Cray Wanderers vs Dover Athletic
Isthmian Premier – Saturday 29th March, 3 pm – Match Report
Cray Wanderers 1
Williams 23
Dover Athletic 2
Nikaj 45, Ruben Soares 66
Cray Wanderers home fourteen game unbeaten run came to an end as promotion chasing Dover Athletic edged a high quality contest by the odd goal in three at Flamingo Park.
Cray who had faint hopes of reaching the playoffs really needed to win to keep those dreams alive and took the lead in the 23rd minute courtesy of a classy strike from Josh Williams for his seventh goal of the season. Cray could have scored a second but Dover came into the game before the break and levelled just on half time through top scorer George Nikaj. The second half was perhaps more scrappy but Dover won the game in the 66th minute with a Ruben Soares strike and held out for the win which keeps the Kent side in 5th place, two points clear of 6th placed Chichester City.
The Wands under Tim O’Shea were looking to build on last Saturday’s 4-0 win vs Bowers & Pitsea and there were two changes to the starting lineup with Tom Bonner and Soul Kader in for Quade Taylor and Kavalli Heywood. Dover who last Saturday beat Dulwich Hamlet at the Crabble named an unchanged side.
On a day when the Wands said farewell to outgoing CEO Sam Wright there was an expectant atmosphere and certainly for the first half was a very good game played at a fast pace.
Both sides looked to feel each other out for the opening minutes and Cray had the first shooting chance in the seventh minute when Josh Williams set up Nyren Clunis for a shot which was saved by Jordan Gillmore at the second attempt.
For Dover, George Nikaj who was a constant thorn up front, down the right whipped in a cross-shot which just evaded Luke Baptiste in the middle and went past the left post. Then Dover had a shout for a penalty when Baptiste went down in the box but the referee waived appeals away.
The Whites came closest yet when from a free kick down the left of the area, Alfie Matthews shot was tipped over well by Shaun Rowley.
Cray though looked to be the better side early on and Remi Sutton made a run forward and set up Clunis for a shot blocked by Jacob Mensah. Then Ike Orji’s run and pass came to Kader who set up Williams who shot into the side netting.
In the 23rd minute Cray took the lead with a goal of real quality scored by Williams who received the ball forty yards out, made a run down the left, cut inside just into the area and arced a superb finish wide of Gillmore for one of the goals of the season.
Cray were unlucky in the 32nd minute when Frankie Raymond’s pass found Williams down the left who looked to shoot but Dover defender Joe Tennent turned the ball past the right post for a corner.
From the corner it was nearly 2-0 when Orji’s ball into area saw Raymond and Clunis combine and the ball came to Raymond who hit a sweet volley just over the bar.
Dover though got more on top for the last ten minutes of the half. Firstly, a Baptiste corner was flicked just past the left post by Nikaj. Then from another Baptiste corner down the left the ball was nudged towards goal and Sutton had to clear the ball away.
Then from a Roman Charles-Cook throw-in the ball was flicked on and Ryan Hanson headed onto the roof of the net.
Dover came closest yet from a free kick down the left and good combination play saw Nikaj and Matthews combine to set up Baptiste who pulled his shot wide of the right post.
However, Dover were not to be denied when right on half time made it 1-1 when a ball over the top came to Nikaj who burst into the area and netted his 20th goal of the season from eight yards.
HT: 1-1
The second half although engrossing become a bit more fractured with both teams giving the ball away much more and there were few chances in the opening fifteen minutes. Hanson was booked for Dover and the Wands introduced Kavalli Heywood just after the hour and had one or two good touches in the box but later in the half had to go off with an injury. Darion Dowrich down the left flashed an effort past the right post.
In the 66th minute Dover who were just beginning to look the more likely winners took the lead following a move down the right leading to a corner. Baptiste found ex-Wand Roman Charles-Cook who looped a ball into the box which was helped on into a fairly crowded goalmouth and fell to Ruben Soares who found a bit of space to squeeze in a shot which hit the back of the net.
Dover almost added a third when a ball was played through to Soares down the right but pulled his shot wide of the left post.
At the other end within a minute, Williams cut in from the right but shot at the near post which was held by Gillmore. Then Orji who had a great game down the right set up Clunis for a shot that was well blocked.
Dover looked for a third and a good ball over the top again saw Nikaj and another fine Wands performer Darion Dowrich race for the ball with the left back sticking with the striker and managed to hold the move up before Nikaj got in a shot that was saved low down by Rowley.
Towards the end Cray looked to inflict pressure with the likes of Victor Damyanov and Tom Borders brought on and Dowrich’s cross was helped on by Heywood for Raymond to fire in a shot that was held by Gillmore.
Dover had a little difficulty in seeing out the final minutes but managed to do so and the two centre-halves, Luke Cocoracchio and Jacob Mensah had powerful games at the back. Dover on 68 points lead 6th placed Chichester City by two points and the teams meet at Chichester on the final day of the season. Dover also have to visit Dartford on Good Friday.
Cray have now played three of the playoff contenders in March and have just come up short by the odd goal in three, three times so haven’t been disgraced in either match and perhaps looking back deserved at least draw in all three. Cray remain 11th in the table on 54 points but now twelve behind Dover.
The Wands next weekend begin April with a trip to Billericay Town who are chasing the title along with Dartford before other games against playoff contenders Wingate & Finchley and Horsham to follow.
Cray Wanderers: Shaun Rowley, Ike Orji, Remi Sutton, Tom Bonner (Capt.), Darion Dowrich, Lateef Adaja (Kavalli Heywood, 61, Quade Taylor, 90), Frankie Raymond, Eze Ebouzeme (Victor Damyanov, 83), Nyren Clunis, Josh Williams, Soul Kader (Tom Borders, 85): Sub: Freddie Warwick
Booked: Bonner 69
Dover Athletic: Jordan Gillmore, Roman Charles-Cook, Fuad Sesay, Jacob Mensah, Joe Tennent, Luca Cocoracchio, Luke Baptiste, Alfie Matthews (George Wilkinson, 73), George Nikaj (Francis Mampolo, 85), Ruben Soares-Junior (Capt), Ryan Hanson: Subs: Kwaku-Conrad Lucan, Tamas Amgbaduba, Eniye Amgbaduba
Booked: Hanson 58
Referee: Marcin Indyk
Assistants: Mark Fitzpatrick, Byron Beard
Att: 808
