Cray Wanderers U16s vs Welling United Youth U16s
Kent Youth League Cup Final – Thursday 1st May, 2025 – Corinthian FC
Cray Wanderers 2
Denton 14 pen, England 80+5
Welling United Youth 2
Krisnaraj 45, Calvert 64 pen
After Extra Time
Welling United win 7-6 on penalties
Cray Wanderers: Denton 1-0, Fowler 2-0, H. Clark 3-1, Gwynne 4-2, England x 4-3, Freddie Newman 5-4, Dilley 6-5, Cheesman x 6-6
Welling United: Krishnaraj x 0-1, Ogbede 1-2, Robinson, 2-3, Mbette 3-4, Williams 4-4, Gillett 5-5, White 6-6, Mulvinell 7-6
Cray Wanderers first of three meetings with Welling United ended in agonising defeat in the Kent Youth League Cup Final after an epic battle was decided with the lottery of a penalty shoot-out with the Wings winning 7-6 after a 2-2 draw after 100 minutes.
Played at the fine and unique setting of Gay Dawn Farm the match was high on intensity and Welling perhaps shaded the first half but Cray led courtesy of a Jack Denton penalty converted in the 14th minute.
Welling levelled the match five minutes into the second half through a well struck Vijay Krishnaraj strike and then took the lead through a penalty of their own in the 64th minute scored by Maybin Calvert. Cray though kept plugging away and amidst dramatic scenes levelled with the last kick of the game in the 85th minute through Charlie England’s close range finish. Extra time was an even twenty minutes with no further goals so it took a penalty shoot out to decide the final.
Cray scored their first four penalties whilst Krishnaraj with Welling’s first kick saw his shot well saved by George Clark. Cray held a 4-3 advantage but England saw what would have been the decisive penalty saved by Olamiposi Jegede. At 6-6, Frankie Cheesman’s spot kick went wide of the right post and Malachy Mulvinell converted the winning spot kick for Welling and a 7-6 victory.
The teams meet twice in the league with Cray in a battle with Maidstone for the title and those will be keenly contested games if this encounter is anything to go by.
Cray began the game confidently but it was Welling who created the first opening when Maxwell Okunzuma down the left of the area took advantage of hesitation at the back but saw his shot blocked well by George Clark for a corner.
The Wands though took the lead with their first real incision when Tommy O’Donnell inside the area was adjudged to have been brought down and from the spot Jack Denton converted with great confidence.
The rest of the half passed by very quickly with not too many chances for either side with Welling seeing a shot from Kane Stewart go well over the top.
Just before the break though Welling began to forge one or two openings and could have gone in level at the break. Firstly, Okunzuma did well to cut into the box down the right but fired his shot just past the left post. Then, Vijay Krishnaraj down the right set up Alfie Williams whose close range shot was well pushed out by Clark.
HT: 1-0
The second half began much the way the first ended with Wellign showing purpose and the Wings levelled five minutes after the break with a firmly struck shot from Krishnaraj.
This seem to inspire Cray to get back in front and Seb Amati down the left saw a shot go just past the right post.
Then Harvey Clark who made a huge impact when he came on at half time down the left put over a cross and Jake Fowler’s header was saved by Jegede. This was followed by Denton coming close to a second goal with a shot that was well saved.
A little against the run of play though Welling went in front in the 64th minute again through a penalty of their own after Maybin Calvert was brought down just inside the area and Calvert fired in from the spot.
Cray kept plugging away and almost levelled in the last minute but Jonny Gwynne down the left of the area put a cross-shot across goal and just wide of the right post.
It looked like Welling had seen out the game when in the fifth and final minute of added time, Cray were awarded a free kick out on the right. The ball was lofted towards the far post where Denton got to the cross and saw his effort hit the bar but the ball fell nicely to Charlie England to drill into the net and cue delirium with what was the last kick of the game.
FT: 2-2
The game now went to extra-time where perhaps straight to penalties would have been better as although still high on intensity, the teams seemed to cancel each other perhaps through tiredness.
Cray had the better of the opening ten minutes playing on the front foot buoyed by the late equaliser while Welling seemed a bit out on their feet. The best opening of the first period came to Cray when down the left Harvey Clark came close with a curling shot wide of the right post.
The second period saw Welling more on top but aside from a corner and a free kick at the other end for Cray which hit the wall and Cameron Anderson-Green put a cross shot over but the game seemed always destined for penalties.
FT ET: 2-2
The penalty shoot-out began with Cray scoring first through Denton and held a slight advantage as Krishnaraj saw the Wings first kick well saved by George Clark.
Jake Fowler, Harvey Clark and Johnny Gwynne all scored for Cray and Jegede, Kaiden Robinson and Kaycee Mbette for Welling making it 4-3 to Cray with Charlie England needing to convert to win but Jegede got the merest touch to turn the ball onto the crossbar and over. Alfie Williams made it 4-4 leading to sudden death spot kicks. Freddie Newman and Daniel Dilley scored for Cray and Archie Gillett and Harry White for Welling make it 6-6. Alas, for Cray Frankie Cheesman saw his penalty go past the right post and for Welling Malachy Mulvinell converted his kick making it 7-6 and victory for Welling on a night of great drama and competition and a shame there had to be a loser as perhaps in a bygone era a replay would have been an ideal scenario.
The teams meet for the first time this season in the league on Sunday 4th May at Flamingo Park, 12 pm ko and then again at Welling the following Sunday at Cleeve Park School. If those games match this night then they should be great contests.
Cray Wanderers: George Clark, Freddie Newman, Ashton Bignell, Frankie Cheesman, Frankie Chipping, Sebastian Amati, Finn Garraty, Johnny Gwynne, Jack Denton, Tommy O’Donnell, Charlie England; Cameron Anderson-Green, George Hardy, Harvey Clark, Jake Fowler, Daniel Dilley
Welling United: Olampiosi Jegede, Adriel Bah, Kaycee Mbette, Frederick Davison, Kane Stewart, Maybin Calvert, Archie Gillett, Harry White, Billy Henry, Alfie Williams, Obiasulu Egege; Malachy Mulvilmill, Maxwell Okunzuma, Munib Arogundade, Vijay Krishnaraj, Kaiden Robinson
Referee: Stephen Hughes
