Cray Wanderers v. Folkestone Invicta – Isthmian Premier – 22/2/25 – Match Report
Cray Wanderers 3
Folkestone Invicta 2
Cray Wanderers made it an unbeaten February with ten points out of twelve following a gutsy and merited victory against Folkestone Invicta after playing close to an hour with ten men. A Soul Kader double and a stunning Josh Williams strike proved decisive after goals from Matty Fanimo and Luke Allen for Invicta with Cray down to ten men after Frankie Raymond was sent off.
The win kept Cray in 9th place in the Isthmian Premier League table eight points off 5th placed Dover Athletic on 48 points and unbeaten at home in twelve since October thereby maintaining an unlikely playoff push.
On a mild late February afternoon there was anticipation with both teams in 9th & 10th looking relatively safe from relegation of an enjoyable contest and that is how it turned out.
For Cray, there was one change to the side who last week beat an in form Cheshunt team with Quade Taylor coming in for the suspended Tom Bonner while on the bench came spots for U23s players Bobby Parkes, Michael Ihiedi and Victor Damyanov.
Folkestone’s season has been plagued by inconsistency and had lost the last two matches and there were three changes to the team beaten at Hashtag last Sunday with Jake Jebb, Dan Smith and Matty Fanimo in for Ammadou Kassarate, Ade Yussuf and Evans Kouassi.
The game began in a rare recent glare of sunshine and Cray were much the better side for the first twenty minutes and came close in the 7th minute when Darion Dowrich down the left set up first Williams who teed up Kader for a shot blocked.
In the 10th minute Cray took the lead when down the right Williams cross was glanced into the net from nine yards by Kader for his third goal in three games.
Cray could have added to their lead when Lateef Adaja saw an effort held by Jonny Henly and shortly after Kader hit a cracking volley again which Henly had to save.
Folkestone levelled in the 22nd minute when Cray never really got to grips with an attack down the left and Nathan Green’ cross came to the far post where Matty Fanimo was on hand to score his first goal for the club.
The visitors for the first time in the game were now on top and came close to going in front when down the right Joe Turner saw his cross-shot cleared off the line by Quade Taylor.
Cray though could have gone back in front when Nyren Clunis latched onto a great through ball and advance on goal but pulled his shot wide of the right post.
At the other end Folkestone should have gone in front when a deep cross from Green again to the far post was headed wide by Fanimo from about three yard out.
Cray though were rocked on their heels in the 39th minute when captain Frankie Raymond was shown a red card for possibly two offences after being deemed to have gone in two footed in a challenge on Luke Allen which did look at first offence to be both being committed to the challenge and maybe in hindsight maybe a yellow card offence.
Cray managed to see the game out till half time and Williams’ free kick was deflected over for a corner.
HT: 1-1
The second half could have seen a cautious Cray response but in many ways it was Folkestone who were indecisive and the home side got on top and in the 50th minute won a corner down the right. From the corner, Williams cross to the far post was met by the head of Remi Sutton which came back off the bar but following up Kader notched his second from close range to continue his remarkable scoring start to life at Cray.
Folkestone looked to hit back straight away and down the left, Joe Turner hooked wide of the left post as Cray looked to settle.
One of the highlights of the half was an incredible run from his own half by Darion Dowrich and into the Invicta area but looked to set up Kader but was crowded out.
However, in the 61st minute Cray had a grip on the game and notched a third goal when don the right, Ike Orji and Clunis combined to find Williams who cut inside, found space and curled an unstoppable shot high into the top left hand corner of the net to make it 3-1.
Cray looked to see out the game as Invicta despite not playing at their best had more possession late on and perhaps should have pulled a goal back when a cross from the right was met by the head of Ade Yussuf but came back off the left post.
Invicta though did get on the scoresheet again when Yussuf set up Allen to score from close range four minutes from time.
Cray had to hang on at the end and first Dean Rance volleyed past the left post from Turner’ cross and then Turner blazed a shot over but Cray held out for a deserved win that owed much to team spirit and determination and a side playing in complete confidence in their abilities.
Cray now are possibly just outsiders for the playoffs but face a number of the teams around them including Chichester City next Saturday and although they may be without Tom Bonner and now Frankie Raymond anything is possible.
Cray Wanderers: Shaun Rowley, Ike Orji, Remi Sutton, Quade Taylor,, Darion Dowrich, Lateef Adaja, Frankie Raymond, Eze Ebouzeme, Nyren Clunis (George Penn, 90+1), Josh Williams, Soul Kader (Nathan Jeche, 78): Subs: Michael Ihiedi, Bobby Parkes, Victor Damyanov
Scorers: Kader 10, 50, Williams 61
Sent Off: Raymond 39
Booked: Ebouzeme 74
Folkestone: Jonny Henly, Gavin Hoyte, Nathan Green, Ian Gayle (Ammadou Kassarate, 84), Marvel Ekpiteta (Miquel Scarlett, 71), Luke Allen, Dean Rance, Jack Jebb, Dan Smith (Ade Yusuff, 62), Matty Fanimo (Evans Kouassi, 62) Joe Turner: Subs: Joel Odeniran
Scorers: Fanimo 22, Allen 86
Booked: Gayle 32, Ekpiteta 45+1, Rance 66
Referee: Christopher Poole
Assistants: Ricardo Reynolds, Steven Walsh
Att: 418
