Potters Bar Town vs Cray Wanderers – Isthmian Premier
Tuesday 1st February, 2022 – Match Report
Potters Bar Town 2
Cray Wanderers 3
Cray Wanderers staged their second great comeback in recent weeks as the Wands fought back from 0-2 down to win 3-2 at Potters Bar Town with an own goal scored in injury time.
Both teams came into the game looking to improve recent league form and it was Potters Bar under new manager Sammy Moore who took the lead on 19 minutes when Zak Guerfi who had a brief spell at Cray earlier in the season was on hand to turn in a left wing cross. The Scholars went two nil up after the award of a penalty in the 58th minute and Samson Esan scored from the spot. However, three minutes Cray reduced the arrears when Jamie Yila scored his 11th goal of the season. It looked like it may not be Cray’s night but six minutes from time, the Wands drew level when Anthony Cook’s left wing corner went into the net via a flick from Nazir Bakrin. There was still time for Chris Dickson to hit the crossbar and then in the second minute of injury time from another left wing corner Cook’s cross was met by a back header from another Jacques Kpohomouh and into his own net to complete the comeback and ease Cray’s relegation worries.
Cray were looking to bounce back from two on the road defeats in the last week at Lewes and Brightlingsea and from the team that played Saturday into the side came Ethan Kaiser, Kyel Reid and a new marquee signing on the day, the return of Sam Wood from Dover Athletic returning to the club where he first made his mark in the 2002-03 season and played in two Kent League Championship teams and the Wands first season in the Isthmian League , in place of Richie Danquah, Jai Reason and Jacob Munting.
There were a number of changes for Potters Bar Town including some new signings from the side which were beaten by Folkestone Invicta on Saturday with Moore being appointed on Sunday.
It took a while for the game to really spark into life with both teams trying to find their feet but Cray had the first real moment of danger in the 9th minute when Anthony Cook found Freddy Barton down the right and his cross into the box saw Jamie Yila get to the ball but keeper Kacper Kurylowicz made a smart save with his legs.
However, just slightly against the run of play in the 19th minute, Potters Bar went ahead when from down the left of the area Anthony Agemoh-Davies put over a decent cross to the far post where Zak Guerfi was free to turn the ball into the net for a debut goal.
Cray looked to get back into it straight away and Reid set up Chris Dickson down the right of the area but drove his shot wide of the left post. Then down the right another good pass from Barton found Yila but drove the ball across goal.
Then from a free kick out on the left, Wood’s cross found Cameron Brodie who hit a snap shot which was well held by Kurylowicz.
Potters Bar almost scored a second goal when Tyler Christian-Law found Joe Boachie who set up Samson Esan who curled a shot from just outside the area just over the bar.
Before half time Cray applied plenty of pressure with corners and free kicks and almost scored on the stroke of half time when another Wood free kick into the area was met by a header from Kasim Aidoo but was blocked in the area.
H/T: 1-0
The second half began with Cray having most of the possession and play and put some decent passages of play together but perhaps the nearest to scoring came when a right wing cross was helped on by Yila to Wood whose volley went straight to Kurylowicz.
Again rather against the run of play in the 58th minute, Potters Bar Town were awarded a penalty for a push inside the area on Agemoh-Davis and from the spot Esan coolly slotted home from the spot to make it 2-0.
Cray needed a goal pretty quick and did three minutes later when down the left of the area the ball fell to Wood who hit a terrific shot which was well saved by Kurylowicz but Yila following up fired home the rebound.
Cray then had appeals for a penalty turned down when Dickson went down in the area under pressure from Jacques Kpohoumouh but nothing was given.
Potters Bar had a chance to go 3-1 when a cross from the left found Guerfi at the far post and his shot was met by a fine save from Bailey Vose.
Jamie Yila was beginning to become more and more an influence in the game following his goal and down the left put in a cross aimed for Ethan Kaiser but Kurylowicz got down to save and then jinked his way down the left of the area and fired a cross-shot just across wide of goal.
Cray continued to pile on the pressure although a header back to Vose from Barton kept the Wands keeper on his toes when it first looked like it might sneak into the net and was able to claim the ball at the right post.
In the 84th minute Cray were back on level terms after a shot from Reid was deflected behind for a corner. From the corner down the left, Cook’s cross looked to have drifted in at the far post but got the slightest of touches from Nazir Bakrin and into the net.
Cray had their tails up in the last few minutes against a tiring but hard working Potters Bar side and Dickson was unlucky to see his header come back off the cross bar and came out to Bakrin who shot over the top.
It looked like being a draw but in the second of seven added on minutes Cray went in front from another left wing corner. This time Cook’s cross was towards the middle of the area and under pressure Jacques Kpohomouh sent a back header into his own net.
There was still time for Potters Bar to get back into it and from a free kick just outside the area, Joe Boachie curled a shot over the bar.
In the end, Cray held on for an important three points and their first ever win at Potters Bar Town and had to show great character to come back after the two previous games and finished the game perhaps stronger than many games this season. There were some good performances, Yila in the second half in particular got stronger and stronger, Kasim Aidoo has been consistent for a few weeks now and carried on tonight, Barton put in some good crosses but a special mention for Sam Wood who was very impressive and his experience and knowhow helped Cray get back into the game and could prove to be a popular signing.
Cray remain 20th in the table but can take confidence from the result and next take on Merstham on Saturday at Hayes Lane, ko 3pm.
Potters Bar: Kacper Kurylowicz, Dwight Pascal (Devonte Aransibia, 75), Jaden Sharman, Zakary Guerfi, Jacques Kpohomouh, Aryan Tajbakhsh, Anthony Agemoh-Davies (Luke Tingey, 79), Tyler Christian-Law, Chris Magunga (Hanani Anantchi, 55), Samson Esan, Joe Boachie: Max Delyfer, Calvin Dickson
Scorers: Guerfi 19, Esan 58 pen
Booked: Christian-Law
Cray Wanderers: Bailey Vose, Freddy Barton, Nazir Bakrin, Ethan Kaiser, Kasim Aidoo, Sam Wood, Cameron Brodie, Anthony Cook, Jamie Yila, Kyel Reid, Chris Dickson (Emanuel Oduguwa, 90): Subs: Tom Hanfrey, Erald Desa, Luca Albon, Jai Reason
Scorers: Yila 61, Bakrin 84, Kpohomouh 90+2 o. g.
Booked: Bakrin, Cook
Referee: Russel Jones
Assistants: Christopher Flack, Benjamin Jerrams
Att: 236
