James Chisnell Memorial Trophy, Friday 10th July
My second pre season outing saw me over at Wyldecrest Sports County Club as East Thurrock Community hosted Grays Athletic in what is now an annual event in memory of Grays lifelong supporter James Chisnell who sadly passed away suddenly in April 2024 at a very young age.
Grays at the time announced his death by saying "The whole club is completely shocked by this tragic news. James was one of a kind. A genuinely kind man who could always be found on the terraces with his fellow supporters, cheering the club on. We know that those supporters of our Blue Army will feel his loss the most and we are there with them through what is a very difficult time."
The club vowed to never forget James, and since his death the James Chisnell Memorial Cup was born, and as said is now an annual event in pre season, making sure that is memory lives on, which is a lovely touch indeed, he is certainly missed by all that knew him, so this friendly was in memory of him, who could prevail?
Grays were certainly favourites to win the game, albeit it only pre season, but they are two levels above their hosts in the pyramid, Grays are in the Isthmian North division, that's Step Four, whilst East Thurrock have just won promotion from Step Seven into Senior Football and the Thurlow Nunn South, which is Step Six, and the hosts had lost 11-0 to Hashtag United a few days ago, and they are in the same division as Grays, but certainly did not want a repeat of that drubbing.
Well, the first half wasn't the greatest of spectacles and it was no surprise when the sides came in goalless at the break, with not a lot of goal mouth action to report, it was certainly a well contested forty five minutes though as both sides got stuck in and competed hard but fair, Grays though started to get the upper hand beyond the hour mark and duly went in front in the 64th minute.
A ball through saw the hosts claim offside, but it was not offside and the visitors ran through and sent a ball across the keeper and into the far corner, and the deadlock was broken, and it was a lead that was to be doubled eight minutes later as the visitors were now in total control, a nice square ball into the box was laid back into the path of an incoming attacker who sent a nice finish into the bottom corner.
Grays did have time to add a third with what proved to be the last kick of the contest, the visitors getting in down the right and a ball in was initially somehow saved from point blank range, but the striker somehow whilst lying on the floor stuck out a leg to prod the ball into the net, a rather messy end to the game but it sealed a nice 3-0 win for the visitors, and they duly took the James Chisnell Memorial Cup honours for 2026, something that would have no doubt pleased James who was no doubt looking down from above with pride.
Full time East Thurrock Community 0 Grays Athletic 3
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