Cray Wanderers vs Hashtag United
Isthmian Premier – Saturday 20th September – Match Report
Photos: Steve Cullum
Cray Wanderers 4
Adaja 5 mins, 52, Hernandez 87 pen, 90+3
Hashtag United 3
Sach 2 mins, Kouassi 23, May-Parrott 45+2
Cray Wanderers moved up to sixth place in the Isthmian Premier after an incredible fightback from 1-3 down at half time to beat Hashtag United at Flamingo Park after a fast paced and breathless match.
The Wands had to dig deep in the second half after the Essex side went in at the break with a fair amount of comfort with goals from Bradley Sach, Evans Kouassi and Luke May-Parrott. Lateef Adaja had put Cray on level terms with a fifth minute strike but started the comeback with his second seven minutes into the second half.
It looked like Cray maybe had just run out of time when with three minutes to go Alex Hernandez was brought down in the area and slotted home his second spot kick in successive matches. Incredibly there was still time for a winner three minutes into injury time when from a corner down the left the ball into the six yard box amidst a crowd scene fell to Hernandez to glance into the net for a dramatic finish to the match.
Cray in 7th at the start of play were looking to build on two successive away draws and made one change from the game with Carshalton with debutant right back loanee from Bromley, Freddie Taylor starting in place of George Brooke with another loan player, midfielder Harry Waldock from Gillingham on the bench.
Hashtag have begun the season rather slowly and in 15th place and from the side which lost at Wingate & Finchley last Saturday there were three changes with Max Cornhill, Bradley Sach and Nathan Wilson coming in for Jason Ring, Thomas Anderson and Praise Ogbebor.
So far this season many of the Wands games have started a little cagey but there was no chance of that happening in this game as both teams came out of the traps quickly with a goal apiece in the first five minutes.
Cray were caught cold in the 2nd minute when Hashtag won the ball close to their area and Evans Kouassi who was a real handful first half put over a cross which was met by a fine volley from Bradley Sach to put the visitors in front.
The Wands fought back and levelled in the fifth minute when down the right Josh Williams’ cross was not well dealt with by the Hashtag defence and fell invitingly for Lateef Adaja to fire into the net.
Hashtag though always had the upper hand in the first half and Kouassi saw a shot from just outside the area deflected past the right post for a corner.
In the 23rd minute Hashtag went back in front when Kouassi latched onto to a fine ball from Joe Christou over the top and as Harry Seaden looked to close him down lifted the ball into the net.
For Cray, Adrian Owiredu-Gyamera fired wide but the team weren’t really at the races first half and United could have added more goals before the break.
Firstly, Luke May-Parrott from a Kouassi cross flicked on by Bradley Sach headed into the arms of Seaden and shortly after fired over the bar. Then Sach set up Christou for a shot again which was claimed well by Seaden.
Just before half time Cray almost grabbed a leveller against the run of play from a corner down the right from Williams which similar to his goal against Carshalton was totally missed by Giddens but luckily for the keeper went across goal and behind.
Then, two minutes into injury time Hashtag scored again as May-Parrott another United player who played well first half broke forward and hit an unerring shot wide of Seaden to make it 3-1 and give Cray much to think about at the break.
HT: 1-3
There were a couple of changes at half time with Ashley Nzala and debutant Harry Waldock coming on and from the start there was more energy and zest from the Wands and took the game to the visitors with Nzala and Adaja especially dangerous down the left and won three early corners which Hashtag were able to clear.
In the 52nd minute Cray pulled a goal back when the ball fell invitingly to Alex Hernandez whose shot came back off the underside of the crossbar and came to Adaja who fired in at the right post for his second of the game.
Cray now had more of the ball with Hernandez a threat and from Nzala’s cross the striker hooked an effort wide. Then after another ball into the box Hernandez saw an effort blocked by Max Cornhill.
The Wands had more possession but the game evened up for a spell and on a break Kouassi found May-Parrott whose shot was blocked.
For Cray, Nzala shot wide from Frankie Raymond’s ball into the area and at the other end Kouassi saw an effort deflected behind for a corner.
It seemed that Cray just couldn’t create that one big opening as Hashtag had to make blocks but in the 87th minute the Wands got back on level terms after Hernandez was brought down by Christou in the box and from the spot netted after a fair bit of stalling from the visitors to make it 3-3.
Many teams might have settled for a point especially having been two goals down but Cray finished the game strongly and searching for a winner. It nearly came a minute after the equaliser as down the right Adaja near post shot was pushed out by Jack Giddens and looking to follow up Nods Bobomurodov saw his effort blocked.
Then in added time Remi Sutton another Wands stand out performer in the second half hit a cross-cum shot which was deflected behind for a corner down the left. From the flag kick from Adaja into a crowded goal mouth Hernandez got his head to the ball to divert the ball into the net and complete the comeback.
There was still time for Cray to almost get a fifth when Nzala’s shot was pushed out by Giddens but despite some late pressure from Hashtag Cray held out for their third home win of the season and seal a great comeback after let’s face it a difficult first half.
Great credit must go to the players for working their way back into the game and keeping patient and disciplined. Also huge credit to Freddie Taylor and Harry Waldock for mature performances for players so young and will learn a lot from playing in games like this for when they return to Bromley and Gillingham respectively. Also Ashley Nzala carried the game to Hashtag after coming on and Adaja and Hernandez deserved their brace of goals apiece. Credit also to the Cray Massive who acting like a twelfth man in the second half and kept believing right to the end.
Cray move up to sixth after the win on 15 points after eight games while Hashtag who perhaps may not quite understand how they managed to leave Flamingo Park with no points drop to 17th place but should have enough quality to climb the table in due course.
The Wands though next head to Ramsgate on Saturday 27th September after a free midweek looking to maintain an unbeaten start to the season away from home.
Cray Wanderers: Harry Seaden, Freddie Taylor, Remi Sutton, Quade Taylor, Adrian Owiredu-Gyamera, Frankie Raymond (Capt.), Luke Allen (Harry Waldock, H/T), Lateef Adaja, Kareem Isiaka (Nods Bobomurodov, 69), Josh Williams (Ashley Nzala, H/T), Alex Hernandez: Subs: Marc-Anthony Okoye, George Brooke
Hashtag United: Jack Giddens, Nathan Smith, Nathan Wilson, Joe Christou, Max Cornhill (Capt.), Jermaine Anderson, Adam Lovatt (Matthew Wooldridge, 80), Calvin Dickson, Luke May-Parrott (Praise Ogbebor, 72), Evans Kouassi, Bradley Sach (Misha Djimaili 90): Subs: Jason Ring, Kegan Caull
Booked: Christou 6 mins
Referee: Craig Charles
Assistants: Ayden Gillespie, Byron Beard
Att: 536
