Thursday night trip to Enfield or a return to W&F, while defeat will probably mean travelling to Bognor or Havant.
Team (3-4-1-2): Edwards - Weatehrstone(c), Drage, Chambers - Ming, Kargbo, Carew, Green - Camara - Dumaka, Akinyemi. Subs: Tomlin (for Dumaka), Sekajja (for Akinyemi), Clunis (for Ming), Taylor, Mascoll (not used).
