Cray Wanderers vs Millwall XI – Pre-Season Friendly – Tuesday 23rd July – Match Report
Cray Wanderers 2
Millwall XI 3
Cray Wanderers fourth home pre-season game ended in defeat in an enthralling encounter as Millwall’s U21s edged a five goal thriller at Flamingo Park in front of a record pre-season crowd of 701.
On a fine evening for football finishing under the lights both teams played well as a Wands team looking to build on a 4-2 win vs Bromley U21s on Saturday with a mixture of first team and trialists took on a young Millwall side that has been dominant in the Professional Development League in the last couple of seasons.
The game got off to a slick start and Millwall came close in the opening minutes when the no 9 down the right shot into the side netting. Cray looked to respond and Alex Teniola set up Lateefa Adeja who curled a shot over the top. Then Nyren Clunis saw a free kick played into the area well claimed by the Millwall keeper and then found David Smith inside the area who was crowded out before shooting.
For Millwall, Henry Hearn shot over after an initial shot was blocked by Tom Bonner but the game continued to go from end to end and two trialists combined to set up the no 17 whose low drive was saved. Clunis saw a shot go over and then for Millwall, Ben Drake’s free kick went across goal.
In the 33rd minute Cray took the lead when after winning a corner down the left Nyren Clunis exchanged passes with a trialist and drove home a shot at the left post.
Millwall tried to get back into it straight away and an effort from the no 8 was deflected off Tom Bonner for a corner.
In the 37th minute Millwall levelled with a terrific finish from Ra’ees Bankura-Williams after he latched onto a cross from the right and planted a well struck shot past Albert Penney.
There was still time for the Wands no 17 to hit an audacious shot over and then shot wide from Frankie Raymond’s pass.
HT: 1-1
The second half saw Millwall begin in the ascendancy and Bankura-Williams saw a shot from 25 yards pushed out by Penney. This was followed by Bankura-Williams setting up Frankie Baker who shot over the top.
In the 52nd minute, slightly against the run of play Cray went back in front after a neat build up the ball fell to Teniola who set up Adeja who hit a fine shot from 20 yards into the right corner of the net.
Cray began to get on top and a cross from the Wands no 15 from the left was met by the head of Teniola which was pushed out but would have been ruled out by the linesman’s flag. Then from outside the box Teniola hit a dipping shot which just cleared the crossbar.
In the 62nd minute Millwall were back on level terms when the no 14 made a run from off the right wing and slipped a pass out to the no 4 down the right and placed a shot wide of Penney into the net.
From there the game went from end to end and the no 4 for the Lions saw a shot saved by Penney and then a cross from Baker was headed wide by the no 7.
The game saw a few substitutions which perhaps affected the flow but Cray kept going and the Wands no 4 saw a shot parried.
In the 78th minute Millwall took the lead for the first time when the no 9 found the no 6 down the right who clipped a lofted finish over Penney into the net.
For Cray, the no 4 glanced a header goalwards which was claimed by the keeper and despite a little exerted pressure, Millwall held out for the win..
There was plenty to look back on from the match for Cray which was entirely positive especially from some of the young trialists who may have made their chances of remaining with the club no harm at all.
For the club as a whole it was a great evening with a terrific crowd and a real buzz which offers great expectations of the match day experiences to follow and the club continues to grow its own identity in our new home.
Cray Wanderers: 1st Half: Albert Penney, Trialist, Quade Taylor, Tom Bonner, Trialist, Frankie Raymond, Trialist, Lateef Adeja, Nyren Clunis, David Smith, Alex Teniola: Second half saw Alfie Evans, Archie Johnson, Anthony Cook, Charlie Edwards and a handful of trialists introduced.
Millwall U21s: Trialist, Oliver Evans, Ben Drake, Trialist, Chin Okoli, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist, Henry Hearn, Ra’ees Bankura-Williams; Subs; Frankie Baker, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist
Referee: Marcin Indyk
Assistants: Esher Perry, Danny King
Att: 701
