A slightly better second period saw Wrexham at least make a fight of it at the New Rec, but conceding the game's opening goal, for the seventh straight match, made this mountain just too high for the visitors to climb, despite some desperate efforts.

A first half double from the on loan Kieron St Aimie, was only answered by a Levi Mackin 25-yarder after the break.

Following their off-field problems over the last week, new manager Tim O'Shea will have been looking forward to getting back to football matters and to help his chances the Grays' boss recruited three new faces on Thursday and Friday.

After the loan signing of Sean Rigg from Bristol Rovers, they also secured similar deals with Kieron St Aimie from Barnet, a central striker who can also play on either flank, and goalkeeper David Button from Tottenham Hotspur, who has had a spell with the Blues back in January.

The game kicked off in glorious sunshine with the home players trying to impress their new boss, taking the game to the visitors. Mainly through left winger Ishmael Welsh, who was already giving Simon Spender plenty to think about.

St Aimie got on the end of a cross from the left saw the striker barge Steve Evans in the back before sending a header over the Wrexham crossbar.

It took Wrexham 10 minutes to get fired up and a free kick on the edge of the home penalty box allowed Neil Taylor the chance to curl the set piece round the wall and forced Button into his first save of the afternoon.

The first real opening of the game was created by Grays when Mark Moseley made ground down the right wing on 22 minutes, getting into the box, turning back inside two markers, but his effort was a poor one and well gathered by the diving Gavin Ward.

On 27 minutes the Reds plays a nice one-two between Spender and Mackin, with the defender then crossing for Whalley to flick on a header which carried over the keeper and over the bar.

Wrexham efforts were few and far between, but Simon Brown worked himself neatly into a shooting position and thenblazed his 20-yarder over the social club behind the Grays goal.

A 39 minute free kick delivered by Spender on the halfway line was directed to back post where it evaded Louis and carried through to Taylor with the ball coming off his legs and onto the keeper.

The home side went ahead on 40 minutes when a long straight ball dropped over the head of Spender, allowing Kieron St Aimie to race away and as Ward tried to narrow the angle he slotted his effort into the far corner.

A long thrown in from the left arrived at the feet of Tom Kearney, who from 20 yards fired in an effort that the keeper tipped away at full length for a corner.

Dreadful defending then allowed Grays to grab a second in time added on at the end of the half as Wrexham failed to keep the ball out from throw in. Kempson got his head to the throw but his effort only fell to Kieron St Aimie, who clipped the ball back into the danger zone and then fired home a low effort passed a static back line.

Before the half time whistle could end this poor first 45 minutes, a flare up on the half line saw a coming together of the players and when tempers had calmed down the referee booked Levi Mackin and ex-Red Stuart Elliott, while also taking the name of Mark Moseley on the advice if his assistant.

Tom Kearney battling for the ball

To be fair, Elliott's actions inflamed the situation which has seen St Aimie sit on the ball and Steve Evans try to dig it out. A few fists were wheeling around and on another day, those yellow cards could easily have been red.

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No changes at the interval, but Wrexham did start the livelier and a nice pass from Kempson allowed Jefferson Louis to get head at goal and his shot was well blocked by Button.

Shortly afterwards the Reds won a free kick 25-yards out and when the ball was rolled into the path of Levi Mackin and the midfielder he left fly with a shot that arrowed its way into the top corner of the net in front of the travelling fans.

A mistake on 53 minutes saw Kempson stand on the ball, allowing Sean Rigg pick up the ball race through and only be denied by a great save from Ward.

The introduction of Baynes for Taylor almost paid immediate dividends as the winger crossed into the centre where Simon brown should have finished but the keeper blocked the ball, and as it seemed to head for the goal line Button scooped it up as Louis threw a foot at it.

With 66 minutes on the clock some more poor decision making allowed Elliott to try his luck from distance and the midfielder saw his shot only just clear Ward's crossbar.

The home side were failing to advantage of some sloppy defending with Rigg and St Aimie the main culprits as they continued to catch us on the break.

Both Nat Brown and Michael Proctor were introduced late on to try and salvage a point from the game, but despite their best efforts it still proved to be beyond us.

A Louis header was well saved by Button as were pushed forward but it was not to be.

The travelling supporters voiced their displeasure at not only the defeat, but also the manner of the lose - to a side that a week ago saw its manager step down after a run of poor results.

Grays Athletic: David Button, Stuart Elliott, Ishmael Welsh (Stefan Bailey 90), Fabian Wilnis, Mark Moseley (Barry Cogan 71), David Button, Rob Gier, Sam Sloma, Sean Rigg, Stuart Thorgood, Kieron St Aimie (Charlie Ide 80).
Subs: Steve Arnold, Charlie Ide, Craig Reid.

Wrexham (4-4-2): Gavin Ward, Simon Spender (Michael Proctor 79), Darran Kempson, Steve Evans, Carl Tremarco, Simon Brown, Tom Kearney (Nat Brown 83), Levi Mackin, Neil Taylor (Wes Baynes 59), Shaun Whalley, Jefferson Louis.
Subs: Anthony Williams, Mike Williams.

Referee: PW Melin
Attendance: 746
Away: 250ish

Bookings -
Grays: Sloma (33, foul), Elliott (45, foul), Moseley (45, foul), Wilnis (foul)
Wrexham: Louis (29, foul), Mackin (45, foul), Whalley (dissent), S Brown (foul)