Cray Wanderers vs Chippenham Town
FA Cup 3rd Qualifying Round – 3/10/26 – Match Report
Cray Wanderers 3
Ogunwamide 18, Yusuff 20, Adaja 69
Chippenham Town 0
Pics: Natalie Stribbling
Cray Wanderers advanced to the 4th Qualifying Round of the FA Cup for only the fourth time in their history after a fine victory against Southern League Premier South Chippenham Town at Flamingo Park in the first ever meeting between the sides.
Cray played some excellent football in the first half and this was encapsulated by two goals in two minutes around the 20 minute mark which took the breath away. Firstly in the 18th minute Ola Ogunwamide in scintillating recent form made it three goals in four games with a stunning strike from just over twenty five yards which flew past keeper Jack Witchard.
Two minutes later it was two nil with Lateef Adaja the provider with an excellent cross from the left to the far post for Ade Yusuff to pounce and score from five yards.
Chippenham Town stayed in the game into the second half but the decisive third goal came on 69 minutes when after Alex Hernandez’ cross shot came back off the right post the ball fell kindly to Adaja to score his first of the season and cap a terrific all action display.
The visitors were presented with a chance to pull a goal back eight minutes from time but Olaf Koszela’s penalty was saved by JJ Briggs and the Bluebirds chance of a comeback was gone.
Cray went into the ninth game in the 3rd Qualifying Round in good form unbeaten in five league and cup games and boosted by the 2-0 win at Maidstone in the previous round. For Tim O’Shea’s side there were two changes to the side which started the win at Maldon & Tiptree on Tuesday with the two Frankie’s, Raymond and Morgan returning in place of Seidou Sanogo and Tobi Tinibu.
Chippenham, 20th in the Southern League Premier South had beaten Havant & Waterlooville and Yate Town to advance and made two changes to the side beaten at Evesham on Tuesday with Leon Moore and Olaf Koszela coming in for Lewis Royston and Henry Sady.
On a grey but extremely mild afternoon in front of an excited crowd it was the visitors who perhaps started more on the front foot but the nearest they came was when Felix Miles saw a shot blocked.
Cray were just cranking up the gears and Frankie Raymond’s free kick from out on the right was whipped in viciously but Jack Witchard in goal did well to claim. Then in the ninth minute the Wands almost took the lead when Ade Yusuff set up Soul Kader down the right of the area but shot just past the left post.
In the 18th minute Cray went in front with one of if not the best goal yet seen at Flamingo Park when after link up play with Crossley Lema down the right Ola Ogunwamide in a rich vein of form cut inside, found space and from just past twenty five yards hit a blistering shot which gave Witchard no chance and hit the top left corner for his third goal in four matches.
The crowd hubbub after the goal had barely subsided when two minutes later it was two nil to Cray. This time down the left Lateef Adaja showed great feet to find space and into the area to put over a cross to the far post where Ade Yusuff was on hand to net his ninth of the season. It took a good few minutes after for the crowd to get their collective breaths back after two minutes of real fantasy football.
Shortly after another Adaja cross just missed the onrushing Yusuff. Then Kader attempted a chipped shot which Witchard had to grab.
For Chippenham Alex Kieh hit a shot from 30 yards which was saved by JJ Briggs. Then Joel Odei-Larbi found space but fired over the top and then fired into the side netting down the left.
At half time Cray had the lead but it looked like the next goal in the game would be decisive.
HT: 2-0
Chippenham really needed to chase the game and brought on Marley Rose at the break for Leon Moore but Cray were defending solidly and looking to cause problems especially down the right with Ogunwamide’s pace. There was a bit of concern early in the half when Ade Yusuff went down behind the goal after looking like crashing into the hoardings but was soon back on his feet.
Chippenham did look to threaten and Koszela fired in a daisy cutter from distance which Briggs got down to make a comfortable save and the young keeper’s handling and distribution was first class. At the other end Alex Hernandez saw a shot from twenty yards held by Witchard.
The visitors had to throw caution to the wind and Koszela did come close with a well struck shot that Briggs had to push round the left post on the hour.
Perhaps the best chance for Chippenham came two minutes later when Piotr Petrynski’s left wing cross was headed wide by Odei-Lerbi under pressure from Briggs.
Cray though were beginning though just to raise the tempo again and Yusuff was unlucky when his cross-shot went across goal and Kader couldn’t get a touch.
Then Raymond’s free kick found Adaja whose shot was deflected behind for a corner. From the corner in the 69th minute Cray got the third goal which would decide the game. Hernandez from a short corner made inroads down the left and dinked a ball over towards the far post which came back off the angle of post and crossbar but fell invitingly for Adaja who fired home his first of the season and one richly deserved.
Cray just needed now to preserve the clean sheet and Seidou Sanogo and Tobi Tinibu were brought on. Chippenham though looked like they may reduce the arrears in the 82nd minute when after a cross into the area from the left caused a bit of disarray Briggs brought down Marley Rose for one of the more obvious penalty kicks. However, Koszela’s kick was well guessed by Briggs who got down to save at the right post and the Bluebirds last chance to cause a flutter was ended.
Soul Kader was denied a fourth Wands goal by a good save by the legs of Witchard and Ogunwamide cut inside from the right and shot over.
The Wands introduced Alfie Payne, Jakob Lowe and making his debut, U23s player Billy Wall who has been with Cray and under the coaching of Nick Desanges since the age of 6 for the final stages.
The final attack came from Chippenham when Josh Macron’s cross was met by the head of Luke Haines but safely gathered by Briggs and the clean sheet was confirmed.
This was another positive performance by the Wands and warmly received and acknowledged by the Cray Massive at the end and a number of younger supporters giving it their all. Tosh’s side are playing an exciting brand of football and now stand just one game away from a place in the 1st Round of the FA Cup for the first time.
A word also for the referee Redmond Egan who was barely noticed in the game and allowed the match to flow and applied common sense with any flashpoints.
The Wands now await Monday’s 4th Qualifying Round draw (2 pm – live on Talksport) where the National League come into it but there are also four other Isthmian Premier sides in the draw and a number of enticing opponents in the southern half of the draw either north, east, south and west to host or visit. The match will take place on Saturday 17th October and as a result the league match at Ramsgate that day will be rescheduled.
Cray’s next match will be at home to Punjab United in the Kent Senior Cup on Tuesday night where perhaps some of the gifted younger players may give the first team a rest as there will be a busy Tuesday-Saturday schedule for the next few weeks. The next league match is at home to Lewes on Saturday, 10th October, 3 pm.
Cray Wanderers: JJ Briggs, Crossley Lema, Rob Strachan, Frankie Morgan (Billy Wall, 90), Frankie Raymond (Capt.), Sammie McLeod (Seidou Sanogo, 75), Lateef Adaja, Ola Ogunwamide, Alex Hernandez (Alfie Payne, 85), Soul Kader (Jakob Lowe, 85), Ade Yusuff (Tobi TInibu, 80): Subs: Tonali Bello, Oscar Johnson
Booked: Yusuff 79
Chippenham: Jack Witchard, Leon Moore (Marley Rose, H/T), Piotr Petrynski (Henry Sady, 72), Josh Macron, Alex Kieh, Luke Haines (Capt.), Will King, Joel Odei-Larbi (Ed Oatley, 72), Felix Miles, Olaf Koszela, Ben Richards-Everton: Subs: Zac Poffley, Finley Davis, Lewis Royston, Austin Branston
Referee: Redmond Egan
Assistants: Andrew Crossley, Dane Johnston
4th Official: James Keane
Att: 716
