Cray Wanderers 2 Aveley 1 – Isthmian Premier, Saturday 5th November – Match Report

Cray Wanderers vs Aveley – Isthmian Premier – Saturday 5th November, 3pm – Match Report

Cray Wanderers                                              2

 Derry 54, Chapman 85

Aveley                                                             1

Tom Stephen 79

Photos:  Jon Hilliger/www.hilligerpix.com

Cray Wanderers made it five games unbeaten in the Isthmian Premier and remained three points outside the playoff places after a hard fought victory against Isthmian North Champions Aveley at a soggy Hayes Lane.

In a match of few chances and two good defences, Cray Wanderers over the match just had the edge and played well in the second half and took the lead nine minutes after half time when Tom Derry scored his fourth goal of the season after a ball out from Aveley keeper Jonathan North was latched onto by Ben Krauhaus who ran forward and unselfishly set up Derry who hit a fine shot form outside the area which beat North to hit the back of the net.

Cray had defended well after that but were pegged back eleven minutes form the end with a well worked goal for Aveley when George Sykes found Benas Vaivada down the right and his ball across was turned in inside the six yard box by Tom Stephen under pressure to make it 1-1.

The Wands though had the final say with a well worked goal five minutes from time when Krauhaus played the ball out to Kellen Fisher down the right and his ball across came out to Mitch Chapman in space who hit a sweet strike which beat North at the left hand post for his third goal of the season and was enough to see Cray through to the end and three points.

Cray came into the game four unbeaten in the league and on Wednesday night had beaten Leyton Orient in the London Senior Cup and from that side there were three changes with Jalen Jones, David Ijaha and Nyren Clunis coming in for Sinn’kaye Christie, Michael Ademiluyi and Mitch Chapman.   Aveley who were unbeaten in three league games were 4th coming into the game and named an unchanged side to the one which drew 1-1 at Lewes on Tuesday evening.

Both defences were very good in the first half and there were very few goalscoring chances in the first half as both sides cancelled each other out.

Aveley perhaps edged the possession early on and had the first shooting chance when a corner down the left from Kenny Aileru was headed out by the imperious Jalen Jones and fell to Garrett Kelly who volleyed over the top.

For Cray, Harrison Sodje who also had a positive game at left back found Dan Bassett down the left who played the ball across aiming for Nyren Clunis but was cleared away.

The game became a bit fractured in the first half with Bassett and Kellen Fisher going down with knocks and for the first half hour was high on intensity and endeavour but not much in the way of chances.

Things began to change just after the half hour when Aveley created the best chance of the half when Kelly played Blaise Riley-Snow in down the right who turned in the box and his shot was well blocked by Shaun Rowley who turned the ball over the bar for a corner.

Two minutes later, Cray were unlucky when the ball was worked out to the right to Clunis who looked to curl in a shot past Jonathan North which went just past the left post.

With half time approaching, Bassett down the left showed good pace and put over a ball into the box for Derry and Clunis but North was able to gather.

At half time though it was goalless and looking like it might take something special to break the deadlock.

HT:  0-0

Cray had to make an early change in the second half as Mitch Chapman came on for David Ijaha who took a knock before half time.

It looked like much of the same at the start of the half but Cray went ahead in the 54th minute when North’s played the ball out of the area but Krauhaus showed awareness to latch onto the ball and ran forward, took on a defender and rather than shoot played the ball across to Derry who blasted home a shot from outside the area which North couldn’t stop and was very ell taken by the Wands striker.

Cray had the edge for a while after that with Freddie Carter and Jones  superb for the Wands although Carter had to go off just after the hour with Sinn’kaye Christie coming on.  For Cray, Harrison Sodje shot well over from 30 yards as Neil Smith’s side sought a goal to give them comfort.

Aveley haven’t been beaten too many times in 2022 and are a resilient side and were beginning to get a foothold in the match when they levelled in the 79th minute. Brendon Shabani and George Sykes combined to switch the ball to Benas Vaivada down the right and his ball across was met by Tom Stephen in the six yard box to glance the ball into the net for a well taken goal.

Cray though are also tenacious and resilient and five minutes from time, just a minute after Yahaya Bamba came on for his Wands league debut took the lead once again with another fine strike.  Krauhaus had an excellent second half and played the ball out to Kellen Fisher down the right and his ball across found Chapman in space who hit a superb shot from outside the area which beat North at the left post for his third goal of the season and was a truly great strike to win a tight game.

Aveley continued to pressurise in the closing stages and had a couple of dangerous free kicks which ultimately came to nothing and Cray were able to see out four minutes of injury time for a big victory against a side who could have gone top with a win and make it five unbeaten in the league.  Cray remain 7th in the table on 23 points, three behind Aveley in 5th but at this stage of the season teams are taking points off one another and Potters Bar Town and Bishop’s Stortford were both beaten by Horsham and Canvey Island respectively and as the season progresses things will settle down and Cray are in a good position whilst still being at times work in progress.  

Cray Wanderers are next in action on Saturday at Lewes, (12th November, 3pm) and will be another good test for the Wands on the road.

Cray Wanderers: Shaun Rowley, Kellen Fisher, Freddie Carter (Sinn’kaye Christie, 63), Jalen Jones, Harrison Sodje, Sam Skeffington, David Ijaha (Mitch Chapman, 47), Ben Krauhaus, Nyren Clunis (Yahaya Bamba, 84), Danny Bassett, Tom Derry:  Subs: Anthony Cook, Michael Ademiluyi

Booked: Fisher

Aveley: Jonathan North, Jon Nzengo, Tom Stephen, Connor Witherspoon, Ryan Scott, Harry Gibbs, Kenny Aileru (Benas Vaivada 68), Garrett Kelly, George Sykes, Blaise Riley-Snow (Brendon Shabani, 73),  Kayne Diedrick-Roberts (Siju Odelusi, 88):  Subs: Emmanuel Dasho, Jamie Dicks

Booked: Kelly

Referee: Vladyslav Bakulin

Assistants:    Declan Wyatt, Kehinde Agboola

Att: 243