FT – Kent Senior Cup 1st Round – 6/10/26
Cray Wanderers 2
Lowe 53, 77 pen
Punjab United 0
Pics: Natalie Stribbling
Cray advance in the Kent Senior Cup after a fine performance especially in the second half as two Jakob Lowe goals seta up a 2nd Round tie at Welling United.
This was the first ever competitive meeting between the sides and after a quiet opening burst into life before the break
.
For Cray the recent cup successes meant a stock check for players and there was a handful of first teamers like Alfie Payne, Seidou Sanogo, Tolani Bello, Jakob Lowe and Tobi Tinibu and some of the talented U23s like Oscar Johnson, who had yet to concede a goal for Cray, Archie Morley, Billy Wall, Michael Ihiedi and Ralphe Short plus five U23s on the bench.
Punjab United were unbeaten in three and are playing in the Isthmian League for the first time and included former Wands skippers Sam Wood with Lea Dawson on the bench.
On another mild night the first half was fairly cagey with both teams feeling each other out. Punjab had the first half chance when Jack Hopkibs headed wide.
For Cray Michael Ihiedi tested Owen Bushell from distance and at the other end Stephen Ratcliff fired over.
The best chance of the hslf fell to Billy Wall who worked an opening down the right but was denied by a fine one handed save from Bushell.
The match got a bit tetchy before the break with Tobi Tinibu and Roman Campbell booked for a brief altercation and Wayne Bushell booked for Punjab for catching Ihiedi with his arm.
The second half opened up with Jack Anderson coming on and Wall was denied again by Bushell pushing out a shot down the right.
The Wands took the lead in the 53rd minute when from a free kick out on the left Alfie Payne’s cross was met by the head of Wall which was pushed out. Seidou Sanogo’s follow up was blocked but Jakob Lowe smashed home the rebound.
Three minutes later Lowe after a tremendous piece of skill and movement hit the left post with a sweet strike. Then Seidou Sanogo saw a shot held.
Punjab came close when Emmanuel Oluwasemo headed over but Cray defensively were superb marshalled by Miller Fleming and Oscar Johnson in goal.
The Wands went two nil up in the 77th minute when Lowe was brought down and converted a cool penalty.
Three other U23s came on in Sam Robinson, Abdul Cole and Caden Havell-Olding who saw a late shot saved.
The last chance came for Oluwasemo who headed over a Chrid Edwards free kick but Cray had done enough to advance and provide plenty of evidence of some fine young players for the future and the Wands fans a chance to see these exciting players play.
The date of the Welling game tbc.
Cray: Oscar Johnson, Tobi Tinibu, Ralphe Short, Miller Fleming, Archie Morley, Seidou Sanogo, Alfie Payne, Wall (Caden Havell-Olding, 88), Michael Ihiedi (Jack Anderson, H/T), Tolani Bello (Sam Robinson, 72), Jakob Lowe (Abdul Cole, 82)
Booked: Tinibu 40, Morley 90
Punjab United: Owen Bushell, Kyden Thomas, Sam Wood, Wayne Bushell, Roman Campbell, Jordan Campbell, Hudson Scudder, George Monger, Emmanuel Oluwasemo, William Johnson-Cole, Stephen Ratcliff: Subs: Jack Hopkins, Lea Dawson, Terloachan Singh, Zak Byron, Chris Edwards.
Referee: Simon Cutler
Assistants: Chris Bowdery, Connor Cowan
Att: 136
