Glebe U23s vs Cray Wanderers U23s
SCEFL Development League West – Monday 20th January – Match Report
Glebe 2
Cray Wanderers 2
Borders 24, Warwick 37
Cray Wanderers extended their lead at the top of the SCEFL Development League West to two points but were held to a draw against Glebe at Foxbury Avenue.
On a chilly but dry night this was an entertaining affair in which Cray came from behind early on to take the lead at half time and certainly merited the lead. However, the second half saw Glebe equalise in the 56th minute and generally had the better of the half although both sides could have won the game at the end.
Cray, 4-2 winners against Croydon on Friday night got off to an electric start in this match and Michael Ihiedi, in a rich vein of form for the Wands came close when he fired a shot just over the top in the seventh minute.
This was followed a minute later by David Boateng down the right testing the home keeper with at the near post which was held. Then from a corner down the left, Bobby Parkes rose highest to plant a header over the bar.
Cray though fell behind in the 16th minute when Glebe worked an opening down the right and the cross was steered into the net by the no 6 with a clever finish.
The Wands looked to get back into it and the extremely gifted Victor Damyanov drove a shot into the side netting down the right.
In the 24th minute Cray were deservedly on level terms when from a free kick out on the left, Damyanov’s ball into the box towards the near post was flicked into the net by Tom Borders.
Cray were certainly then on top for a spell and from another set play Ed Mare’s header was cleared off the line.
The Wands looked to break down the right and Borders inside the area looked set to shoot but a fine block by the no 6 saw the ball go behind for a corner.
From the corner that was played into the area, the ball was cleared to outside the box and fell to Freddie Warwick who placed a terrific shot in at the left post to make it 2-1.
The Wands certainly had put in a good performance playing down the slope in the first half and led at the break.
HT: 1-2
The second half began in a similar vein for Cray and came close to a third when Damyanov’s deft pass put Borders through down the right but the Glebe keeper made a good save to turn the ball behind for a corner. From the corner, Ihiedi saw his goalbound shot deflected over for a corner.
Glebe though levelled in the 56th minute with a fine goal when the no 18 played a great ball through to the no 11 who took the ball on down the left of the area and finished with great economy low into the bottom right corner.
After a lively first hour the game drifted for a short period with Glebe perhaps closest when the no 11 glanced a header towards goal but was cleared almost off the line.
Both teams sought a winner and each came close to a winner late in the game.
Firstly, Glebe down the right saw the no 8 well placed inside the area but his shot was well saved by Nathan Manwaring who did well to block the follow up.
Cray almost won it at the finish when Warwick found George Brooke down the right of the area but the Glebe keeper made a smart stop and the ball was cleared. Then for Glebe, the no 18 flashed a shot across goal.
In the end the game finished in a draw which over the game was probably about right but after two games in four days, four points was a decent haul and moved Cray to the top of the table and have 29 points from 13 games although Erith Town in second have two games in hand while Glebe moved up three places to 5th on 14 points. The teams meet again at Flamingo Park on 28th February.
The Wands next match should be a great game at home to 3rd placed Kent United on Friday 31st January, 7.45 pm.
Cray Wanderers: Nathan Manwaring, Andy Dzontoh (Archie Morley), Corey Holden (Lincoln Hunter), Oliver Chiriseri, Ed Mare, Bobby Parkes, Michael Ihiedi (Ben Raper), Freddie Warwick, Tom Borders (George Brooke), Victor Damyanov, David Boateng (Uziel Bateki)
