Cray Wanderers vs Wingate & Finchley – Isthmian Premier – Saturday 16th August – Match Report
Cray Wanderers 3
(Bobomurodov 35, Raymond 41 pen, Brooke 76)
Wingate & Finchley 2
(Restrepo 46, McGettigan 70
Cray Wanderers moved up to 2nd place in the Isthmian Premier table but had to work hard to beat a Wingate & Finchley side who finished with 9 men in a five goal thriller at Flamingo Park.
After a fast paced first half, Cray went into the break with a two goal lead courtesy of goals from Nods Bobomurodov and a Frankie Raymond penalty. However, Wingate & Finchley pulled a goal back right after half time through Camilo Restrepo. They were reduced to ten men when Ben Watt was sent off for a second yellow card but levelled twenty minutes from time through a goal from Caoilan McGettigan.
Cray though regrouped and took the lead again in the 76th minute through a classy finish from substitute George Brooke and finished the game well. The visitors were reduced further when Ryan Lowe was dismissed for two bookings but kept going to the end.
On a grey afternoon Cray were looking to keep up an unbeaten start to the season and name unchanged side from Tuesday night’s game with Folkestone. Wingate & Finchley had been beaten in their opening two games but each time by the odd goal. From the side which lost to league leaders Dulwich Hamlet on Tuesday there were three changes with Loic Hernandez, Ben Watt and Sam Cornish coming in for Ryan Lowe, Mackye Townsend-West and Adam Lovatt.
The match started with Cray in determined mood and almost scored in the second minute when a back pass from Loic Hernandez was latched onto by Josh Williams but was denied a goal by a smart save by ex-Wand Charlie Grainger. Then in the fifth minute Cray came close again when Ashley Nzala’s cross from the left towards into the box fell to Williams who fired over the top.
There was an early blow for Cray when Remi Sutton went off after eight minutes with what looked like a hamstring injury and replaced by Quade Taylor and we wish Remi returns soon.
Shortly after Wingate & Finchley threatened when Ore Bello down the right cut into the area but was denied by a fine tackle from the excellent Frankie Morgan.
Cray though looked the more dangerous side in the early stages and Nzala was unlucky twice not to score when he broke into the box down the left and saw his goalbound shot blocked and the follow up turned behind by Billy Cracknell for a corner.
In the 20th minute the Wands were unlucky after a fine passing move ended with Nzala set up Nods Bobomurodov for a first time shot which only just cleared the crossbar. Wingate & Finchley too had to make an early change with Casey Shann coming on for Cain Keller.
Wingate & Finchley though had a good fifteen minute spell after that. Firstly, after a back pass was latched onto by Johnny Allotey who seemed destined to score but was thwarted by a great tackle from Quade Taylor. Then from a corner the ball came to Cracknell but his header was blocked but Harry Seaden didn’t have too much to do
In the 35th minute Cray took the lead just a little against the run of play at the time when Chris Dickson found Williams down the left and his excellent hanging cross to the far post was met with a crisp half volley from Bobomurodov which nestled past Grainger for his second goal of the season.
Cray finished the half on top and in the 41st minute made it two nil when Williams was brought down by Grainger inside the box and from the penalty spot, Frankie Raymond netted with some style.
For Wingate & Finchley, Allotey shot over the top but Cray could have gone in at the break with more goals. Firstly, Williams saw a shot well saved low by Grainger. Then Frankie Morgan down the left did well to cut into the box and set up Dickson who slightly off balance pulled a shot past the right post
Then from a corner, Luke Allen hit a shot into the ground which bounced to Nzala who hooked a shot towards goal but Grainger made a smart stop.
HT: 2-0
At half time, the visitors made a couple of changes with Ryan Lowe and Caoilan McGettigan coming on and the North Londoners netted just a minute into the second half. From a corner down the right the ball into the area fell invitingly for Camilo Restrepo who netted from close range
Cray looked to respond and Prosper Keto’s cross down the right was volleyed wide by Chris Dickson.
Wingate & Finchley were looking more dangerous and won corners and saw a number of efforts blocked by the Wands defence. For Cray, a flick on from a free kick by Nzala fell to Tom Bonner who looked to shoot but was denied by an offside flag. Wingate & Finchley were looking more dangerous and Restrepo and Sam Cornish saw shots blocked.
Lateef Adaja came on to replace Nzala for Cray and in the 65th minute Wingate & Finchley were reduced to ten men when Ben Watt who had been booked nine minutes before that was sent off for a foul on Adaja
Wingate & Finchley though kept going and didn’t look to be too affected and in the 70th minute drew level when Ada Okorogheye and Ryan Lowe combined to set up Caoilan McGettigan who on his debut from fourteen yards found space to shoot and score to make it 2-2.
George Brooke came on after the equaliser and after coming close to scoring on Tuesday night was not to be denied on this occasion. In the 76th minute, Brooke won the ball in midfield and found Williams who received his third assist of the game with a pass back to Brooke down the right who showed great composure to steer the ball through the legs of Grainger and into the net
The match continued to go from end to end but Cray were finishing the game strongly. Bonner found Williams who burst through on goal down the left but Grainger who had a good game in goal for Wingate & Finchley made a great smothering stop to deny Williams a goal he would have deserved. Cray almost added a fourth when Dickson set up substitute Adrian Owiredu-Gyamera who curled a shot just over.
Wingate & Finchley had kept on going but their task was made even harder when in added time Ryan Lowe was sent off also for a second yellow card for dissent.
Towards the end Alfie Cue saw a shot held by Seaden while at the other end Frankie Raymond shot wide but Cray had just got over the line and were given a real test by Wingate & Finchley who emerged from the game with credit and certainly didn’t look a side that will struggle this season.
The win puts Cray up to 2nd ahead of a visit to Billericay Town on Saturday for the first away game of the season and so ending a draining first week of the season with Cray gaining seven points and playing some high quality football.
Cray Wanderers: Harry Seaden, Prosper Keto, Remi Sutton (Quade Taylor, 8), Tom Bonner (Capt.), Frankie Raymond, Luke Allen (Tom Jackson, 90), Nods Bobomurodov (George Brooke, 71), Ashley Nzala (Lateef Adaja, 60), Josh Williams (Adrian Owiredu-Gyamera, 90), Chris Dickson
Booked: Bonner 62
Supporters Club Man of the Match: George Brooke
Wingate & Finchley: Charlie Grainger, Cain Keller (Casey Shann, 20, Caoilan McGettigan, H/T), Loic Hernandez, Billy Cracknell (Capt.), Kyron Horsley-McKay, Ben Watt, Ore Bello (Alfie Cue, 66), Sam Cornish, Ada Okorogheye, Johnny Allotey (Ryan Lowe, H/T), Camilo Restrepo (Adam Lovatt, 83)
Sent Off: Watt 65 (2 cautions), Lowe 90+1 (2 cautions)
Booked: Grainger 40
Referee: Harry Phillips
Assistants: Grant Steele, Marian Stoichitoiu
Att: 466
