Dover Athletic vs Cray Wanderers – Pre-season Friendly – 11/7/26
Dover Athletic 3
Sheriff 14, Baptiste 34, Williams 83
Cray Wanderers 1
Yussuf 8 pen
Cray Wanderers second match of pre-season saw a trip to National South Dover Athletic on a very warm afternoon and the Wands put in a good performance but in the end Dover ran out 3-1 winners but there were positives with the performance.
Cray fielded a strong first team until around the hour mark when a few trialists entered the fray against a Dover side who also experimented in the second half.
The Wands settled well playing some good football and in the eighth minute took the lead from the penalty spot after Lateef Adaja was brought down just inside the area. From the spot Ade Yussuf made no mistake for his first goal of pre-season.
Cray still held the early advantage and from a free kick down the left played into the area Rob Strachan headed the ball just past the near post.
Dover though after a quiet opening drew level with their first real attack in the fourteenth minute when a ball over the top was helped on by Rolando Onu and fell to Decarrey Sheriff who went round Henry Molyneux to score.
Dover began at this stage to dictate the game and after a quiet spell went in front in the 34th minute when from a free kick twenty yards out to the right of the area Luke Baptiste placed the ball round the wall and into the bottom left corner.
Baptiste saw another free kick go over the bar before Cray five minutes before half time came close after good link up play between Ola Ogunwamide and Yussuf saw the ball come to Alex Hernandez who swept a shot just past the left post.
HT: 2-1
Cray started the second half much like the first and almost levelled when Ogunwamide worked an opening out of nothing and saw his shot well tipped round the left post by Mitch Walker.
Then Hernandez shot wide as did Jallow for Dover as the game after the hour saw new additions to the game.
New Dover signing from Gillingham Euan Williams came close when he took the ball round Kian Eyers but the Wands trialist no 6 cleared off the line. For Cray, Daniel Ajakaiye fired over the top
The game was still in the balance with a very young Wands team holding their own but in the 83rd minute Dover scored an excellent third goal scored by Williams who with plenty of space down the right moved forward and crashed home a fine shot down the middle of the goal from the edge of the area.
Cray sought a consolation and Mitch Chapman shot over and a trialist saw a shot well held but in the end despite the defeat against a strong higher division side there were a number of positives with the performance.
The Wands continue a run of game against Kent National South opposition on Tuesday 14th July with Isthmian Premier champions Folkestone Invicta the visitors to Flamingo Park, 7.45 pm. Admission £5 with u18s free. Pay on the gate or online at www.cray-wanderers.com/tickets/
1st Half Team: Henry Molyneux, Crossley Lema, Charlie Paye, Rob Strachan, Frankie Morgan, Alfie Payne, Frankie Raymond, Lateef Adaja, Ola Ogunwamide, Alex Hernandez, Ade Yussuf: Subs: Second half – Daniel Ajakaiye, George Brooke, Mitch Chapman, Kian Eyers, Archie Morley, Trialists
