Cray Wanderers vs Ramsgate – Isthmian Premier – Saturday 7th February – Match Report
Cray Wanderers 1
Hernandez 77
Ramsgate 1
Paxman 90+5
In a clash of two playoff contenders in good form Cray Wanderers and Ramsgate played out an entertaining draw on a grey and wet afternoon at Flamingo Park which was lit up by two superb goals from free kicks in the latter stages of the game.
The Wands though may see it as a missed opportunity to get back into the playoff places after Alex Hernandez put Cray ahead with his third free kick strike of the season against a ten man Ramsgate. However, five minutes into added time Alfie Paxman levelled for Ramsgate with another excellent dead ball shot and Cray dropped one place to seventh in the table after a fourteenth draw of the season.
Both teams came into the game on a wet and grey afternoon in confident mood but Cray were looking perhaps to gather more home points to go with the excellent away form. Ramsgate had won their last five in league and cup and it turned out to be an enjoyable game and showed why both teams were in the upper echelons of the league table.
For Cray there was one change to the side which won 3-2 at St Albans City last Saturday with skipper Tom Bonner returning for Quade Taylor. Tom Derry who re-signed for Cray on loan from Margate on Friday was on the bench. There were two changes to the Ramsgate side which won at Wingate & Finchley last Saturday with Logan Dobbs and Solomon Ogunwomoju coming in for Henry Lukombo and Kweku Lucan.
The match began at a fair pace with Ramsgate perhaps shading the opening exchanges. In the seventh minute, Benedict Bioletti down the right cut inside and found space to fire in a shot which was well held by Harry Seaden. A minute later down the left Greg Cundle curled a shot fractionally wide of the right post.
Cray though would build up momentum and had a good twenty minute spell around the quarter of an hour mark. Firstly Jordy Mongoy played a fine ball out from the left to Lateef Adaja down the right who worked his way to just outside the area and fired in a low shot which Dillon Addai got down to save at the right post.
Three minutes later Liam Nash’s pass was latched onto by Adaja who again bore down on goal but this Bromley loanee keeper Addai made a great save to push the ball round the post for a corner. Another three minutes would follow and Adaja again tested Addai with a shot held at the second attempt.
Cray continued to impress going forward and Remi Sutton who had an outstanding game found Frankie Morgan down the left who played a pass into Max Fiddes inside the area but fired across goal and wide.
Cray came closest in the first half just after the half hour when Fiddes found Frankie Raymond who from twenty five yards cracked in a tremendous strike which came back off the underside of the crossbar and back out into play.
For Ramsgate, Liam Nash hooked an effort over the bar but two minutes later Cray came close again to scoring. One of the great sights for Wands fans is that of Remi Sutton charging forward from the back and from his own half made a run down the left, broke into the area and his near post shot was turned round for a corner and another smart save by Addai.
The match then went through a little bit of a lull before half time but overall was a good watch in the first half and was a enjoyable goalless opening forty five minutes.
HT: 0-0
The start of the second half saw a change for Ramsgate with Mitchell May introduced for Ogunwomoju and began the half well with Nash setting up Tom Clifford for a shot which skimmed the outside of the left post.
Cray though continued to find Addai in great form in goal and Adaja down the right set up Mongoy for a goalbound shot which was turned acrobatically over for a corner. From the corner the ball came to Alex Hernandez who hooked his shot over the bar.
Ramsgate were coming more into the game and Alfie Paxman’s ball into the box was met by the head of Nash and Seaden had to turn the ball over the bar for a corner.
The game certainly deserved a goal and nearly came in the 54th minute when Adaja found Frankie Morgan whose first time shot was deflected past the right post by Addai for another fine save. Cray would have the ball in the net following a corner through Hernandez but was ruled out for offside.
Ramsgate would have a good few minutes of pressure forcing corners and throws and did threaten from a Billy Munday header that was claimed by Seaden.
Cray though continued to go forward and Adaja made another run in the box and certainly deserved a goal for his efforts but was unlucky to see his shot blocked by Logan Dobbs for a corner. Then Hernandez also saw a shot blocked inside the area.
Still opportunities came for the Wands and Fiddes was unlucky with a firm strike met by a fine one handed save by Addai. Shortly after Harry Bridle was introduced for the latter stages of the game.
In the 75th minute Ramsgate were reduced to ten men when substitute Donvieve Jones who had only been on the pitch for six minutes was sent off for bringing down Jordy Mongoy and denying a goal scoring opportunity.
From the free kick in the 77th minute, Cray needed something special to get past Addai and gained full reward when Hernandez in a position just to the left of the area curled home a superb free kick into the top left corner for his fourteenth goal of the season.
Three minutes later it was almost two nil when Raymond found Mongoy down the left who placed his shot just wide of the right post.
The final ten minutes and into five minutes of added time Cray were looking quite comfortable with the lead and looked to be managing the game well with Tom Derry making a return cameo for the last ten minutes.
There was however to be a late twist as five minutes into added time Ramsgate were awarded a free kick twenty five yards out to the right of the area. From the free kick Paxman arrowed in a curling strike which hit the top right corner and earned Ramsgate an unlikely point and a setback to Cray’s playoff hopes as a win would have put Cray up into fifth place with Dartford’s game at Cheshunt called off. It was the third time this season at home that Cray had conceded an equaliser in stoppage time to follow the games with St Albans City and Burgess Hill Town.
There was still time for Cray to force a corner at the other end but in the end the match finished in a draw after an enjoyable game with some good attacking play, strong defence, fine goalkeeping and two excellent examples of how to strike a dead ball to add goals to the contest. The game was also very well refereed and the game was allowed to flow and go quickly. There were some very good performances by the Wands players and was a real team effort but couldn’t quite get over the line at the finish.
Cray as a result of the draw drop down one place to seventh on 47 points with Billericay Town moving up into fifth after their win at Potters Bar Town on 48. Ramsgate remain ninth on 41 points.
The Wands will now go into back to back games against fellow playoff contenders with Chatham Town in fourth visiting Flamingo Park on Saturday in what should be another great occasion and then on to sixth placed Dartford on 21st February. Even so the Wands have put themselves firmly in the playoff picture and it will be an exciting next two Saturdays.
Cray Wanderers: Harry Seaden, Adrian Owiredu-Gyamera, Remi Sutton, Tom Bonner (Capt.), Frankie Morgan, Frankie Raymond, Harry Waldock, Lateef Adaja, Jordy Mongoy (Tom Derry, 85), Alex Hernandez, Max Fiddes (Harry Bridle, 73): Subs: Freddie Price, Quade Taylor, Ralfi Hand
Booked: Waldock 42, Sutton 72, Bonner 90+4
Ramsgate: Dillon Addai, Logan Dobbs (Donvieve Jones, 69), Raphe Brown, Tom Clifford (Eze Ebuzoeme, 64), Ian Gayle, Billy Munday, Benedict Bioletti, Alfie Paxman (Capt.), Greg Cundle (Kweku Lucan, 55), Solomon Ogunwomoju (Mitchell May, H/T), Liam Nash (Harry Webster, 78)
Sent Off: Jones 75
Booked: Gayle 27, Dobbs 43, Clifford 59, Brown 72
Referee: Joe Burgess
Assistants: Brian Taylor, Dan Boulden
Att: 802
