Cray Wanderers 0 Brightlingsea Regent 2 – Isthmian Premier Match Report – 25/9/21

Cray Wanderers vs. Brightlingsea Regent

Isthmian Premier – Saturday, 25^th September, 2021

Cray Wanderers                         0

Brightlingsea Regent                  2

Feyi 11, 56

Pics: Jon Hilliger/www.hilligerpix.com

Cray Wanderers difficult league run continued as Brightlingsea Regent inflicted a sixth straight defeat and continue their good winning record at Hayes Lane. Despite being down to ten men from the 8^th minute, the Essex side showed resolve to score two well taken through Ken Feyi in each half and despite late Cray pressure held on to win and make it three wins out of four visits to Cray Wanderers.

Cray had a short break from the last outing at Corinthian Casuals on 14^th September and from the side which played there were a handful of changes with Charlie Allen, Andy Drury and Ejiro Okosieme returning from injury while new arrivals Freddy Barton, Kasim Aidoo and Quaine Bartley made their debuts. Jack Hanson who has missed most of pre-season and the start of the season was on the bench.   Brightlingsea from the side which lost to Lewes last Saturday brought in Miles Mitchell-Nelson, Max Booth and Jamie Bennett for the suspended Chris Ribchester while Max Bradford and Kane Gilbert were on the bench.

With both sides searching for an end to their losing runs the game got off to quick start and Cray had the first shooting opportunity when down the left Adam Coombes cross found Andy Drury down the right who cut inside and fired wide of the right post.  Then from a corner down the right, Drury’s ball towards the far post was headed over by Ejiro Okosieme.

In the 8^th minute came the first big moment of the game when down the right Billy Wales went for the ball in a challenge with Anthony Cook two footed and was promptly shown the red card by referee Michael Smith.

Despite the setback for the visitors it was Brightlingsea who went in front in the 11^th minute when Freddy Barton’s back pass caught Okosieme flat footed and was latched onto by Ken Feyi who broke into the area as Jack Turner advanced and rounded the keeper and rolled the ball into the net.

It took a short while for Cray to recover from that but came close when from a throw in the ball came to Quaine Bartley whose ball across from the right was inviting but Adam Coombes just couldn’t get a touch to divert the ball goalwards.  Brightlingsea were resolute but did pose the occasional threat and down the left, Max Booth’s cross found Harry McDonald who shot wide of the right post.

In the 26^th minute Cray forged their best chance when a fine ball from Jamie Yila put Coombes  through down the left but his shot was well blocked by keeper Charlie Turner.

There was a good flow to the game and for Regent, McDonald set up Charlie Durling who shot wide while for Cray from a free kick Drury set up Kasim Aidoo whose shot was blocked.

With five minutes left in the half for Brightlingsea, Eren Kinali tested Jack Turner with a stinging shot down the right, then a minute later from a free kick 20 yards out, Coombes shot was pushed around the post well by Charlie Turner.

The last action of the half came virtually at the end from another free kick this time to the right and Coombes dipping shot went fractionally past the left post.

Half Time: 0-1

The second half was more of a scrappier affair and it took the Wands a little while to get going. There was blow when Charlie Allen had to go off with a recurrence of the ankle injury from earlier in the season.

A minute later on 56 minutes out of nothing it was 2-0 when a ball was played out from the back down the right to Feyi who took on Freddie Cray and into the box and tucked home a composed finish under Turner and into the net.

Despite having a man advantage this left Cray will a tall order for the rest of the half and looked to get back into it straight away and Archie Burnett’s pass found Drury who volleyed over the top.  Brightlingea almost scored a third when from a corner down the right the ball was flicked goalwards by Miles Mitchell-Nelson and came out to Lewis Byrne-Hewitt who fired wide of the left post.

Cray won a lot of corners second half and from one down the left, Jamie Yila’s cross was headed over at the far post by Okosieme.  Then Yila picked the ball up in midfield and strode towards goal but his shot which was on target just lacked the sufficient power to trouble Charlie Tuner unduly. Then Jack Hanson who came on to make his Wands debut shot over from 20 yards.

From another corner from Yila the ball came to Archie Burnett whose shot was blocked and then there was a lively appearance off the bench from Fjord Rogers who hit a crisp strike from outside the area which forced Turner to make a great save pushing the ball past the left post.  From the corner the ball came to Okosieme whose shot was blocked.

Into the final minutes, Cray still pushed for a goal and Freddie Cray’s ball into the box was headed towards goal by Coombes but was cleared off the line and then Yila set up Rogers whose shot was deflected off target and behind. Then Burnett’s shot was blocked with Wands appeals for a handball turned down.

The final thrust from Cray came when first Burnett set up Coombes who curled over down the left and then from a free kick, Cook’s cross was met by the head of Rogers and well pushed out by Turner and the ball was cleared.

Despite that late flurry Brightlingsea showed a lot of character and resolve to see out virtually the whole of the game with ten men, took their chances when they came and managed the game well.  For Cray, not only six straight defeats but three without a goal.  Certainly the chances have been there are being created but a mixture of bad luck in front of goal and cool finishing and solid defending by the opposition has moved Cray down to 18th place in the table. The Wands go again on Wednesday night when Wingate & Finchley are the visitors to Hayes Lane and you feel a key game as the losing streak needs to end and for the show to get back on the road.

Cray Wanderers:            Jack Turner, Kasim Aidoo, Freddie Cray, Ejiro Okosieme, Freddy Barton, Charlie Allen (Archie Burnett, 55), Andy Drury (Fjord Rogers, 76), Anthony Cook, Jamie Yila, Quaine Bartley (Jack Hanson, 65), Adam Coombes: Subs: Harvey Brand, Danny Kedwell

Booked:                        Cray

Brightlingsea:     Charlie Turner, Jamie Bennett, Billy Wales, Charlie Durling, Miles Mitchell-Nelson, Jake Thompson, Eren Kinali (Kane Gilbert, 69), Harry McDonald (Capt.), Ken Feyi (Reggie Gregory, 89), Marcus Goldbourne, Max Booth (Lewis Byrne-Hewitt, 61): Sub: Max Bradford

Sent Off:            Wales 8 mins

Booked:            Turner

Referee:            Michael Smith

Assistants:         Richard Joss

Att:       175