Cray Wanderers vs Stockport County – FA Cup 1st Round – 8/11/26 – Match Report
Cray Wanderers 2
McLeod 21, Hernandez 35
Stockport County 3
Wootton 81, Mandron 90+1, Fiorini 101 pen
After Extra Time
Pics to follow
Cray Wanderers historic FA Cup run came to an end but only after a gigantic effort against a Stockport County side four divisions above which saw the Wands stun the Hatters with two quality first half goals from Sammie McLeod and Alex Hernandez leaving the fans dreaming. Just before the second goal Stockport were reduced to ten men when keeper Luca Ashby-Hammond was dismissed for bringing down John Ufuah.
The second half saw Stockport respond but only in the last ten minutes did they make their pressure tell when Josh Dacres-Cogley set up substitute Kyle Wootton to turn the ball in with nine minutes left. In the first minute of additional time it was 2-2 when Mandron headed in Jack Diamond’s cross.
In extra time County edged ahead before the break from a penalty when JJ Briggs was adjudged to have fouled Mikael Mandron and Lewis Fiorini tucked home the spot kick four minutes before half time.
On a remarkable afternoon with so many firsts and on Remembrance weekend there after what seemed a very long build up to the game it was a relief to kick off and once it did the game was a great watch for the neutrals and a credit to the competition.
There was one change to the Wands side which won at Brentwood last Saturday with Bayli Spencer-Adams coming in for Lateef Adaja. Stockport County made eight changes from their last match with AFC Wimbledon on 31st October.
Cray started well but Stockport just looked like they were beginning to impose themselves when the Wands took the lead in the 21st minute. Ade Yusuff played a ball out to Ola Ogunwamide down the right who took on a couple of defenders and squared the ball to Sammie McLeod who made no mistake from eight yards for his second Cray Wanderers goal.
The Wands then thought they could have been awarded a penalty when Yusuff looked to have been caught by the trailing arm of Eoghan O’Connell but no decision was given.
There was real drama in the 31st minute when Crossley Lema’s ball through put John Ufuah in on goal and lofted the ball towards goal but was cleared off the line by Josh Dacres-Cogley but at the same time was judged to have been clattered by keeper Luca Ashby-Hammond and was shown a red card.
After a four minute delay where Ollie Whatmuff came on for Stockport in goal in place of Che Gardner and after a bit of treatment for Ufuah it was well worth waiting for as from three yards outside the box to the right Alex Hernandez (not for the first time in a Wands shirt) curled an up and over the wall and into the right corner of the net for his fifth goal of the season.
It was nearly three nil when Ogunwamide set up Yusuff in the box but poked his shot wide of the left post.
Stockport to be honest never got going in the first half but really would have been read the riot act at half time but at the same time Cray had produced a first half performance worthy of a standing ovation.
HT: 2-0
Stockport made a couple of changes at half time with Jack Diamond and Ethan Pye coming on and Diamond certainly made an impact.
Cray started the second half positively and Yusuff got on the end of a terrific pass from Lema and saw his lob towards goal cleared away O’Connell.
Stockport though in the last half hour were beginning to show their teeth and top scorer Kyle Wootton came on just after the hour and certainly looked the part when he came on.
Still though Cray defended their box well with Rob Strachan, Bayli Spencer-Adams, Crossley Lema and Frankie Morgan outstanding as was Ufuah up front.
For Stockport O’Connell found Harry Wood who was in on goal but JJ Briggs in the Cray goal did well to get a block in and narrowed the angle resulting in a corner.
Then Lewis Fiorini and Wootton combined to set up Diamond for a low shot held by Briggs. This was followed by Wood seeing a shot blocked. At the other end Yusuff was found with a pass and showed muscle to get in on goal but O’Connell did well to snuff out a shot on goal.
In the 71st minute Stockport were awarded a free kick from which Fiorini curled an effort round the wall but was held by Briggs,
The next goal in the game looked to be crucial and it came with nine minutes to go when Lewis Fiorini played a ball out to Dacres-Cogley dow the right who laid the ball across for Wootton to head home from six yards.
Cray now had to hang on and brought on subs in Lateef Adaja, Seidou Sanogo, Tobi Tinibu and Soul Kader just to break up the play and look to get the ball further up the field.
Alas in the first of four minutes added time Stockport levelled when Mikael Mandron found Diamond down the left and his cross found Mandron who got to the ball to steer a header into the net to almost certainly take the game to extra time.
After a dramatic ninety minutes up to two seasons ago a 2-2 draw would have been enough to earn a replay but now the game needs to be decided on the day.
Extra time is often full of tired players but if the Wands 4th qualifying round tie with Bedford Town is anything to go by the extra half hour can be exhilarating.
It was just getting a bit cagey when the game turned on its head in the 101st minute when O’Connell’s ball forward into the area saw Briggs come to meet Mandron and was perhaps harshly judged to have collided with the forward and a penalty kick was given.
From the spot the penalty was dispatched by Lewis Fiorini and County were ahead for the first time. Incredibly the Wands almost levelled straight away when Strachan’s ball into the area came to Seidou Sanogo who looked to guide the ball into the net but a key touch off Jay Mingi took the ball behind for a corner.
In the final half of extra time Cray got a second wind and substitute Alfie Payne’s free kick out on the left to the far post led to a goalmouth scramble and Rob Strachan was adjudged to have fouled on the line. Then Strachan found McLeod who came close with a fine effort out on the right which lifted just over the bar.
Then Morgan put over a cross from the left which Whatmuff did well to punch away but fell to another sub, Tobi Tinibu down the right who drove his shot wide.
Cray never ever let their heads dropped but in the end perhaps it was Stockport’s extra professionalism and fitness which won the day for Jimmy McNulty’s side saw out the remaining minutes and will take their place in Monday’s second round draw.
Cray though four divisions below gave a tremendous account of themselves live on TV and can move on to a league fixture with Three Bridges on Tuesday night perhaps a bit jaded with the extra time but will be looking to use the experience to move up the league table.
The match was watched by a record Flamingo Park crowd of 2372 and anyone present will never forget the occasion, match and effort and on Remembrance Sunday definitely was one to be remembered for years.
Cray Wanderers: JJ Briggs, Crossley Lema, Bayli Spencer-Adams (Tobi Tinibu, 83), Rob Strachan, Frankie Morgan, Frankie Raymond (Capt.) (Seidou Sanogo, 80), Sammie McLeod, Ola Ogunwamide (Lateef Adaja, 80), John Ufuah (Shae Hutchinson, 104), Alex Hernandez (Alfie Payne, 103), Ade Yusuff (Soul Kader, 86): Subs: Oscar Johnson, Quade Taylor, Billy Wall
Booked: McLeod 69
Stockport County: Luva Ashby-Hammond, Josh Dacres-Cofley (Jay Mingi, 91), Eoghan O’Connell (Capt.), Benony Andresson (Jack Diamond, 46), Tom Wilson-Brown (Ethan Pye, 46), Tayo Edun, Harry Wood, Lewis Fiorini, Jason Adigun (Kyle Wootton, 61), Mikael Mandron (Richard Ilara, 106), Che Gardner (Oliver Whatmuff, 34): Subs: James Bailey, Joe Astles, Oliver Huddleston
Sent off: Ashby-Hammond 31
Booked: O’Connell 50, Pye 51
Referee: Lewis Sandoe
Assistants: Michael Webb & Graham Kane
4th Official: Alex Chilowicz
Att: 2372
