Cray Wanderers Women vs Camden Town Women – Adobe Women’s FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round – 6/9/26
Cray Wanderers Women 0
Camden Town Women 3
Bruckner 43, Williams 59, Faye 89
Pics: Natalie Stribbling
Cray Wanderers Women despite a spirited performance exited the FA Cup as a strong and well drilled Camden Town side advanced to the 2nd Qualifying Round.
On a very warm and delightful late summer afternoon at Flamingo Park, Cray were looking to break new ground in reaching the 2nd Qualifying Round but would have a tough task against a Camden side from a higher league and had won 7-0 at Oxted & District in the previous round and won both league matches played with 3-0 scorelines.
Cray had advanced past Croydon Athletic in the previous round but were without the likes of Emily Symonds, Hannah Gilmour and Maddie Bone for this game.
The match began with a little bit of sparring but was an enjoyable contest. Camden had the first shooting chance when Maxine Borden from around 25 yards saw a shot well held by debutant Daisy Jarrett and won a corner from which Kelly Faye flashed the ball across goal.
Cray were playing the ball around nicely but in the 16th minute Camden had the chance to take the lead when they were awarded a penalty when Maria Paz Vera had been clipped by Ellie Cole in the box. However, Faye’s penalty was right down the middle and well held at the second attempt by Jarrett. Later Paz Vera’s cross from the right couldn’t get a touch from Orla Conlan in the area.
Cray though around the half hour mark began to come more into the game and Izzy Jose an early replacement for Millie Main cut inside from the left and hit a well stuck shot claimed by Tamsin Wickens.
Cray had won a couple of corner and applying pressure and from a Cole corner Jose got her head to the ball but claimed by Wickens.
In the 39th minute Camden broke out well and Paz Vera in on goal was denied by a save by the legs of Jarrett and following up Maya Bruckner shot wide.
For the Wands Lola Collins had a great game and down the right played a ball across for Ellie Bovill but Wickens got to the ball first. Then Collins in the area got a flick to a cross but again claimed by Wickens.
However, two minutes before the break Camden took the lead when Bruckner found space inside the area unmarked to fire into the net for the North Londoners which was enough for an advantage at half time.
HT: 0-1
The second half was scrappy to begin with although Cray had a half chance when Ellie Rivers played a ball through to Olivia Climpson who went past Wickens down the right but the ball just ran away before a shot could be fired and went wide.
Camden were looking more dangerous going forward and from a corner down the right from Faye into the box it was 2-0 after 59 minutes following a spell of pinball in the six yard box the ball fell to centre-half Sanaa Williams who prodded the ball in from close range.
A couple of minutes later it could have been 3-0 when influential substitute Ice Kamera scored with a well hit strike but the linesman had flagged for offside and the referee concurred with his official and was disallowed.
The introduction of Sarah White and Melony Dixon added some extra zip for Cray and Collins (the daughter of ex-Wands centre-forward Phil Collins) set up White for a shot that was well blocked by Williams for a corner.
From the corner in the 77th minute the Wands had a chance to pull a goal back from a penalty when Cole’s ball into the box saw Wickens catch Jose with her arm when attempting to clear the ball. However from the spot Rivers saw her shot go past the right post.
Camden almost scored a third when Kamera saw a shot pushed out by Jarrett while for Cray White hooked an effort over down the right.
In the 89th minute Camden did score a third when from a corner down the right Faye’s ball into the near post looked to come off of Jarrett and into the net.
There was still time at the end for Conlan to see a near post shot down the left well saved by Jarrett but a fourth goal would have been harsh on the Wands efforts.
In the end though Camden had earned their right to advance a professional performance and a fourth clean sheet of the season but Cray at not full strength had done themselves and the club proud with their performance.
The Wands will have the Kent FA Plate and SECWFL League Cup to concentrate on and tournaments where they did so well last season. The SECWFL Premier League season begins on Sunday 13th September for the Wands at Kings Hill while the first home game will be the following Sunday (20th) vs Kent United Women.
Cray Wanderers: Daisy Jarrett, Ellie Cole, Mia Nelson (Melony Dixon), Olivia Coldrick (Frankie Mardon), Ellie Bovill, Ellie Rivers (Chloe Francis), Lola Collins, Adriana Zak, Marta Little, Millie Main (Izzy Jose), Olivia Climpson (Sarah White): Sub: Mofi Adepoju
Camden Town: Tamsin Wickens, Gemma Clenshaw, Sanaa Williams, Madison Brown, Kelly Faye, Orla Conlan, Maria Paz Vera, Rebecca Smith, Maxine Borden, Minja Nilsson, Maya Bruckner: Subs used: Ice Kamera, Annabel Meadly, Emma Ciantar, Hannah Goffi
Referee: Ashley Rodi
Assistants: Scott Hayward, Phil Anthony
