Cray Wanderers 1 Dartford 3 – FA Trophy 3rd Round – Sat. 18th December, Match Report

Cray Wanderers vs. Dartford –  FA Trophy 3rd Round – Saturday 18th December

Match Report

 

Cray Wanderers                                                                    1

Dartford                                                                                 3

Pics: Jon Hilliger/www.hilligerpix.com

 

Cray Wanderers first ever FA Trophy 3rd round tie ended in defeat as Dartford advanced into the 4th Round after a purple patch of three goals in six minutes before the half hour turned the cup tie in the National South sides favour.

 A quick fire brace from Jake Robinson in the 24th and a 27th minute penalty put the Darts in the driving seat and on the half hour Danny Leonard stole up from the back to slot home a well taken third.

 Cray though battled hard through three rounds to advance to the 3rd Round and never gave up and deserved the goal scored by midfielder Jai Reason fifteen minutes from time and threw everything at the Darts goal to try and to force a dramatic final to the game.

On a murky afternoon, Cray Wanderers manager Danny Kedwell was hampered with the absence of a number of key players through Covid with the likes of Anthony Cook, Ethan Kaiser, Chris Dickson, Freddy Barton and Tom Hanfrey missing and Cameron Brodie unavailable against his parent club. From the team which started against Bishop’s Stortford into the side came Jack Hanson in an unfamiliar right back role, Fjord Rogers up front, Sam Skeffington in his last match as a Wands loan player and Marvin McCoy in the centre of defence.

Steve King’s Dartford side had made a superb start to the season but had just seen their lead at the top of the National South shrink in recent weeks and were beaten 0-4 at Maidstone last week. They too had enforced absentees and made seven changes from that game with Michael Kedman, Ronnie Vint, Jack Jebb, Jordan Wynter, Jake Robinson, Emmanuel Sonupe and Tyrique Hyde all starting for the Darts.

 Despite the grey skies the brightly attired teams in amber and pink added light to the gloom and it was a brisk cup tie with plenty of good football and a terrific advert for the competition.

Dartford won a couple of early corners but it was Cray who created the first big opening of the afternoon in the fourth minute when from a corner down the right, Kyel Reid’s ball to the far post was met by the head of Fjord Rogers but bounced off the top of the crossbar.

In the 10th minute Dartford won a corner and from the right, Jack Jebb’s cross was flicked on by Ronnie Vint for Emmanuel Sonupe and his shot was blocked by Jack Hanson.

 After a short spell of sparring, the game began to blossom from the 20th minute and Jamie Yila showed good tenacity and perseverance to win the ball outside the box, turn and from the left of the area saw a shot deflected past the left post by Vint.  From the corner, keeper Dan Wilks had to push the ball away under pressure.

 Shortly after Jai Reason saw a shot charged down on the edge of the box and then did well after a short period of pressure, Reason set up Reid for a shot from just outside the area which went wide of the right post.

In the 24th minute and slightly against the run of play Dartford forged ahead when a fine ball from Noor Husin played a terrific ball through to Jake Robinson who bore down on goal but Bailey Vose did well to spread himself to block the shot. Dartford were quick to the follow up and the pacey and rangy Tyrique Hyde down the left kept the ball moving and set up Robinson who from the left edge of the area placed a shot wide of Vose and into the bottom right.

Cray needed to regain their composure but three minutes later Dartford were awarded perhaps a rather harsh penalty when down the right of the area Hyde was adjudged to have been clipped from behind by Marvin McCoy. From the spot, Robinson confidently struck his second of the afternoon.

On the half hour it was 3-0 and seemingly the end of the tie when Robinson this time was provider as his ball into the area was deflected off a defender towards Hyde who glanced the ball towards the right of the box to Danny Leonard who strode up from the back to hit a half volley into the bottom left corner.

From here Cray needed to steady the ship and managed to recover some poise as the half went on but knew they needed a miracle of Istanbul style recovery to bounce back.

 

H/T: 0-3

 Cray started the second half positively and a ball in from the left by Reid towards the far post was glanced off target by Yila.  Then from distance the hard working Rogers lashed a shot well over.

Dartford were still a threat going forward and Jebb set up Kedman down the left of the area and his first time shot was well held by Vose.

Then there was a good passing move down the left and Jordan Wynter found Kedman and his zippy cross towards the far post found Robinson who on a hat-trick skewed his shot across goal and wide of the left post.

Cray continued to seek a goal to put them back in the game and came close when down the right a great cross from Sam Skeffington was headed past the left post by Yila.

Just after the hour the game was starting to get stretched and for Dartford, Robinson set up Sonupe was saved by Vose. At the other end, Andy Drury who had a terrific, industrious game setup Reason for a shot from 25 yards which was saved by Wilks.

A minute later Danny Kedwell was introduced for Cray off the bench and shortly after Dartford brought off Hyde and Robinson possibly with Boxing Day’s local derby with Ebbsfleet United in mind. 

In the 75th minute Cray scored the goal their performance merited as Vose won the ball from a corner and threw the ball out Yila down the left and then found Reid who laid the ball across to Reason who crashed home an unerring finish from the edge of the area to make it 3-1 with still a fair bit of time left.

Dartford should really have made it 4-1 shortly after when a Leonard cross from the left was headed over by Dan Roberts who was slightly on the stretch.

Cray continued to seek a second goal to make it even more tense and from a corner, Hanson’s ball across found Reason and his effort was blocked.

The Wands were just running out of time but came close to a second goal in injury time when from a free kick on the right of the penalty area, Yila’s ball into the area was met by Drury but Wilks did well to save and following up Drury went down in the box seemingly under a challenge but no penalty was given even though he picked up a knock which forced him off towards the end.

 Not for the first time in recent weeks, Cray perhaps didn’t get the just rewards for their performance with the result but certainly there was a lot to compliment the side on their display and against a very good side who are legitimate promotion contenders from the National South can be proud of their showing and during the competition as a whole which saw the club break new ground.

 From here it is all about improving the club’s league position in the Isthmian Premier and maintaining their place in the league next season but more performances like today and of late then this should be within their capabilities.  The Wands are next in action on Monday 27th December vs Margate but in the current climate anything can change in the next nine days but hopefully everyone keeps safe for Christmas and enjoys a safe holiday season.

 

Cray Wanderers:  Bailey Vose, Kasim Aidoo, Dean Beckwith, Marvin McCoy, Jack Hanson, Andy Drury (Erald Desa 90+4), Sam Skeffington, Jai Reason, Kyel Reid, Jamie Yila, Fjord Rogers (Danny Kedwell 64).  Subs: Eniola Hassan, Silas Donkor, Daniel Mountain

 Scorer:           Reason 75

VBET  MAN OF THE MATCH – Andy Drury

Man of the Match Andy Drury along with super fan of Bromley and Cray Wanderers, Colin Head who attended his 3000th game today. Pic. Ozay Booth

 Dartford:  Dan Wilks, Danny Leonard, Michael Kedman, Noor Husin, Ronnie Vint, Josh Clarke, Jack Jebb, Jordan Wynter, Jake Robinson (George Porter, 69), Emmanuel Sonupe (Dan Roberts, 72), Tyrique Hyde (Kieran Murtagh, 68). Subs:  Samuel Oduadu, D’Sean Theobalds

 Scorers:         Robinson 24, 27 pen, Leonard 30

 Att: 473

Referee:  Steven Hughes

Assistants:  Ryan Head & Ollie Davies