Faversham Town vs Cray Wanderers
PSF – 1/8/26 – Match Report
Faversham Town 4
Smith 37, Steventon 46, Wood 67,
Olutade 89
Cray Wanderers 2
Ajakaiye 10, Parter o. g. 83
Cray Wanderers final pre-season game saw a trip to a very sunny Faversham Town and ended in defeat when after a first half where Cray had the upper hand the home side took over after the break to win 4-2.
The Wands had a break with no fixture the previous weekend while Faversham had been pretty busy and drew 1-1 at Ramsgate in midweek and will surely be one of the favourites for promotion from the Isthmian South-East this season.
The match had a 1 pm kick off and although not a classic there was plenty of good attacking play and there was a competitive edge at times to the game. Also it continued the tradition of this pre-season to be played in strong and very warm sunshine with not much breeze about.
Cray definitely started the better and dominated the first half hour. The Wands had the first shooting chance in the 9th minute when Ola Ogunwamide went down in the box with no penalty given with the ball falling to Alex Hernandez who shot into the arms of Tom Hadler.
A minute later Cray went in front when a ball over the top caught out the offside trap and was latched onto by Dan Ajakaiye who down the left of the area took the ball round Hadler and rolled the ball into the net.
Shortly after the lively Ade Yussuf down the left lofted an effort onto the roof of the net and the Wands defence held firm against a strong Faversham attack.
Once again Cray threatened with Yussuf breaking into the area down the left and his ball across was half cleared out to Ogunwamide who fired over the top from just inside the area.
Faversham though slightly against the run of play levelled eight minutes before half time when again the offside trap was sprung and Ibrahim Olutade did well down the right to set up early substitute Ethan Smith for a simple finish.
The Lilywhites almost scored again a couple of minutes later through Tashi-Jay Kwayie but Henry Molyneux did well to push his shot away.
HT: 1-1
Faversham took the lead a minute after a half time with a bit of a soft goal as a throw in from Bradley Simms down the right into the area was flicked into the net by Jack Steventon.
Cray sought a quick leveller with Yusuff going close and then Hernandez was desperately unlucky to see his well struck shot cannon back off the crossbar. At the other end Harry Hudson who had a spell with Cray during the 2019-20 season headed wide.
In the 67th minute Faversham had a bit of daylight with a third goal as a corner down the left was played short and came to Nathan Wood who placed a shot wide of Molyneux and into the net.
Cray were not finished and Shae Hutchinson came close when played through and looked again to go wide of Hadler but pushed his shot wide of the right post.
However in the 83rd minute Cray netted a second after good work down the left form Lateef Adaja and Yussuf who put a ball in the box for Adaja but the ball was turned into his own net by Jack Parter.
There was still time for one more goal for Faversham Town netted by Olutade who followed up a cross into the box which wasn’t held and finished from close range.
In the end there was no real harm done despite the defeat and now the serious business begins with Cray heading to Wingate & Finchley on Saturday 8th August for the start of the Isthmian Premier League season.
Cray Wanderers: Henry Molyneux, Crossley Lema, Trialist, Rob Strachan, Frankie Morgan, Frankie Raymond, Alfie Payne, Ola Ogunwamide, Dan Ajakaiye, Alex Hernandez: Subs: Lateef Adaja, Quade Taylor, Shae Hutchinson, Trialist, Mitch Chapman, Tade Kpotie
Faversham Town: Tom Hadler, Josh Hare, Jack Steventon, Harry Hudson, Bradley Simms, Jack Evans, Tommie Fagg, Nathan Wood, Tashi-Jay Kwayie, Ibrahim Olutade, Enyie Amgbaduba: Subs: K. Campbell, Ethan Smith, K. Haysman, Jack Parter, J. Ajayi, M. Newman, L. Sheriff
