Cray Wanderers vs Burgess Hill Town – Isthmian Premier – Saturday 22nd November – Match Report
Cray Wanderers 3
Dickson 19, Adaja 25, Isiaka 71
Burgess Hill Town 3
Williams 57. Box 64, Rea 90+6 pen
Cray Wanderers remain 6th in the Isthmian Premier but had to be content with a point from a tenth draw of the season as Burgess Hill Town twice came from behind in the second half levelling with a penalty in the sixth minute of injury time.
The Wands had looked to have a grip on the game at half time leading 2-0 with goals from Chris Dickson in the 19th minute and six minutes later through Lateef Adaja. Burgess Hill though hung in the game and made it 2-2 by the 64th minute with goals from Luther Williams and Martyn Box. Kareem Isiaka restored Cray’s lead with a close range finish in the 71st minute but couldn’t put the game to bed and deep into added time Burgess Hill won a penalty when Stefan Vukoje was brought down by Harry Revill who was shown a red card. From the spot, Glen Rea levelled to earn the Hillians a point in the teeming rain.
Cray were looking to build on the 2-0 win at Welling United last Saturday and there were four changes changes to the side with Quade Taylor and Frankie Raymond suspended and Alex Hernandez injured with loanee debutant Harry Revill signed from Hull City, Ralfi Hand, Lateef Adaja and Kareem Isiaka in for Josh Williams. Another addition to the subs bench was Mitch Chapman in midfield returning for his second spell with the Wands.
Burgess Hill Town in ninth on 23 points had lost only one of the last eight league games and from the side which beat AFC Whyteleafe in the Velocity Cup on Tuesday evening into the team came Roco Rees in goal, Hamish Morrison, Reggie Ward, Jack Meeres, George Vorster, Kieran Rowe, Chris Whelpdale and Martyn Box for Alfie Mansell, Josh Spinks, Stefan Vukoje, Ryan Worrall, Ben Pope, Brannon O’Neil, Bobby Price and Luke Gambin.
On a very grey and chilly afternoon it took a little while for the game to get going with Burgess Hill Town dominating the possession in the first quarter of an hour. Burgess Hill created the first real openings in the first five minutes with Harry Lawson down the right cutting into the area and laid the ball across eventually falling to George Vorster who fired wide of goal. Then two minutes later Vorster was found with a ball down the left of the area but Harry Seaden did well to come and block the shot.
Cray couldn’t quite get things going in the forward areas but the game and the Wands burst into life in the 19th minute following the award of a corner down the left. Ralfi Hand’s fine ball towards the far post beat Roco Rees and Chris Dickson was on hand to head in his third goal of the season.
The Wands now had their tails up and added a second goal in the 25th minute when Dickson was provider playing a sublime pass through to Lateef Adaja down the right of the area who cleverly lofted the ball over Rees and into the net for his fifth goal of the season.
The game was now becoming a fine contest and both keepers excelled with a save apiece within a minute after the half hour. Firstly, Burgess Hill came close to pulling a goal back when Vorster down the right played a fine ball across into the area for Harry Lawson but Harry Seaden in the Wands goal made a great instinctive save keeping the ball out with his feet.
Then, at the other end from a corner down the left, Ralfi Hand curled a shot toward to top right but Rees did well to tip the ball over the bar. From the corner, skipper Remi Sutton shot wide of the right post.
For Burgess Hill Martyn Box received a return pass from Vorster and in on goal but seemed to scuff his shot towards goal and wide but a corner was given.
Just on half time Cray nearly added a third which surely would have given the visitors too much of mountain to climb when Hand found Frankie Morgan down the left and his great ball across to the far post saw the ball turned over the top by Dickson.
HT: 2-0
The second half was played entirely in pouring rain but credit to both teams for carrying on the way the first half ended and was certainly dramatic.
Burgess Hill had hung in the game and came close to pulling a goal back six minutes after the break when from a Vorster corner down the right the ball after a scramble was poked towards goal possibly by Chris Whelpdale and Jack Meeres and saved by Seaden but the ball was cleared off the line and not over despite protestations.
However, Cray never heeded the warning and in the 57th minute Burgess Hill Town pulled a goal back again from a Vorster corner and again kept the ball alive inside the area and Luther Williams got the final touch to diver the ball into the net.
In the 64th minute Burgess Hill Town levelled when Whelpdale found Martyn Box down the left who cut inside and from just outside sent a shot towards goal which took a deflection off Harry Revill and into the net.
Cray now had to regroup and got back on to the attack and Chris Dickson set up substitute Josh Williams down the right of the area but his shot was saved by Rees.
Then two minutes later from the award of a free kick in a central position, Ralfi Hand’s well struck shot was touched over the bar well by Rees.
Cray kept going and after Revill saw a shot on goal deflected behind for a corner, Hand’s cross down the right to the far post was glanced on by Dickson for Kareem Isiaka to turn the ball in from close range.
Mitch Chapman made his return with a substitute appearance shortly after the goal and Cray looked to add a fourth with Isiaka seeing a low shot held, Adaja put over a fine cross which flashed across the box and Harry Waldock lashed a shot wide of the right post.
Prosper Keto and Victor Damyanov came on for the final few minutes but Burgess Hill still sought a leveller and down the left substitute Luke Gambin’s cross was headed out by Morgan and came to the far post for Hamish Morrison to fire wide of goal.
In the fourth minute of injury time Burgess Hill launced the ball forward and substitute Stefan Vukoje latched onto the pass and broke into the area but was deemed to have been pulled down by Revill who was shown a red card. The penalty kick still had to be scored and experienced defender Glen Rea stepped up in the 96th minute to level the game once again and claim a point much to the frustration of the Wands.
In the end looking back it was a much changed Wands side without Tom Bonner, Quade Taylor, Frankie Raymond and Alex Hernandez and included a few young players against a progressive and attack minded Burgess Hill side but the performance of Chris Dickson up front was a joy to watch and scored a goal and two assists whilst Harry Waldock, Ralfi Hand and Frankie Morgan in particular produced fine performances but just need to be able to see out games when in front and turn some of those ten draws into more wins.
Cray now head to a couple of away matches at Canvey Island and Potters Bar Town before the post-Christmas home match with Whitehawk on Friday 12th December.
Cray Wanderers: Harry Seaden, Adrian Owiredu-Gyamera, Remi Sutton (Capt.), Harry Revill, Frankie Morgan, Ralfi Hand (Mitch Chapman, 72), Harry Waldock (Prosper Keto, 84), Ashley Nzala (Josh Williams, 59), Lateef Adaja, Chris Dickson, Kareem Isiaka (Victor Damyanov, 87): Substitute: Andrew Dzontoh
Sent Off: Revill 90+4
Booked: Nzala 55, Owiredu-Gyamera 85
Burgess Hill Town: Roco Rees, Hamish Morrison, Reggie Ward, Glen Rea, Jack Meeres, (Stefan Vukoje, 72), Luther Williams, George Vorster, Kieran Rowe (Capt.), Chris Whelpdale (Ben Pope, 72), Harry Lawson (Luke Gambin, 80), Martyn Box: Subs: Josh Spinks, Brannon O’Neil
Booked: Rea 6 mins, Meeres 51, Rowe 74
Referee: Patrick Nixon
Assistants: Matthew Leaning, Benjamin Frape
Att: 512
