Paul Stephen reports from Field Mill
The Stags were denied a seventh home win of the campaign this afternoon as they did everything but find the back of the net.
Rob Duffy's second half penalty miss was typical of a game in which they huffed and puffed but could not blow the house down.
A hatful of chances fell their way against a poor Grays side who were thoroughly outplayed and will travel back to Essex tonight wondering just how they managed to get away with a share of the points.
As Town reached the season's halfway point of 23 games this afternoon, they were looking to answer any questions hanging over their home form with a victory hopefully over lowly Grays Athletic after failing to register a win in any of their last three matches here at Field Mill.
Despite Tuesday night's triumph away at Gateshead, a win today would have certainly put to bed any doubts over our play off credentials which may have existed prior to kick off following defeats to Forest Green Rovers in the FA Cup and at Ebbsfleet in the league still fresh in the memory.
David Holdsworth was forced to make three changes to the side that ran out 3-1 winners at the International Stadium midweek. The suspension of defender Scott Garner meant a return to first team duties for left back Paul Heckingbottom whilst Oliver Hotchkiss lined up alongside Jon Challinor in centre midfield at the expense of Matt Somner who took his place on the bench.
New arrival Andy Burgess retained his place in the starting XI after scoring in the North East and top-scorer Rob Duffy was back from suspension after missing out on the trip to Gateshead and took his place in attack alongside Kyle Perry.
Meanwhile our opponents entered into today's fixture needing a win for entirely different purposes as they sat at the wrong end of the table in 20th place and four points adrift of safety.
Julian Dick's men have the unenviable record of having the most porous defence in the Blue Square Premier after conceding 45 goals so far this term and were also the only side in the division yet to win away from home.
The first chance fell to the visitors in the opening exchanges as Ryan James was brought down by a mistimed tackle right on the edge of the 18-yard box. Despite the potential danger posed from that position, Hudson-Oli took the free kick but couldn't lift his shot over the wall where it was whisked away to safety.
In the ninth minute, Town created their first opportunity via the unlikely outlet of Luke Jones. He found himself with the ball at his feet in the 18-yard box following a neat move involving Rob Duffy and Kyle Perry but his touch let him down and he was swiftly dispossessed as he was closed down by a number of alert Grays defenders.
It was already apparent from the first quarter of an hour that both sides would struggle to keep possession and play attractive flowing football as the ball zipped about on the greasy surface and several players slipped over on the wet Field Mill pitch.
The home side pressed on despite these difficulties and etched out a guilt edged chance in the 19th minute as Heckingbottom found Kyle Perry in space on the edge of the box with a pass from the half way line. Perry turned and fed the ball to the feet of the onrushing Briscoe who beat his marker but sent his shot about a foot wide of the right hand post.
There was excitement again only a minute later as Perry got his head to a free kick floated into the area by Andy Burgess. The big striker headed it down into the six yard box where it seemed to sit for an age but there was nobody there to prod it in and it was desperately hacked away.
On 25 minutes it was Louis Briscoe's turn again to set home fans' pulses racing as he embarked on a run into opposition territory. As he sprinted into the area he rounded and left defender Billy Crowther in his wake before drawing the keeper off his line and shooting away to his left. Unfortunately this was as good as it got as he blazed his shot a good metre wide of the left hand post.
Town were at least defending solidly and restricted the away side to a series of half chances and shots from distance. Bradley Hudson-Odi tried his luck from 40 yards on the half hour mark but it was calmly collected by Marriott who never looked threatened.
There was only ever one side who looked likely to break the deadlock in the first half as Town enjoyed lengthy spells of possession and were able to capitalise on some hesitant defending. It was the final touch that stood in the way of the home side doing so, however, which was encapsulated perfectly with seven minutes left of the half. Kyle Perry cleverly threaded the ball between two defenders to put Briscoe through on goal but the winger could not find the target for a third time and instead sent his shot wildly over the bar.
There was controversy in the dying minutes of the half as Harlee Dean made contact with Jon Challinor as they both rose in unison to head the ball. Challinor was forced to leave the pitch for medical treatment whilst the home fans called for a red card for the Grays midfielder as it looked like an elbow may have been used. Referee D. Bond didn't agree and a yellow card was promptly issued instead.
The gaffer made one substitution during the interval as central midfielder Matt Somner emerged from the tunnel in the place of Jon Challinor who had been involved in a collision of heads shortly before the break. This brought some fresh impetus to the Stags' cause as they looked to make an early impression.
They started brightly and Duffy won a free kick on the left hand side of the area. Burgess took the subsequent kick but planted it firmly into the arms of visiting goalkeeper Stuart Robinson.
The Stags thought they had taken the lead in the 55th minute with the award of a penalty. Kyle Perry received the ball from Gary Silk on the edge of the D and played it through to Louis Briscoe on the right hand side of the six yard box. He went down under an ill-timed challenge from Grays defender Gavin Hoyte and was sent sliding across the turf.
After glancing over to his assistant on the touchline, the referee pointed to the spot and duly booked the offending player. Rob Duffy lined up to convert a sixth penalty of the season for his 11th league goal of the campaign but tamely scooped his effort toward the centre of goal where Stuart Robinson got a hand to it before eventually catching it.
The penalty miss only served to rally the troops who immediately pushed forward again in search of a goal. Rob Duffy almost made amends for his poor penalty effort in the 58th minute as he unleashed a ferocious thunderbolt from 30 yards out which arched over Robinson in the visitors' goal before dipping to hit the underside of the bar. It bounced down onto the goal line and back out again as Duffy rushed over to the linesman to appeal that it had gone in. The referee and his assistant remained unconvinced by his protests, however, and waved play on.
The stalemate was beginning to test the patience of David Holdsworth who sent on the fresh legs of Lee Morris in place of Louis Briscoe in the 72nd minute. He was joined 10 minutes later by Ryan Williams who was sent into the fray in the place of Rob Duffy.
The changes seemed to work as the last ten minutes were punctuated by close calls and near misses at regular intervals.
On 82 Kyle Perry drilled the ball hard and low in the six yard box from the right hand side of the area where it fell first to Morris, who draw a great save from the keeper at point blank range, and then to Burgess who drew a similarly spectacular save with the rebound and the ball went behind for a corner.
On 87 Gary Silk sent a curling ball diagonally across the area that beat the outstretched hand of the keeper but also rolled agonisingly only inches in front of the foot of Kyle Perry who had desperately tried to connect with it.
There was still time for Burgess to draw a decent save from the keeper from a rebounded free kick in the last minute of normal time before the fourth official signalled for three minutes added time.
There was disbelief all round the ground as the final whistle went that the game had remained goalless. The home side could not make their one way traffic pay dividends despite all their best efforts and will certainly feel robbed of two valuable points needed for our promotion push.
We will now have to wait a fortnight until any more league action as next week our attentions are turned to the FA Trophy as we entertain Tamworth here at Field Mill.
Attendance: 2,726 (away 08)
Sponsors' man of the match: Gary Silk
Team: Marriott, Heckingbottom, Jones, Briscoe (Morris 72'), Duffy (Williams 81'), Silk, Perry, Challinor (Somner 45'), Hotchkiss, Brough, Burgess.
