Cray Wanderers vs Cray Valley PM – Isthmian Premier – Saturday 27th December – Match Report
Cray Wanderers 5
Hernandez 14, 53 pen, Waldock 26,
Kader 46, Mongoy 62
Cray Valley (PM) 0
Cray Wanderers finished 2025 in the playoff positions in the Isthmian Premier after a five star performance saw the Wands defeat Cray Valley PM in a local derby in some style producing the biggest win of the season and moving into 5th place.
Alex Hernandez took his total to the season to ten with a brace of goals including a stunning free kick in the 14th minute to open the scoring and then a second half penalty. A fine strike from Harry Waldock made it two nil in the 26th minute for his second goal of the season. Soul Kader made it two goals in four games with the third goal immediately after half time and home debutant Jordy Mongoy made it five nil with an exquisite lob just after the hour.
The Wands came into the game in 6th place on 35 points and Tim O’Shea was able to name an unchanged side from the 2-1 win at Wingate & Finchley on 22nd December.
Cray Valley in 16th place on 26 points had been in good form during November but had lost their last two matches and there was one change to the team beaten at home by Whitehawk last Saturday with Harrison Chamberlain in goal in place of ex-Wand Shaun Rowley.
On an extremely cold and bitter afternoon and in front of the second biggest ever crowd at Flamingo Park of 1254 Cray Wanderers started the game very much on the front foot and dominated the opening forty five minutes.
In the third minute the Wands created the first opening when down the left Frankie Morgan put over a great cross to the far post for Lateef Adaja to poke a first time effort which Chamberlain got down to save.
Six minutes later Chamberlain was involved again with an excellent save to push round an Alex Hernandez free kick to the right edge of the penalty area.
However, in the 14th minute Cray Wanderers were not to be denied and from another free kick twenty yards from goal to the right, Hernandez with some style curled in a dipping shot which gave Chamberlain no chance and went high into the net.
Six minutes later it was almost two nil when from a Frankie Raymond right wing corner played towards the far post the ball came out to Tom Bonner who clipped the crossbar with his shot and the ball was eventually cleared.
The Wands continued the attack and Hernandez and Soul Kader saw shots blocked but in the 26th minute went two nil up when after picking up a loose ball twenty five yards out Harry Waldock’s shot went in at the right post and gave Cray a two goal cushion they didn’t have in the last home game with Whitehawk.
The rest of the half saw Cray Wanderers continuing to push for a third goal with Jordy Mongoy found by Remi Sutton down the left of the area and his near post shot went into the chest of Chamberlain but may have been flagged offside. Then another terrific Morgan cross came to Kader at the far post but volleyed wide and then Sutton hooked an effort over but went in at half time 2-0 up and supremely confident.
HT: 2-0
The second half began in the same vein and in the opening minute of the half the ball was worked to the left and Morgan’s ball into the six yard box came to Kader who steered the ball into the net from close range to make it 3-0.
The Wands then in the 53rd minute virtually put the game to bed when Hernandez played a neat ball through to Kader who went down in the box via the hand of Chamberlain for a penalty. From the spot Hernandez sent the ball down the middle for his tenth of the season and the fourth goal of the afternoon.
Cray Valley began after substitutions to make their mark on the game and Emmanuel Adebiyi saw a shot pushed round the post by Harry Seaden for his first save of the match. For the Wands, Adaja saw a shot down the right held by Chamberlain.
In the 62nd minute the scoring was completed after Raymond’s ball over the top led to hesitation at the back and with Chamberlain slightly stranded Jordy Mongoy with great precision lofted the ball into the net for a home debut goal and make it 5-0.
For Cray Valley, Isiah Harvey’s cross fell to Rowan Liburd whose effort was pushed out well by Seaden. Shortly after Seaden was involved again saving with his legs to deny Liburd and then Marvel Ekpiteta clipped the frame of the goal with the follow up shot.
Ralfi Hand hitting the side netting for Cray Wanderers and almost scored a sixth through Adaja down the right but Chamberlain made a fine save to turn the ball round the left post for a corner.
Cray Wanderers saw out the final few minutes with all five subs on and kept a clean sheet and completed the first home win since late September in great style and very well appreciated by the Wands fans at the final whistle. This was a complete performance against a very well respected side and showed a team full of confidence going into January with a trip to second placed Brentwood Town next Saturday.
The Wands moved up to fifth on 38 points and made it 70 points gained over the course of 2025 and a fine opening half to the 2025-26 season and all the management and players deserve credit for an outstanding year never to be forgotten.
Cray Wanderers: Harry Seaden, Adrian Owiredu-Gyamera, Remi Sutton, Tom Bonner (Capt.), Frankie Morgan (Prosper Keto, 81), Frankie Raymond (Quade Taylor, 87), Harry Waldock, Lateef Adaja, Jordy Mongoy (Freddie Price, 65), Alex Hernandez (Ralfi Hand, 76), Soul Kader (Chris Dickson, 81)
Cray Valley PM: Harrison Chamberlain, Kurtis Cumberbatch (Denzel Gayle, 53), Cem Tumkaya, Dan Bowry, Marvel Ekpiteta, Tom Beere (Capt.), Rowan Liburd (Ibby Ikanbi, 83), Isiah Harvey, Fumnaya Shomotun (Emmanuel Adebiyi, 54), Liam Moore (Danny Waldren, 72), Dan Ajakaiye (Marcel Barrington, 72)
Booked: Moore 58, Tumkaya 78
Referee: Joe Wright
Assistants: Gavin Farrington, Jack Smith
Att: 1254
