Cray Wanderers vs Sheffield FC – The Heritage Cup – 13/7/24
Cray Wanderers 0
Sheffield 4
Smith 45, Watson 54, 63, Aldrich 58
Cray Wanderers second home friendly ended in defeat as Sheffield won the Heritage Cup after a burst of three goals in nine minutes in the second half against what was a very young Wands team after the break.
The first half was a different story as Cray were on the front foot for most of the half and came close several times before Sheffield took the lead on the stroke of half time through an Alfie Smith header before a brace from Jack Watson and a Luke Aldrich goal won the cup for Sheffield.
In front of a crowd of 466 and a collection of Wands, Sheffield and groundhoppers in attendance this was a good watch and in the end the final scoreline perhaps doesn’t do justice to Cray but Sheffield played well and took their chances well when they came.
The game had a serious moment in the opening minute of the match when Cray midfielder Charlie Edwards had to leave the pitch with a serious head wound and all at Cray Wanderers wish Charlie well and to be back soon.
The match took a few minutes to spring into action but Sheffield had the first shooting chance when Jamie Yates fired over from twenty yards.
For Cray, Alfie Evans played a ball out to Archie Johnson down the left and his ball to the near post found Bradley Ryan who instinctively prodded the ball towards goal but the Sheffield keeper had to clear the ball away.
Then for Sheffield a neat buildup saw Luke Aldrich play Jack Dolman through but Evans did superbly to block and put the ball behind for a corner. This was followed for Cray by Ryan showing a quick turn of pace to cut into the area but fired a cross-shot across goal.
Cray began to exert more pressure and from a free kick the ball came to Evans whose shot was well pushed out by the Sheffield keeper. Then from another free kick, David Smith curled a shot wide of the left post and shortly after glanced wide from an Evans cross.
After another decent passage of play, Smith played a ball across from the right to the far post but Ryan couldn’t quite get over the ball and the half volley went over. Then Lateef Adeja who had a positive half down the right cut into the area and saw his shot well held by the keeper.
Before half time, Evans and Adeja combined to find Smith who cut into the area and got in a shot on goal which was again well saved.
For Sheffield Reece Fielding fired over but with the last action of the half took the lead when after a corner, the ball eventually came to Fielding down the right and his cross was headed into the net by Alfie Smith.
HT: 0-1
The second half saw changes throughout the 45 minutes on both sides and Cray looked at the start to try and get back on level terms but chances were fewer against a well drilled Sheffield defence,
Sheffield were just beginning to get into the ascendancy and Jack Dolman saw a shot deflected behind for corner and from the corner in the 54th minute and from the left wing corner the ball was pushed out to the far post when Jack Watson had a tap-in to score.
Four minutes later it was three nil when from a free kick Smith’s shot was pushed out by Shaun Rowley but following up well Aldrich fired into the net to make it a long road back for Cray.
In the 63rd minute, the South Yorkshire side scored a fourth goal and probably the best goal of the afternoon when Watson down the right cut into the area and placed a shot into the bottom left corner.
Cray tried hard to get back into the game and just had no luck in front of goal and were unlucky when Enoch Muwonge planted a well directed header but rattled the crossbar and then had the ball in the net disallowed for offside.
With a few minutes to go, Cray looked to grab a consolation but Sheffield defended with determination to preserve the clean sheet.
The Wands trialist no 6 was unlucky with a fizzing shot which came back off the left post. Then after a spell of pinball in the area, Evans saw a shot blocked and Sheffield cleared the ball away.
The last action saw Muwonge hit the bar again with another strong header but all in all it perhaps wasn’t going to be Cray’s day and in the end Sheffield ran out impressive winners and took the Heritage Cup home.
Sheffield, like Cray before, are on the verge of moving to a new home perhaps in the next year/eighteen months and it must be hoped that the world’s oldest club can continue to flourish and serve their community like they have since 1857.
The Wands move on to Thursday and a trip to Crayford to play VCD Athletic and are back home on Saturday 20th for the visit of Bromley U21s. Cray were without the likes of Nyren Clunis, David Ijaha, Frankie Raymond, Quade Taylor and Tom Bonner and should start to feature as pre-season continues on.
In many ways much like last Saturday, the day was as much about the occasion rather than the game itself as Cray Wanderers continue to forge a new identity at Flamingo Park and as the season goes on it and with the buzz and positivity from the supporters the club will definitely feel at home.
Cray Wanderers: 1st half team: Shaun Rowley, Alfie Evans, Archie Johnson, Trialist, Trialist, Anthony Cook, Lateef Adeja, Charlie Edwards, Alex Teniola, David Smith, Bradley Ryan: The second half saw a few trialists along with Jack Leahy and Enoch Muwonge.
Sheffield: Trialist, Jack Hardacre, Rory Coleman, Alfie Smith, Brad Beatson, Reece Fielding, AJ Greaves, Jamie Yates, Luke Aldrich, Jack Dolman, Jack Watson: Subs: Sonny Bennett, Trialist, Trialist, Connor Cutts
Att: 466
