Grays Athletic v MK Irish

Milton Keynes Irish will travel to Grays Athletic FC to play in the FA Trophy for the first time in the club’s history where they will hope to build on their league win of the season against AFC Dunstable. 

The Irish have been making gradual improvements in Step 4 and the side finally got their first three points of the campaign with a 2-1 away win to AFC Dunstable, courtesy of goals from Kelvin Osei-Addo and Owen Brooks. 

Despite a late fightback from their opponents, Terry Shrieves believed that his side “deserved to win” in a hard fought battle in the Southern League Division One Central, with the victory taking the club out of the relegation places. 

The club will travel to Tilbury in Essex on Saturday ahead of their 3pm kickoff in the FA Trophy versus Step 3’s Grays Athletic in their debut appearance in the competition. 

Terry Shrieves took a jovial approach to this weekend’s game, remarking that “whether we lose or draw, it’s the furthest we’ve ever been” (in the FA Trophy). 

Cup games have become an added bonus for Milton Keynes Irish this season, but the primary goal for the Step 4 team has always been cementing themselves in the division and hoping to build on their league finish in the next campaign. 

Their weekend opponents are currently sitting in 13th in the Isthmian League North division, winning and drawing once already this season, with an added two losses on their record. 

The sides will compete in the first qualifying round of the FA Trophy in what will be the first competitive fixture between the two clubs. 

Their first league win of the season came on Gameweek One with a 3-0 win at home against Takeley and the club progressed to the FA Trophy first qualifying round by beating Brantham Athletic 4-0 away from home, which further cements the challenge ahead for the Irish.  

The Isthmian League North club play their games at the EMR Stadium in Tilbury, Essex, which is the furthest MK Irish have travelled for a fixture this season. 

The Gravelmen finished in 9th place under the management of Darren Manning, who will see this as a golden opportunity against debutants MK Irish to progress further into the competition.

The Blues were established as Grays Juniors in 1890 before merging with Grays United to become Grays Athletic. The club has a rich history and have already won the FA Trophy twice in 2004-05 and 2005-06 campaigns.

MK Irish will see this fixture as a free hit but they will want to put a good showing out and prove that Saturday’s win against AFC Dunstable wasn’t an outlier and a sign of good things to come for the Step 4 side. 

Milton Keynes Irish will kickoff at the EMR Stadium against Grays Athletic on the 6th of September with a 3pm start time, and the club will be hoping to see their fans travel with them in a historical first outing in the FA Trophy.