Cray Wanderers vs Erith Town – Pre-Seaspn Friendly – Tuesday 30th July
Cray Wanderers 2
Smith 45, 80
Erith Town 3
Miles 54, Melconian 56, H. Taylor 77
Pic: Ben Keayes
Cray Wanderers penultimate pre-season friendly ended in defeat as Erith Town came from behind at the break to win a lively affair on a warm evening with three second half goals. David Smith had given the Wands the lead on the stroke of half time and scored a second ten minutes from time and could have grabbed a draw but for a couple of fine stops from the Dockers keeper, Tommy Taylor.
Erith Town began the game well and a trialist saw a shot blocked and then a follow up cross from James Dyer was deflected off Ollie Milton and behind for a goal kick.
Cray then went on the front foot and Alex Teniola saw a shot deflected behind for a corner. Then, Quade Taylor was unlucky not to score with a well struck shot from outside the area which was pushed over one handed by Tommy Taylor.
This was soon followed by another great save to deny Teniola who from a corner turned and shot and was pushed over the bar.
For Erith Town, Dyer was a threat in the first half and saw a shot go well wide of the left post and then saw a free kick deflected over for a corner.
The game went through a little lull before the Wands came close again after build up play with Archie Johnson and David Smith combining to find Charlie Edwards who hooked an effort over the bar.
With half time approaching Cray took the lead when Smith picked up the ball 30 yards from goal, ran forward and past a couple of defenders before placing a shot wide of Taylor into the bottom right from just outside the area.
HT: 1-0
With Erith Town playing an FA Cup tie on Saturday there were a number of changes to the Dockers side at the break and almost scored straight after kick off when Milton was denied close to goal by a fine save from the Wands trialist keeper.
In the 54th minute Erith Town levelled with a quality free kick strike from James Miles who from the left of the area curled the ball round the wall and into the left corner of the net.
Two minutes later, Erith turned the game around when a cross in from the right wasn’t sufficiently cleared and the ball came to Ladic Melconian who fired into the net from just inside the area.
Cray were not able to create the chances as in the first half and Erith were able to score a third in the 77th when a cross from the right was flicked on to Harry Taylor to find the net from 12 yards.
The Wands did pull a goal back three minutes later when from a ball played by the keeper went straight through to Smith who advanced on goal and round Taylor and rolled the ball into the net.
This led to a flurry of activity with Harry Taylor denied a second goal by a smart stop from a substitute trialist keeper who had just come on.
Then, a Wands trialist was set up by Smith and looked to place the ball into the net but Tommy Taylor did well to get down to turn the ball aside.
This was followed by a cross from Quade Taylor which fell to Smith whose well struck shot was again well saved by Taylor.
The final action came from a free kick which was played into the area and was flicked on towards the left post where Archie Johnson volleyed over.
In the end, Cray couldn’t find a leveller and now have one more pre-season game vs a Tottenham Hotspur XI on Tuesday 6th August ahead of the first match of the season at Hashtag United on 10th August.
Cray Wanderers: Trialist, Archie Johnson, David Ijaha, Quade Taylor, Frankie Raymond, Charlie Edwards, Trialist, Lateef Adaja, Nyren Clunis, David Smith, Alex Teniola. Subs: Alfie Evans, Trialist, Anthony Cook, Bradley Ryan, Jack Leahy.
Erith Town: Tommy Taylor, Andrew Dythe, George Goodwin, Ryan Mahal, James Dyer, Louie Clarke, Ollie Milton, Malik Sesay, Trialist, Leo Mazzone, Rahman Kareem. Substitutes: Tom Ash, Jack Holland, Aaron Jeffrey, Jake Lovell, Ladic Melconian, James Miles, Kola Salami, Harry Taylor,
Referee: Abdul Olol
Assistants: Kennedy Kikulwe, Ian Bentley
Att: 248
