Lewes vs Cray Wanderers – The pre game thoughts of Grant Basey
Pics: Jon Hillger/www.hilligerpix.com
BROMLEY, GREATER LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 22: Cray Wanderers’s Manager, Grant Bassey before The Pitching In Isthmian Premier League match between Cray Wanderers and Carshalton Athletic at Hayes Lane on January 22, 2022 in Bromley, Greater London, England . (Photo: © Jon Hilliger / HilligerPix)After a five consecutive run of home league games the Wands go on the road for the first of three successive away games on Tuesday night at Lewes. Here Grant Basey gives his thoughts on the remarkable game against Carshalton Athletic on Saturday which saw the Wands gain a priceless three points in their battle against the drop.
An incredible game on Saturday Grant, a 5-4 win vs Carshalton which is not a score certainly I would have imagined before the game. What were your thoughts on the game and the victory as it must have been a rollercoaster of emotions on the bench?
Absolutely, a crazy game and over the moon to come away with three points. Credit to Carshalton Athletic who are a great side and I know Peter Adeniyi and his staff love to play the game in the right way and do the right things. I thought though we were well worth the win in the end and I thought we showed great character after being 0-2 down and then 1-3 and as we are down at the bottom of the league we could quite easily have crumbled. The lads though showed unbelievable character, fight and determination and that is what it is going to take game in game out. You have to do that as a bare minimum and overall I thought we thoroughly deserved it in the end.
BROMLEY, GREATER LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 22: Cray Wanderers coaching team look on during The Pitching In Isthmian Premier League match between Cray Wanderers and Carshalton Athletic at Hayes Lane on January 22, 2022 in Bromley, Greater London, England . (Photo: © Jon Hilliger / HilligerPix)
There was so much to cram in during the game in terms of key moments and I thought Bailey Vose deserves some credit for three key saves during the game. The start of the comeback though came from Cameron Brodie who has been outstanding in the last few weeks and he took his two goals superbly didn’t he and the first came after an exceptional passing move!
For me the first goal is outstanding. I turned round to our bench and said wow, that was unreal because it was and one of the best goals I have seen live in a very long time in terms of the build up and one touch passing and that is what this team is capable of. I told them at half time you have got to start believing in yourselves. I believe in you and you’ve got to start believing in each other because that first goal is unreal play and shows what you can do with belief.
BROMLEY, GREATER LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 22: Cray Wanderers’s Cameron Brodie scores his team’s first goal to make the score 1-2 during The Pitching In Isthmian Premier League match between Cray Wanderers and Carshalton Athletic at Hayes Lane on January 22, 2022 in Bromley, Greater London, England . (Photo: © Jon Hilliger / HilligerPix)
After Cameron scored his first, Carshalton went and scored a third to make it 3-1 but with a couple of minutes to go till half time Chris Dickson pulled one back and then Cameron scored with a volley to make it 3-3. So from going in 3-1 down and a tricky team talk for you all of a sudden it is 3-3. Did that change your thinking at the break?
I wasn’t happy with the goals we conceded, I still think they were really poor and I told them that at half time. I did leave it on a positive note and reiterated the character they had shown to get back into it. That is all I’ll ever ask is that they give me everything and they are, they are doing that. Now my focus is on Tuesday and another tough game against a very good Lewes side.
Looking back to the second half, Luca Albon makes it 4-4 after we go behind again and then Jamie Yila puts in front. Jamie had an outstanding second half, caused them a lot of problems and was man of the match at the end.
BROMLEY, GREATER LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 22: Cray Wanderers’s Luca Albon celebrates scoring his team’s forth goal to make the score 4-4 during The Pitching In Isthmian Premier League match between Cray Wanderers and Carshalton Athletic at Hayes Lane on January 22, 2022 in Bromley, Greater London, England . (Photo: © Jon Hilliger / HilligerPix)
Jamie is an outstanding player as is Luca. I was contemplating taking one of the two off as I felt we perhaps needed a little something different but then Luca scored and that made me change my mind and I felt we could have a right go at them here and win the game. Jamie was magnificent in the second half and recently has been doing it in the first half of games and going quiet second half but against Carshalton he was outstanding and is a good young talent and doing really well for us.
BROMLEY, GREATER LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 22: Cray Wanderers’s Jamie Yila runs onto the ball tom scores his team’s fifth goal to make the score 5-4 during The Pitching In Isthmian Premier League match between Cray Wanderers and Carshalton Athletic at Hayes Lane on January 22, 2022 in Bromley, Greater London, England . (Photo: © Jon Hilliger / HilligerPix)
Obviously we had the heart in the mouth moment with the goal that was offside but was that the little bit of fortune we have been missing of late?
That was a tremendous finish from Harry Ottaway and obviously I would have not been happy if it had been allowed but we have got the right end of a decision and we haven’t been having that recently with a couple of stonewall penalties turned down. It would have been a great goal and if it had been given sometimes you have to hold your hand up and say well done. However, we got away with it and we look forward to Tuesday now. The boys hopefully have a rest and recover well as we have a short turnaround but we can go to Lewes with much more confidence and look to get a result.
