Late goal puts Grays on the brink

Grays made it 15 wins in a row with a 2-1 victory at Harlow last night (Tuesday), but only just. They fell behind to a Piers Wixon strike in the 69th minute and, although Jared Small equalised seven minutes later, the game was into added time when Joao Carlos nabbed the decider.

Another success on Saturday will also equal Farnborough’s run of 16 successive victories in the 2000-01 season, which is the longest run so far discovered in the league’s history and may be the record. Over to you, club historians!

Oddly enough, it was only last night that Grays set a record for this season in their division: Maldon won 14 on the trot before Christmas as they built up a 15-point lead, which has now turned into a nine-point deficit.

Maldon may even lose second place on Saturday. Thamesmead are only two points behind them after Baff Addae’s 26th-minute goal earned them a victory at Ware which booked their play-off spot.

Aveley moved back into fourth place as goals by Jay Leader in the 17th minute and Jordan Cox in the 56th gave them a 2-0 win at Brentwood.

Soham kept their play-off bid just about alive with a last-gasp success at Waltham Abbey. James Peagram put the hosts ahead nine minutes before half-time and Buster Harradine replied soon after the break. Then, in added time, an own goal by keeper Jake Whincup settled it.

Bottom club Redbridge were given brief hope by Jacob Cleaver’s fifth-minute goal in their home game with Wroxham: his 14th of the season out of the club’s total of 32.

But the visitors hit back with goals from Jamie Speller and Adam Eastaugh to take the lead by the 18th minute. Speller and Ben Thompson netted after the interval to make it 4-1.

So Redbridge remain a point behind Ilford, with only one game in hand, and those two second-half strikes mean that their goal difference is now worse than Ilford’s.