Cray Wanderers vs Dulwich Hamlet
Isthmian Premier – Wednesday 1st January, 2025 – Match Report
Cray Wanderers 1
Raymond 83
Dulwich Hamlet 0
Cray Wanderers moved up to 11th place in the Isthmian Premier after a second successive 1-0 win through Frankie Raymond’s 83rd minute strike which meant 2025 got off to a great start for Neil Smith’s side.
The game saw the teams in 14th vs 15th in the Isthmian Premier and on a very wet start to the year after an even first half Cray had the better of the second and came close through Michael Ihiedi, Kenny Coker and Josh Williams before Raymond’s sweet strike against one of his former clubs made it five wins in the last seven games.
There was an unchanged Wands side to the one which beat Hendon on Saturday and on a very wet start to 2025 the game was played at a fast pace with few fouls and was well refereed.
Cray began brightly and Nathan Jeche won an early corner down the left then Tom Bonner set up Jeche and Nyren Clunis for shots blocked.
Dulwich Hamlet though came the closest easy on when Luke Wanadio was played through down the left but Shaun Rowley did well to block for a corner.
For Cray, Josh Williams shot wide and then put over a cross headed out by Ross Marshall.
Dulwich though were creating the better openings and again Wanadio with 18 goals this season down the left fired just wide of the right post from inside the area.
Then Wanadio again threatened just outside the area but Rowley made a fine save to turn the ball aside. Then Mark Marshall’s right wing cross was held by Rowley.
Cray did get begin to get more on top before half time and Clunis against a side he spent many years as a standout performer saw a shot saved just outside the box by Dillon Barnes.
Then Darion Dowrich set up Nathwn Jeche who curled a shot towards the right post held by Dillon Barnes.
Cray forced a couple of corners from the second of which Clunis fired wide of goal.
Just before half time Mark Marshall set up Michael Bareck for a shot deflected over for a corner.
HT: 0-0
Cray had to make a change at half time with George Penn replacing Charlie Edwards and early on Jeche just couldn’t his head to a fine Ike Orji cross down the right. Then Williams saw a shot held.
Another young player off the bench, Michael Ihiedi almost scored straight away when he planted a header against the right post and the ball was cleared.
Dulwich didn’t threaten as much second half but Wanadio down the left fired a shot well wide.
After a fairly scrappy spell Cray went back on the attack in the last 20 minutes and Ihiedi saw a shot held.
Then Ihiedi won a corner down the left from which Kenny Coker who had been on five minutes saw his header cleared off the line, the follow up was blocked and Ihiedi glanced the ball wide.
The impressive Darion Dowrich down the left drove a shot over from close range. Then Cray came closest yet when Clunis’shot was blocked and Williams saw his goalbound shot pushed behind one handed by Barnes in the 82nd minute.
A minute later Cray made the breakthrough when put of nothing Raymond down the left placed a shot wide of Barnes with his left foot into the bottom right corner for a goal his performance deserved.
Cray had defended superbly with Tom Bonner and Remi Sutton at the back and the team threw everything into the final few minutes to preserve the lead.
With the last kick of the game, Dulwich had a free kick down the right of the area but Max Hudson’s shot grazed the right post and went behind and the final whistle blew.
This was another excellent Wands performance against a good Dulwich side albeit without a few regulars and the clean sheet was a remarkable fifteenth of the season for Shaun Rowley. Cray now move on to 32 points after 24 games and have now lost one of the last eight games and six points off the playoffs and nine off the bottom four and grinding out winning results.
Cray next head to 13th placed Wingate & Finchley on Saturday for the first away game of 2025.
Cray Wanderers: Shaun Rowley, Ike Orji, Remi Sutton, Tom Bonner, Darion Dowrich, Frankie Raymond, Charlie Edwards (George Penn, H/T), Lateef Adaja (Michael Ihiedi, 53), Nyren Clunis, Josh Williams (Quade Taylor, 90+5), Nathan Jeche (Kenny Coker, 74): Sub: Frankie-Jay Moralee
Dulwich Hamlet: Dillon Barnes, Max Hudson, Ross Marshall (Sean Bonnett-Johnson, 67), Kreshnic Krasniqi, Michael Chambers, Jordan Wynter, Michael Bareck (Lorenzo, 85), Mark Marshall, Ralfi Hand, Danny Mills, Luke Wanadio. Subs: Chris Petrou, Hassan Ibrahiym, Kaya Hansson.
Referee: Scott Rudd
Assistants: Kieran Williamson, William Rough
Att: 827
