Cray Wanderers U15s vs. Glebe U15s
Kent Youth League – U15s Cup Tie – 9/5/21
Cray Wanderers U15s 0
Glebe U15s 2 Bailey 24, 31
Cray Wanderers U15s were edged out by a strong Glebe side at Flamingo Park who won the game with two fine pieces of finishing from Rivah Bailey in the first half.
There was plenty of endeavour from the Wands and never gave up the fight but were unable to get the goal they needed to add pressure to the Chislehurst side late in the game.
The Kent Youth League seems to be winding down for the season and this and many games since the resumption of football following lockdown are classed as cup games rather than league matches.
On a warm, if at times slightly gusty afternoon, prior to the game Cray Wanderers U15s Blu Husthwaite was congratulated on reaching a milestone of 150 goals for Cray which he achieved on 25th April with a couple of goals at Whyteleafe in their last match.
The match itself was a game of few chances and Cray perhaps edged the early possession and looked to threaten early on when Husthwaite found Joshua Senyange in the box but was denied by a good tackle by the Glebe defender who unfortunately injured himself in the challenge and looked to have dislocated fingers and some serious hand damage and hopefully will soon be on the mend.
The game took a while to find its feet after that but Glebe had the first real half chance when Rivah Bailey down the left cut inside and lashed the ball across goal which was deflected behind for a corner.
Cray won a couple of corners but the nearest chance for Cray came when a cross from the left was met by Senyange at the far post and volleyed over. Then after Senyange and Jeremiah Pinder set up Scott Simmons but his volleyed pass forward was flagged offside.
In the 24th minute after a period of possession, Glebe took the lead when a terrific ball from the back found Bailey who broke into the area and showed composure to roll the ball past Alex Dubov and into the net.
Glebe began to dominate and the no 17 down the left hit a shot which perhaps lacked sufficient power to trouble Dubov and then Bailey fired in a shot which was held by Dubov.
Cray had a half chance when Pinder was played through by Husthwaite and hooked a shot just wide but the linesman indicated a handball in the buildup.
A second goal arrived for Glebe just after the half hour and was a terrific strike from Bailey after the no 7 won the ball in midfield and from 25 yards the striker’s shot went in off the underside of the bar and a great goal. Glebe as the half went on looked confident and Cray perhaps needed the half time break.
Cray began the second half with added purpose and Pinder set up Husthwaite for a shot from 20 yards which was well claimed by the Glebe keeper.
The game was a bit more stop start in the second half and Glebe were defending well but Cray came close to reducing the arrears when from a throw in down the right into the area, Husthwaite inside the six yard box couldn’t get a a shot away and the ball came to Harry Grant down the left of the area who shot wide.
Glebe almost scored a cracking third goal when down the right a cross from the no 12 towards the back post was met by a fine flying header from the no 6 which came back off the top of the crossbar.
For Cray Husthwaite set up Simmons inside the area but the Glebe did well to narrow the angle and the ball was cleared.
Glebe continued to be well drilled and were game managing the match well but Cray did threaten a goal with Henry Phillips hitting a shot from distant which tested the keeper.
Then perhaps the last chance, Archie Panyi found Pinder down the left of the area and his near post shot was parried away by the keeper.
Glebe almost had the final say when Dubov’s clearance came to the no 11 from 35 yards who looked to fire the ball into the net but just drifted off target but in the end Glebe saw the game out and despite a lot of endeavour from Cray couldn’t find a way back into the game and the last effort came from Husthwaite who flicked wide from a right wing cross and Glebe saw out the remaining minutes.
Team: Alex Dubov, Victor Damyanov, Louis Newman, Archie Panyi, Jim Botten, Henry Phillips, Scott Simmons, Blu Husthwaite, Joshua Senyange, Jeremiah Pinder, Harry Grant; Bobby Parker, Lucas Vazquez, Adebayo Alaya, Mark Noble.
Elsewhere in the Kent Youth League, the U13s drew 2-2 at Metrogas in the Kent Youth League while the U14s looking to bounce back from the 3-1 home defeat to Bromley last Sunday kept Bromley waiting to win the Kent Youth League North title with a 2-2 draw at Hayes Lane. Cray were 2-0 up at one stage but certainly despite being depleted by injury made the home side work for the point.
As per Charlie Bradford’s earlier post, the Cray Wanderers U16s won 4-3 at Glebe in a tremendous tussle and the Cray Wanderers U18s who have been on a remarkable scoring spree since football returned ended their season with a 5-0 home win vs Metrogas at Flamingo Park. Cray ended up finishing 2nd behind champions Glebe.
Well done to the Selkent League U16s and U15s who have both advanced to the Selkent Cup Semi-Finals next Sunday. The U16s won 2-0 at Danson Sports Blue today and now are at home to Danson Sports Black on Sunday 15th May. The U15s beat Hayden Youth Black, 5-2 and will now travel to Teviot Rangers in the Semi-Final next Sunday.
