WOMEN’S MATCH REPORT
By Charlie Bradford
Full pictures from Grace D’Souza to follow in due course)
Cray Wanderers Women 8
(Oldfield 14, 54, Bone 25, 82, Obando 28, White 49 (pen), 63, Arnold 88)
Betteshanger Welfare Women 0
South East Counties Women’s Football League Premier Division
Sunday 28th September 2025, 3 PM @ Flamingo Park
After heartbreak last week in the Women’s F.A. Cup where Cray Wanderers Women went down to a 98th minute Ashford Town (Middlesex) winner, the Wands Women took to the field today looking to bounce back against Bettesnhager Welfare in the league.
Betteshanger hail from the Deal area and lost their opening league game 3-1 at Margate whereas the Wands beat Kings Hill 7-2 so could Cray maintain their league form or would Betteshanger Welfare provide a stern test?
It was a much changed Cray team that took to the field today and it did not seem to take them long to stamp their authority on the match with Sarah White heading an Ellie Cole cross straight at Betteshanger goalkeeper Marta Bajare before Olivia Gregory had a shot beaten away before sticking the rebound wide.
Both teams then had an effort cleared off the line – firstly Ellie Cole was on hand to clear a Betteshanger goal bound shot away before Sarah White had an effort clawed off the line by Marta Bajare.
Cray took the lead in the 14th minute when Marta Bajare’s goal kick hit Jessica Oldfield on the edge of the box who came up with an instinctive finish into the right side of the net.
Betteshanger then had a big chance themselves when a corner saw Maddy Evans place a shot past the left post before Cray doubled their lead in the 25th minute when Maddie Bone found the top right corner from the edge of the box.
Three minutes later and Cray made it 3-0 when a corner ricocheted around the box before Chloe Obando managed to tuck the ball into the bottom left corner.
HT: 3-0.
Cray did not let up as they scored a fourth in the 49th minute when Ellie Cole’s shot struck an arm for a penalty which was coolly placed into the top left corner by Sarah White.
Five minutes later and Cray completed a nap hand when a Ellie Rivers corner was headed home by Jessica Oldfield for her second of the afternoon.
The 63rd minute saw Cray score again when Sarah White found some room on the left and made the most of it by drifting inside and placing a shot into the top left corner.
Betteshanger’s best chance of the second half took place in the 80th minute when Maddy Evans found herself one on one but was denied by a good save by Cray goalkeeper Talisha Hickson.
Two minutes later Cray hit seventh heaven once again at Flamingo Park this season when Maddie Bone joined team mates Jessica Oldfield and Sarah White on two goals for the afternoon when she found the top left corner from 20 yards.
Cray then proceeded to get their highest scoring game of the competitive season so far when, two minutes from time, Storm Arnold bundled home a corner.
Another impressive and emphatic victory then for the Wands Women in the league, and the perfect response to last week’s cup exit.
FT: 8-0.
Player of the Match: Ellie Cole
