Eircom League: Gregg gives Wanderers the thumbs-up

Being booked for time-wasting in the first half of your Eircom League debut would be a puzzling introduction to any new football situation but Bray Wanderers goalkeeper Matt Gregg was not going to let that spoil his enjoyment.

Less than 48 hours after stepping off the plane from London, Gregg, signed last week on loan by Bray boss Pat Devlin from Crystal Palace, was thrown into his Premier League debut at Turner’s Cross as Wanderers fought out a controversial 2-2 draw with Cork City.

And, despite his name entering the referee’s book in a game unnecessarily dominated by the official’s whistle, 22-year-old Gregg was impressed with his first taste of Irish football.

After three years at Selhurst Park since signing for former manager Terry Venables from Torquay United, Cheltenham-born Gregg has struggled to make an impact with the Eagles under Steve Bruce. And he was delighted to get a taste of some first-team action on Sunday.

"I enjoyed it very much," Gregg said. "It was a very good game."

"I was disappointed with the second goal," he added, referring to the back-post header from City’s Noel Hartigan which he could only push upwards into the roof of the net.

"It was a disaster, I just totally lost the ball in the sun coming over the top of the stand.

"It was very tough, they were big lads and I’ve got a few bumps from the game but I felt that I did all right; I met a lot of crosses and I enjoyed myself."

Gregg is intent on making a success of his time with Bray, whatever the length of his spell with the Seagulls.

Devlin brought Gregg in after losing first-choice keeper Alan Walsh for the season through a knee injury. Then fitness problems struck his other keepers, Alan Young and Eddie van Boxtel.

Gregg said: “My agent knows Pat (Devlin) and he knew Bray needed a keeper on loan so we just got on with it.

"I arrived on Thursday evening and trained on Friday morning. I’m over here for a month or so and I’ll see how it goes; I’m hoping it goes well. There’s a good set of lads at Bray and hopefully we can do really well. We’ll see what happens."

While he will not turn 23 until next month, Gregg is already in his sixth year as a professional having made his Nationwide League debut for Torquay in September 1995 against Wigan whilst still a junior aged 16.

In his time at Torquay he played in the third division play-off finals, where Torquay lost to Colchester by a single penalty goal. But after just 27 appearances for the Gulls, he caught then Palace manager Terry Venables’ attention when the south Londoners met Torquay in a two-legged League Cup tie in 1996/97.

Gregg said: "I’ve been with Palace for three years but I was out on loan at Exeter a month ago and I’d say the League of Ireland is at about the same level as the Third Division. Each team has a couple of good players and it’s pretty much the same standard of football.

"I’ve only just met the lads but they seem like a good bunch, the crowd at Turner’s Cross was fairly good. it was a good atmosphere and obviously the lads showed they’ve got good spirit to fight back from 2-1 down. It should be a good season."