Cray Wanderers v Cheshunt
Isthmian Premier – Saturday 15th February – Match Report
Cray Wanderers 2
Clunis 22, Kader 68
Cheshunt 1
Coker 16
Cray Wanderers moved up to 9th in the Isthmian Premier albeit possibly briefly after a thrilling come from behind victory against a tough Cheshunt at a wet Flamingo Park.The win made it eleven league games unbeaten at the Wands new home since October.
It was felt before kick off that Neil Smith’ side needed perhaps one more win to confirm safety in the Isthmian Premier and with Cray now on 45 points and crucially sixteen in front of 19th placed Hendon means only really a catastrophic loss of form in the final eleven games coupled with superlative form from the other sides down the foot of the table means surely it is the higher echelons of the table they will be aiming for.
Smudge had the luxury of naming an unchanged side from the one which were impressive 4-1 winners at Chatham Town last Saturday meaning a second game for season ending loanee Soul Kader from Bromley up front.
Cheshunt are certainly no mugs but probably need at least a couple of wins for their safety to be confirmed and came into the game 15th on 37 points but had to make changes to their side from the one which beat Hastings United late in the game last Saturday. Into the team for Mel Gwinett’s side came new signing from Wealdstone Scott Christian, MJ Muyembe and Darion Furlong in for Lordon Akoibire, Jack Thomas and Sam Granville. The Ambers had ex-Wand Kenny Coker up front and had scored in his last couple of games while Cray had centre-half Remi Sutton who played for Cheshunt against Cray back in October.
Prior to kick off the Wands were presented with the December Performance of the Month award for the Isthmian League for the win at Dover on 14th December, claimed by Shaun Rowley.
The match began with Cray dominating the possession in the opening fifteen minutes but the closest the Wands came was from Lateef Adaja’s left wing cross which came to Soul Kader but his effort lacked power and was claimed by Preston Edwards.
However, completely out of the blue Cheshunt took the lead in the 16th minute when a ball forward came to Rowley whose first touch was slightly heavy and was dispossessed by Coker who rolled the ball into the net down the left.
For Cray, Ike Orji fired a shot over the bar shortly after but in the 22nd minute were deservedly on level terms when Josh Williams who had begun the game in blistering form down the right hoisted over a cross towards the back of the penalty area to Nyren Clunis who first time placed a shot wide of Edwards and tucked nicely into the bottom right corner for his seventh goal of the season and his third goal in six matches.
Two minutes later the Prince of Camberwell nearly shot Cray in front when he fired wide of goal from Adaja’ cross but may have turned awkwardly and needed a couple of minutes treatment. Then Williams was provider for a cross for Adaja but Dequanne Braithwaite did well to block and turn the ball over for a corner.
The match from here increased in quality and with both teams already on the scoresheet the second half of the opening period went from end to end. Cheshunt threatened down the left and Coker fired into the side netting.
This was followed shortly after by a decent shot from outside the box by Jack Munns which Rowley did well to hold. At the other end Williams saw a shot held by Edwards.
For Cray Frankie Raymond in imperious form in midfield once again played a cross into the box which Kader turned wide.
However the last chance of the half fell to Cheshunt and was a good opportunity when Braithwaite’s cross down the right into the box was headed wide of the right post by Tobias Braney.
HT: 1-1
By the start of the second half what started as simply a grey day had turned from drizzle to cold rain but it didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the two teams and for the first five minutes at least, the match lost its shape with both on the attack.
Cheshunt began the half well and Braney’s cross from the left fell to Coker and maybe had more time to make the most of the chance but shot straight at Rowley. For Cray from a cross from Darion Dowrich down the left Kader fired wide with a half volley.
The Ambers almost retook the lead when Christian set up Braney down the right of the area and his stinging shot was pushed out well by Rowley.
Cray though were beginning to up the gas and had a twenty minutes spell of power-heavy metal football with first Kader slotting following a cross but was disallowed for offside.
Then Orji’s superb cross down the right was met by the head of Kader who couldn’t have done more with the header but rashed back off the crossbar.
This was followed by another cross falling to Kader whose header was cleared off the line by the excellent Darion Furlong.
There was still more to come from Cray with Williams dashing down the right and his cross-shot flashed across goal and MJ Muyembe had to clear off the line.
Cray though were not to be denied and in the 68th minute went ahead with an exceptional goal started by Williams who from inside his own half burst forward to within twenty yards of goal and slotted a ball through a couple of defenders to Kader who did well to adjust his feet after his first touch but with some aplomb placed the ball past Edwards and into the net. The Wands’ frustration continued as Charlie Edwards and Williams all saw shots inside the box blocked by the now overworked Ambers backline.
From here the conditions played its part in turning down the tempo but Cray had an element of control of the game with the nearest for Cheshunt falling to substitute Donell Thomas whose shot was well held by Rowley.
Cray had introduced Charlie Edwards, Nathan Jeche and late on Quade Taylor to helb bolster the fitness of the team which could have suffered with the conditions.
There were three yellow cards in the latter stages of the game for Tom Bonner, Ike Orji and Quade Taylor but Cray were still looking for a third goal to give the game a much more respectable look.
Cheshunt did come close to making it 2-2 when top scorer Vas Vasiliou’s free kick into the area was volleyed over by Christian.
Cray had two chances to put the game to bed when first, Williams who was unplayable on this afternoon carved a chance all by himself with he cut inside from the right into the box bis hear post shot was pushed out well by Edwards who also then denied Jeche with a one handed save.
The final chance of a breathtaking afternoon came for Cray when Taylor played a great ball out to Jeche down the left and his cross was steered wide of the right post by Adaja.
Cray though had snuffed out the Cheshunt threat with Coker withdrawn earlier in the half and the whistle went from the excellent referee Craig Barnett and Cray picked up a hugely satisfying three points and there were so many leading actors in this plot in amber and black who could be man of the match but Orji, Sutton, Bonner, Adaja, Williams, Clunis and Kader in particular were in fine form. Cheshunt on this evidence should have no problems avoiding relegation and stay in 15th place but Cray were very good on the day and moved up into 9th, albeit 11 points off fifth placed Dover Athletic.
Cray now go into a run of matches against three of the current top 10 in the next four games with 10th placed Folkestone visiting Flamingo Park on 22nd February in which should be another belting game.
Cray Wanderers: Shaun Rowley, Ike Orji, Remi Sutton, Tom Bonner, Darion Dowrich, Lateef Adaja, Frankie Raymond, Nyren Clunis (Charlie Edwards, 64), Eze Ebouzeme (Quade Taylor, 79), Josh Williams, Soul Kader (Nathan Jeche, 79): Subs: Dario DeLuca, Michael Ihiedi
Booked: Bonner 73, Orji 88, Jeche 90+1
Cheshunt: Preston Edwards, MJ Muyembe (Sam Granville, 66),: Bradley Roberts, Dequanne Braithwaite, Darion Furlong (Capt.), Raul Da Silva, Vas Vasiliou, Scott Christian, Kenny Coker (Donell Thomas, 66), Jack Munns (Jack Thomas, 56), Tobias Braney (Uko Oji, 56): Sub: Rob Hall
Referee: Craig Barnett
Assistants: Oliver Townsend, Royan Campbell
Att: 401
