Gray lifts the gloom to prompt revival

Gs seemed to be outplayed in all areas other than the line-outs, although they still managed to get a reasonable share of the possession, but were always hurried to get it moved away as the visiting backs and back row allowed little room for manoeuvre.
Speed of hands along the back line put East Grinstead on the front foot and some intelligent kicking from fly half Liam Prescott ensured the pressure was maintained, but it wasn't until the thirty-third minute that there was any score to show for their efforts, when Prescott slotted over a penalty for 0-3.
Gravesend were pressing for a score of their own, but an over ambition in the forwards came to nothing, and the visitors line was cleared.
The playing of such a narrow game, with little or no variation, has for so many of Gsss games been their downfall, and knowing when to take the points on offer, rather than the line-out option, which is invariably spilt, is another area of consternation.
With the game in the middle of the park and just a couple of minutes of the half remaining, a Gravesend scrum had been awarded at the break-down, but indiscipline saw this turned into a penalty against. At this point Gary Gray rolled on for Montgomery.
With time to kick for touch and the line-out, East Grinstead's forwards took control and nothing looked more certain than a driving try, touched down by lock-forward Ben Ashmore.
Prescott's conversion moved the score forward to 10-0 at the interval.
The first half showed what a tough fixture this was going to be, but it was Gs failure to move quick ball out from the base that seemed to let them down. Gsss returned to their starting line-up for the restart.
The Gsss forwards were all putting in great performances, but none more so than Eli Atkins as he chased down the ball carrier to bring down time and time again.
Good possession from the line-out and set pieces, good second phase was being gained, but how many knock-ons were made at crucial moments.
East Grinstead showed that rewards were to be had by releasing the ball wide, as wing three-quarter James Faaatuatu crossed by the corner flag, just before the end of the third quarter.
This time Prescott went wide from the tee, but Gsss were now fifteen points adrift.
Sixty-minutes played and Gary Gray was back on the park this time he was on for Scott Curley, and minutes later Remus Necula came on for the injured Dave Irvine.
There was a more positive approach that had come into the Gsss game, as Gray was joining the line and making the room for the men out wide, but still no score, but growing confidence that they were in there for the taking.
After the ball had gone through half a dozen pairs of hands, it was Gray that released Temi Okenla down the right hand side and when the move broke down the forwards were there to secure the second phase, from which scrum-half Jacob Bacon weaved through to score.
Five points on the board, but George Montgomery's kick drifted across the posts, but Gsss now had their tails in the air.
Nine minutes left on the clock and Gsss were now looking like they wanted to be in the game, and the visiting forwards found themselves pushed off their own ball at the scrum. Good feeds from Bacon to Montgomery and Gray, was making the space so noticeably missing in the first sixty minutes, and the game now played in East Grinstead's twenty-two.
A lineout secured just by the ten metre line, Gravesend's catch and drive took play inside the visitors twenty-two. With the play settled near the visitors five metre line, pack leader Jamie Forsyth saw the gap to "burst" through for a try between the posts, this time Montgomery was on target to close the gap to 12-15.
Still time to get the result they so sorely needed, and when Gray chased through a high kick, the task looked to be unlikely, but as he got to the ball for a clean catch, then broke away, a desperate defence brought him down but still he tried to get the ball away to Goss. With the ball going loose, the only thing left was to keep the game alive and regain possession.
Gsss fought hard to do this and as they drove forward for the line, the ball carrier's foot went on the touch line, just two metres out, and this brought the final whistle and victory for East Grinstead.
As the season moves on there were a number of unexpected results in the league, as Tring were successful against Wild Geese, CS Rugby gained the points at Westcliff and Barnes thumped Gravesends opposition next week, Chichester.
Only one try bonus scored throughout the games over the week-end.