Nerves on egde for Grays fans

From the archive, first published Saturday 28th Apr 2007.

GRAYS boss Justin Edinburgh has played his cards close to his chest as he prepares his team for their day of destiny.

It promises to be a gut-wrenching finale to a troubled season for Blues fans with any number of results affecting their destiny.

However, they hold their future in their own hands as a point at promotion-chasing Morcambe will secure their Conference survival.

That itself present a quandary for Edinburgh who spoke earlier in the week about whether to approach the match in defensive mode and try and squeeze out a draw - through with Morcambe requiring a win to secure home advantage in the second-leg of the play-offs that could be playing into the home side's hands.

Whatever strategy he decides to employ, and the boss has been coy about revealing team news, he has an 18 man squad to pick from with only the unfit Cameron Mawer not available for selection.

Morecambe boss Sammy McIlroy will hand a late fitness test to Garry Thompson (hamstring) before naming his side.

Top scorer Michael Twiss and Garry Hunter return to the squad.

Grays' travelling support could number a couple of hundred for what Edinburgh has described as "The biggest game of the season" but many more will be staying at home glued to radios, computers and TV sets as they also follow the fortunes of relegation rivals Altrincham, Stafford, Cambridge, Halifax and Crawley.

They are all at home against teams with nothing to play for but if any of them get beaten, or in the case of Altrincham draw, Grays would be safe regardless of the outcome at Christie Park.

It promises to be a nerve-wracking afternoon.