Cray Wanderers vs Lewes – Isthmian Premier – Saturday 10th October, Match Report
Cray Wanderers 1
Yusuff 27
Lewes 2
Cox 2, Gondoh 37
Pics: Natalie Stribbling
Cray Wanderers went down to the first home defeat of the season as Lewes came away with three points after winning by the odd goal in three at a bright but in the end chilly Flamingo Park.
Lewes caught Cray cold right at the start with Tyler Cox played in down the right and slotted into the bottom left for his first goal of the season.
In the 27th minute Cray Wanderers got back on level terms when Lowe’s shot was pushed out and Ade Yusuff applied a predatory finish for his tenth of the season.
Ten minutes later Lewes went back in front with a high quality strike from Ryan Gondoh cutting in from the right which dipped over JJ Briggs and into the net and defended solidly in the second half to come away with the win and avenge the FA Cup defeat back in September and move up to fourth in the table.
Cray were looking to build on the momentum gained through the cup runs but were looking to put some league points on the board ahead of cup ties over the next two weekends. A mixed team of first teamers and U23s played in the win against Punjab United in the Kent Senior Cup on Tuesday but from the Chippenham Town game there was one change with Jakob Lowe whose loan spell from Leyton Orient is coming to an end started in place of Soul Kader.
Lewes who had won at St Albans and Aveley earlier in the season made three changes to the side which beat Whitehawk last Saturday. In came Josh Spinks, Charlie Walker and debutant loan signing from Bromley, Jonathan Haftom in for Tyrese Brown, Calum Newson and Olly Hamstead.
Before the game there was a minute silence for former Cray Wanderers defender Mark Dudley which was immaculately observed.
The match had barely kick off when Lewes took the lead on the cusp of first and second minutes as a ball played over to the right fell to Tyler Cox who had time and space to cut into the area and placed his shot wide of JJ Briggs into the bottom left corner.
Cray have tended to recover well from early blows this season and the Wands came close when ex-Rook Ola Ogunwamide found Jakob Lowe who scored twice in midweek but was unlucky to see his shot well saved by Louis Rogers who did well to block the shot.
Lewes didn’t perhaps have many attack but were dangerous going forwards and another Cox cross was claimed by Briggs.
Then Charlie Walker was presented with a chance latching onto a pass back but shot wide of the right post when well placed. For Cray, Frankie Morgan put over a really telling cross but Louis Rogers did well to claim the ball close to his line. Then Ogunwamide fired over the top.
In the 27th minute Cray did draw level when Lowe did well to work his way into the area and his toe-poked shot was pushed out by Rogers but following up Yusuff was there at the right time for his tenth goal of the season and five in his last five games.
The match looked to be settling down into one where perhaps Cray now had the edge but ten minutes later Lewes went back in front with a real off the cuff moment of quality from Ryan Gondoh who cut inside from the right and with precision hit a dipping shot which looped over Briggs to make it 2-1.
Cray looked to restore parity once again with the nearest chance coming to Lateef Adaja who was found by Crossley Lema and from the left of the area saw his shot take a nick off a defender and behind for corner but Lewes led at the break.
HT: 1-2
The first half was a good watch but the second half was more scrappy and never really got going until the last fifteen minutes or so.
Lewes began the second half on the front foot once again and Gondoh put over a good cross from the left towards the far post which Frankie Morgan had to put behind for a corner. The Rooks though in the second half were more sporadic with their attacks but played a controlled game and defended solidly.
For Cray, Adaja put over a right wing cross which glanced off Lowe’s head and off target. Then Lema who had a really fine game for Cray curled a shot just over the top.
Alex Hernandez shot over from a free kick before Seidou Sanogo and Soul Kader came on to add fresh legs.
The Wands did come close when Briggs after claiming a Gondoh cross played a ball forward which came to Yusuff who lobbed just over the bar.
With fifteen minutes to go Tobi Tinibu and Alfie Payne were introduced and the Wands had much more of the ball but couldn’t quite get in to a position to test Rogers sufficiently.
Cray did look to finish strongly and Lowe made a positive run forward and set up Raymond for a shot which once again took a deflection off a defender and behind for a corner. The Raymond set up Ogunwamide whose shot was blocked.
With the game going into the second minute of six minutes added time Cray did test Rogers when Lema and Ogunwamide combined to find Tinibu whose low raking shot was pushed out by Rogers and cleared.
A late free kick played into the box never led to anything telling and the Wands last chance went and in the end Lewes saw out the win which keeps them in the playoff hunt whilst Cray slip down two places to fourteenth but will have games in hand.
The Wands were perhaps not at their best but had their moment’s especially first half but were just beaten with a real moment of quality.
For Cray and their excellent support next Saturday will be uppermost in their minds with the FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round trip to Bedford Town where the Wands will be underdogs but looking to create a piece of history,
Cray Wanderers: JJ Briggs, Crossley Lema, Rob Strachan, Frankie Morgan, Frankie Raymond (Capt.), Sammie McLeod (Seidou Sanogo, 65), Ola Ogunwamide, Lateef Adaja (Soul Kader, 65), Alex Hernandez (Alfie Payne, 75), Ade Yusuff (Tobi Tinibu, 75), Jakob Lowe: Sub: Billy Wall
Booked: Hernandez 45+3
Lewes: Louis Rogers, Tyler Cox, Jack Enkh, Andrew Briggs (Capt.) (Tyler Christian-Law H/T), Josh Spinks, Alfie Allen, Noel Fisher (Bobby Unwin, 66), Jonathan Haftom, Charlie Walker (Calum Newson, 76), Brian Garzon (Mackenzie Richardson, 86), Ryan Gondoh (Omar Al-Seadi, 90+6)
Booked: Fisher 25, Allen 64, Gondoh 90
Referee: George Barker
Assistants: Jack Healy, Michael Jones
Att: 587
