Lowestoft Town maintained their top spot in the early league table with an odd goal of five victory over lowly Grays Athletic, writes Terry Lynes.

The victory though came at a cost with full back Owen Murphy suffering a suspected broken collarbone.

After a poor start the home side are in the process of rebuilding and paraded four new signings on Saturday with another couple signing on the day to be available this weekend.

Lowestoft started brightly and twice went close in the opening two minutes with Jake Reed blazing high from the corner of the six yard box and Travis Cole heading just too high from a right wing cross.

Lowestoft eventually took the lead in the 16th minute after Dave Hinton was brought down by Daniel Obi. Harvey Sayer stepped up to convert his third penalty of the season.

If Lowestoft’s penalty looked a bit dubious the same could be said about the Grays’ spot kick awarded four minutes later after Cole won the ball in a tussle with Sam Bantick who took responsibility for the spot kick himself to level the scores.

Sadly after that bright start the game degenerated into a long ball game with little constructive football on show.

As the first half came to a close, Grays seemed to be getting on top but two minutes before the interval Lowestoft struck with pace.

Good work from Kyle Haylock and Sayer released Reed who raced into the area to drive low past Danny Sambridge to restore Lowestoft’s lead.

The second half saw little improvement but Luke Holt had to be at his best to save from Jesse Olukolu as the winger broke through.

Dylan Ruffles returned a partially cleared corner into the area but Cole’s header flashed across the face of the goal and wide of the far post.

A rare bit of quality in the game saw Lowestoft add a third goal in the 75th minute.

Pressure from Haylock won the ball off Rob Clark just inside the Grays half and he sent Sayer away down the right.

The youngster played a superb ball over Ayo Shogbeni perfectly into the run of Reed who placed the ball wide of the keeper into the net.

With virtually the last kick of the game Grays pulled a goal back with David Knight slamming the ball home from close range after a goalmouth scramble.

GRAYS ATHLETIC: Sambridge, Adeniji, Milner, Clark, Obi, Shogbeni, Gordon (sub Bakalandwa 81), Stimson, Osei-Bobie (sub Knight 73), Bantick (sub Sery 74), Olukolu. Subs (not used): Saponara, Thackway.

LOWESTOFT TOWN: Holt, Norman, Murphy (sub White 78), McIntosh (sub Fitzgerald 56), Cole, Ruffles, Haylock, Hinton, Reed, Sayer, Hipperson. Subs (not used): Eagle, Johnson, Burwood.

REFEREE: Mr J Wright

ATTENDANCE: 210

Report by Terry Lynes