Cray Wanderers 1 Haringey Borough 2 – Isthmian Premier, 9/3/22, Match Report

Cray Wanderers vs. Haringey Borough – Match Report

Isthmian League Premier – 9/3/22

 

Cray Wanderers                                1

Haringey Borough                            2

 Cray Wanderers’ hopes of creating some breathing space above the Isthmian Premier relegation places were given a knock as Haringey Borough came from behind to win at Hayes Lane and boost their own survival hopes.

 The Wands who had been unbeaten in their last four home games got off to a flying start as Jamie Yila tucked home his 11th goal of the season when he finished well from Freddy Barton’s pass.  Cray though couldn’t build on that start and Haringey got back into the game on 27 minutes when Alfred Bawling’s right wing cross was turned in by Andronicos Georgiou.  Seven minutes later Haringey went in front when Michael O’Donoghue down the left latched on to Georgios Aresti’s terrific pass and squeezed a shot past Joe Wright and into the net.  Despite some late pressure from Cray, Haringey defended stoutly and held on to claim the three points.

 Cray were looking to build on the 1-1 draw with Cheshunt on Saturday which moved Cray on to 29 points and results on Tuesday night went for the Wands as the three teams below all lost.  From the side which started on Saturday came Nazir Bakrin and Jamie Yila in place of Tom Hanfrey and Jacob Munting. On the bench was new loan signing from Bromley, Soul Kader.   Haringey who were 16th on 35 points were beaten 0-3 at Carshalton Athletic on Saturday and into the side came Alfie Marigiliani, Jorge Djassi-Sambu and Andronicos Georgiou in place of Alex Zamani, Sami Bessadi and Andre Odeku.

 On a night with a little tension in the air, Cray got off to a great start and after some good early passing took the lead in the 3rd minute.  The excellent Freddy Barton picked up the ball in midfield, strode forward and played a fine ball through to Jamie Yila who broke centrally into the box and stroked the ball past Marigliani and into the net.

Despite the early goal Cray couldn’t really build on this great start and Haringey were able to get into the game and the match got a bit scrappy for a phase.   Both sides won a corner apiece but it was Cray who fashioned the next big chance when Yila turned provider when he played Sam Wood away down the left and his shot was spilled behind for a corner by Marigliani.

 Haringey showed their threat when down the left Michael O’Donoghue played a pass out to the right to David Olufemi who in turn found Djassi-Sambu who with time fired a shot wide of fhe left post.

 On 25 minutes Cray almost double thier advantage when a ball was played over the top for Narcis-Florin Filip who down the left of the area was unclucky to see his shot well blocked by Marigliani just inside the area.

Two minutes later Haringey drew level and was well created and taken as the ball was worked down the right to Alfred Bawling and his cross was turned in from 10 yards by Georgiou and it was just starting to look like a twichy evening.

 Cray looked to restore the lead when Wood down the left set up Cameron Brodie who shot wide of the right post from 12 yards.

 In the 34th minute the game was turned on its head when Haringey took the lead when down the left Georgios Aresti played an exquisite ball into Michael O’Donoghue by the edge of the six yard box and he fired past Joe Wright who may have got a touch to the ball but couldn’t keep it out and into the bottom right corner.

Shortly after from a free kick down the left of the area David Olufemi curled the ball over the wall and was claimed by Wright while for Cray Anthony Cook found Kasim Aidoo down the left and his ball across was met by the head of Dickson but Marigliani was able to gather on his line.

 Before half time, Yila down the right saw his cross to the far post find Wood but couldn’t get a firm enough connection to the ball and went behind.

 H/T:  1-2

 Cray looked to get back into the game in the second half but Haringey had grown with confidence before half time and started the second period much the same way.

 Two minutes in it could have been 3-1 when Aresti set up Georgiou for a shot which was deflected behind for a corner.

 Cray won a corner down the right and Haringey almost broke away from it as Bawling who had a fine game down the right sped away and set up Georgiou for a shot from just inside the area which was well held by Wright.

Cray’s efforts to get back into it were thwarted by perhaps the final ball or stout defending from Borough and continued to threaten on the break and Georgiou’s cross for Aresti was put behind for a corner and then Bawling down the left saw his shot deflect off Nazir Bakrin and through to Wright.

For Cray, on 65 minutes Barton’s corner down the left to the far post was nodded wide by Chris Dickson.  Then four minutes later, Dickson was found by Barton down the right, took the ball round the keeper and laid the ball across to Soul Kader on his debut who fired wide of the right post.

 For Haringey, Aresti shot wide from distance before being substituted and from a free kick from O’Donoghue the ball was flicked by Djassi-Sambu but claimed by Wright.

 Cray were still not getting much joy close to goal and Brodie found Barton who found Dickson who set up Kader but was denied by a fine block from Charne Lemba.  Then another Barton cross found Wood whose volley was blocked.

 From a free kick on the left edge of the area, Barton’s ball towards goal was flicked over the bar by Marigiliani and then with eight minutes to Jacob Munting’s ball into the box was headed over by Dickson.

 The last few minutes saw the shape of the game disappear and for Haringey down the right Olufemi saw a near post effort blocked behind by Wright while for Cray Denzel Williams’ ball across from the right saw a header from Dickson blocked by Marigliani at the far post.

The final action of the game saw another Barton corner down the right come to Wood who curled the ball towards goal and clipped the top of the crossbar and over and for Haringey Olufemi set up Sami Bessadi for a shot which went wide.

 In the end though Haringey held on to win the game and after a shaky start came back to win and you feel on 38 points they may have enough to keep them away certainly from the bottom two. Haringey played with great pace and pressured the Wands in possession and merited their victory in the end.  Cray for their part did create openings especially in the first half but perhaps just got a bit jittery in the second half and couldn’t capitalize on the great start to the game.

 Cray go again on Saturday at Bognor Regis Town and still have 8 more games to play and plenty of points to play for all is not lost despite the defeat.

 

Cray Wanderers:  Joe Wright, Freddie Barton, Nazir Bakrin, Denzel Williams,Kasim Aidoo, Cameron Brodie, Anthony Cook (Capt.) (Jacob Munting, 78), Sam Wood, Jamie Yila, Chris Dickson, Narcis-Florin Filip (Soul Kader: 62): Subs: Luca Albon, Richie Danquah, Tom Hanfrey

 Scorer:           Yila 3 mins    

 Haringey Borough:  Alfie Marigliani, David Olufemi, Michael O’Donoghue, Samuel Cook, Scott Mitchell, Charne Lemba, Jorge Djassi-Sambu, Georgios Aresti (Sami Bessadi, 68), Alfred Bawling (Andre Odeku, 78), Andronicos, Georgiou (Nathan Kpemu, 88), Samuel Owusu: Sub: Alexander Zamani          

Scorers:         Georgiou 27, O’Donoghue 34

 Booked:         Aresti 58

  

Referee:         Karl Sear

Assistants:    Craig Charles, Patrick Yates

 

Att:      209