Chichester City v Cray Wanderers
Isthmian Premier – Saturday 1st March, 2025
Chichester City 2
Prichard 12, Wild 57
Cray Wanderers 1
Kader 47
Cray Wanderers first ever visit to Chichester City for a league match ended in a narrow defeat as the home side kept up a fine run at home to keep their playoff hopes alive. Cray remain 9th in the table and were perhaps rather unfortunate not to pick up a point for their efforts especially in the second half.
It was a tight match when the teams met on December 10th at Flamingo Park with Nathan Jeche’s goal separating the teams and until last Saturday that was Chichester’s last league defeat. Cray had won the last three games to give Neil Smith’s side an unlikely shot at the playoffs but knew this was going to be a tough encounter against the Isthmian Premier newcomers.
On a very bright and sunny afternoon and after some Cray Wanderers fans travelling by train had a difficult journey due to a cracked rail in the Barnham area of West Sussex the game settled down from the start and was a quality game which was well refereed and with just one booking early on in a free flowing match.
There was an unchanged side for Cray Wanderers from the one which beat Folkestone Invicta, 3-2 last Saturday with Frankie Raymond’s red card rescinded and able to play. The game also saw Nyren Clunis make his 100th first team appearance for Cray Wanderers. The subs bench saw four members of the Wands U23s team, defender Bobby Parkes, midfielder George Brooke and forwards Victor Damyanov and Tom Borders.
Chichester were only beaten by high flying Hashtag United late in the game last Saturday and made two changes to their starting lineup with Emmett Dunn and Mo Jammeh coming in for Charlie Bennett and Lloyd Rowlatt.
The match began with both teams playing with confidence but perhaps feeling each other out for the opening few minutes.
The first real shooting opportunity came to Cray in the 10th minute from a free kick to the left of the area from which Ike Orji fired over the bar.
Two minutes later Chichester took the lead with a high quality break away from a Wands free kick. The ball was played out to Jammeh down the right and cut inside to lay a fine ball across towards the far post for Ethan Prichard to smash the ball home with some economy.
Cray though after that had a good spell with Chichester perhaps sitting back on their lead. The Wands threatened through the impressive Eze Ebouzeme who tested City keeper Kieran Magee with a snap shot that was well held
Cray forced three or four corners and from one of those down the left from Raymond into the box Quade Taylor planted a header wide of the right post.
Both defences though were very solid and chances were becoming at a premium before half time with both having one opportunity to score. Cray won a free kick to the left of the area from which Raymond fired over the top.
For Chichester, there was another swift break which ended with Emmett Dunn lashing a shot over the bar.
HT: 1-0
The second half saw an increase in tempo from Cray and straight away imposed themselves and levelled two minutes after the restart.
From a throw in down the right the ball was worked into the area and close to the byline, Clunis laid the ball back to the deadly Soul Kader who with his first real shooting opportunity of the match from 13 yards placed a shot wide of Magee and into the bottom left corner.
Cray had a good spell after that of possession but possibly at this stage may well have taken a point from the game.
However, Chichester showed their qualities to re-take the lead in the 57th minute when Chichester won the ball deep in the Wands half and Isaac Bello cut into the box and played a ball to the near post to leading scorer Jimmy Wild and the tall striker made not mistake from seven yards out for his 27th goal of the season.
Cray looked to get back into the game and introduced George Penn to add some energy but Chichester maybe had a grip at this stage and could have scored a third when the ball fell to captain Rob Hutchings but fired wide of the left post.
The Wands though would finish the game with panache and the introduction of Victor Damyanov and perhaps an unknown quantity to Chichester suddenly gave them something to think about.
In the 82nd minute Cray were unlucky not to score when Damyanov was found by Raymond’s pass and down the left of the area saw his shot pushed out by Magee and then following up saw his effort cleared almost off the line by Ben Pashley. Then Darion Dowrich’s cross from the left was glanced goalwards by Ebouzeme but his header was claimed by Magee.
Two minutes from time Cray came even closer to a leveller when Clunis broke into the area with determination and looked to destined to score and rolled the ball towards goal but Pashley did well to hook the ball off the line but clearly was not over the line.
Into six minutes off added time Cray had one last chance to grab a point when from corner the ball eventually fell to Raymond who hit a half volley which went wide of goal.
In the end Chichester who were very strong defensively held out for a win which moves them on to 52 points, four points ahead of Cray but more importantly five points behind a recently flagging Dover Athletic in 5th place.
Cray can be pleased with their performance and certainly finished the game strongly and on another day may well have played worse and got a point but certainly contributed to a terrific match.
The Wands who remain 9th on 48 points will next be at home to 18th placed Canvey Island who picked up a vital point at home to Dover so will be a key game for both sides at opposite ends of the league table.
Chichester City: Kieran Magee, Ryan Davidson, Rob Hutchings, Joe Moore, Curtis Da Costa (Joe Clarke, 65), Ben Pashley, Isaac Bello, Emmett Dunn, Jimmy Wild (Lloyd Rowlatt, 90+4), Mo Jammeh, Ethan Prichard (Jake Scrimshaw, 71): Subs: Charlie Bennett, Oliver Munt
Booked: Da Costa 9 mins
Cray Wanderers: Shaun Rowley, Ike Orji, Remi Sutton, Quade Taylor, Darion Dowrich, Lateef Adaja (George Penn, 73), Frankie Raymond, Eze Ebouzeme, Nyren Clunis, Josh Williams (Victor Damyanov, 80), Soul Kader (Tom Borders, 90+3): Subs: George Brooke, Bobby Parkes
Referee: Patrick Nixon
Att: 525
