Cray Wanderers vs Whitehawk
Isthmian Premier – Tuesday 22nd October – Match Report
Cray Wanderers 0
Whitehawk 0
Cray Wanderers third successive home league game ended in another goalless draw as the Wands and Whitehawk played out a lively contest but both teams who had been struggling in front of goal couldn’t find a way to break the deadlock. Cray remain at the foot of the table on six points from 10 games.
Cray were looking to build on the positives of Saturday’s draw with Hastings where the Wands created plenty of chances as well as being resolute at the back but couldn’t find a winner to go with some decent approach play. For the visit of a Whitehawk side under new management in David Altendorff who had lost their last three games without scoring, Cray after a tense first half came close to winning the match in the second half through David Smith twice, Tom Bonner, Stefan Ilic and Quade Taylor amongst others while Shaun Rowley made two key saves in the second half to deny Emmanuel Mensah and Tyrese Sutherland.
From Saturday’s game there were three changes to the Wands team with Darion Dowrich, David Smith and Anthony Cook coming in for Adrian Owiredu-Gyamera, Charlie Edwards and Kenny Coker.
Whitehawk came into the game in 20th place and had been beaten by Cheshunt on Saturday and made a handful of changes Jerry O’Sullivan, Andrew Briggs, George Taggart and Tyrese Sutherland coming in for Will Seager, KJ Osu, Charlie Lambert and Gianluca Botti.
On a mild evening under the lights, Cray looked to get on the front foot and Lateef Adaja put an early cross over from the right which went across the box.
Whitehawk though looked the more sharper in the early stages and in the 11th minute had the first shot on goal when Kai Jennings tested Shaun Rowley with a shot held from 20 yards. Then two minutes later, George Taggart’s shot from 30 yards flew into the arms of Rowley.
For Cray, David Smith and Toby King combined to set up the excellent Ike Orji whose shot was blocked by Andrew Briggs. Then Stefan Ilic drove another ball across the box with no takers in the middle.
In the 24th minute, for Whitehawk Emmanuel Mensah down the left of the area cut inside and his near post shot was held by Rowley. Then following up Tyrese Sutherland drove a shot wide of the right post.
Then down the right Jerry O’Sullivan laid the ball across to Greg Luer whose shot was blocked by Rowley who was certainly busier than against Hastings on Saturday.
Before half time, for Cray, Orji put over a cross that was headed out to Frankie Raymond but his shot was blocked. Then at the other end, Sutherland inside the box was denied by a block from Quade Taylor. Finally, Briggs from a free kick to the left of the D saw his shot come back off the wall but at half time it had been something of a nervy affair.
HT: 0-0
The second half was a much more livelier affair and after a brisk start from Whitehawk, Cray created their first real chance in the 49th minute when Frankie Raymond’s ball into the box came to David Smith who was denied by a save by the legs of Will Huffer for a corner.
Whitehawk though were creating the better chances and down the left Oscar Borg’s cross was headed over by Taggart. Then down the right, Mensah drove in a shot at the near post saved by Rowley and the ball was cleared away from the area.
In the 56th minute Cray created their best chance after a fine move down the right and Stefan Ilic’s cross was turned wide at the near post by Smith with Adaja close by.
Then, a Raymond free kick was headed wide of the right post by Tom Bonner who also had an outstanding game. This was followed by Ilic firing over from a free kick down the left.
In the 69th minute Whitehawk created their best chance of the match when substitute Mo Kahoum set up Sutherland in on goal but Rowley did superbly to turn the ball aside.
The game became stretched but was also quite frantic amongst a few substitutions but picked up momentum again before the end.
In the 83rd minute, Toby King and Orji combined with Nyren Clunis to set up Raymond for a shot that was held by Huffer at the second attempt.
Going into stoppage time Cray almost won the match when a ball into the box from Orji down the right was volleyed over by Ilic and it was looking like it wasn’t going to be the Wands night. Then another terrific cross from Orji was glanced wide of the left post by Quade Taylor.
With seven minutes of stoppage time, Cray pressed for the winner but almost got caught on the break and Kahoum broke from midfield and fired just wide of the right post.
Cray looked still to find a winner and put over a couple of balls into the box looking for a flick on but it wasn’t to be and the second nil-nil draw in successive games was the end result which it turns out was a better result for Whitehawk who moved out of the bottom four onto 11 points.
For Cray, since the Chatham Town game the response, attitude and endeavour has been first class but just not getting the luck in front of goal and in the end what could have been six vital points ended up being two. Still there were some positives, especially the performances of Orji and Darion Dowrich who gets better and better by the game and Ilic and King never stopped running.
The Wands next head to Cheshunt on Saturday in what will be the first away league game since 21st September but one where three points is looking to be a must even this early in the season.
Cray Wanderers: Shaun Rowley, Darion Dowrich, Quade Taylor, Tom Bonner, Ike Orji, Lateef Adaja, Frankie Raymond, Anthony Cook (Nyren Clunis, 67), Toby King (Charlie Edwards, 86), Stefan Ilic (Imran Kayani, 90+4), David Smith (Kenny Coker, 66): Subs: David Ijaha
Booked: Raymond 33, Bonner 90+7
Whitehawk: Will Huffer, Jerry O’Sullivan, Oscar Borg, Andrew Briggs (Will Seager, 69), Henry Hawkins, Connor Cody, Emmanuel Mensah, Kai Jennings, Greg Luer (Gianluca Botti, 73), George Taggart (Mo Kahoum, 68), Tyrese Sutherland (Charlie Lambert, 76):
Subs: Charlie Walker
Booked: Sutherland 10, Cody 58, O’Sullivan 70, Mensah 89
Referee: Joseph Gray
Assistants: Dan Tornborm, Callum Moore
Att: 357
