Whitehawk vs Cray Wanderers – Isthmian Premier – Saturday 14th March
Match Report to follow
Whitehawk 0
Cray Wanderers 3
Hernandez 28, Ogunwamide 32,
Fiddes 45+3
On Tim O’Shea’s 50th game as Cray Wanderers manager, the Wands kept themselves in playoff contention with a first ever league win at Whitehawk on a sunny afternoon down in Brighton.
It was a great first half for Cray who after a stop-start opening to the game showed real quality with three well taken goals and in the second were hugely professional to claim a first clean sheet of 2026 for Harry Seaden.
In the 2nd minute Max Fiddes fizzed a ball across the box with no-one able to get on the end of it and for Whitehawk Jay Emmanuel-Thomas cross missed the head of Harry Lodovica.
The Wands were unlucky when Jordy Mongoy’s shot was deflected against the bar and over while Charlie Lambert on a breakaway from a Cray corner saw a shot held.
Cray though went ahead in the 28th minute when Fiddes put over another fine cross for Alex Hernandez who first time fired in his 17th of the season and the first ever Wands league goal at Whitehawk. This keeps him two goals behind Brentwood Town’s Daniel Ogunleye for the Isthmian Premier Golden Boot.
Destiny Ojo fired a shot via a deflection wide but Cray added a second on 32 minutes when Frankie Raymond’s sublime pass over the top put Ola Ogunwamide into the box and the former Horsham player netted his first Wands goal from 5 yards.
Emmanuel-Thomas saw a shot deflected behind and Andrew Briggs shot wide for Whitehawk while Mongoy set up Hernandez who shot wide.
Cray though in the third minute of added time made it 3-0 when Mongoy set up Fiddes who one on one slotted home his third Wands goal and his 14th of the season putting him in contention for top scorer.
The second half saw Cray defend efficiently against a physical direct side and occasionally threaten a fourth. Mongoy was a threat until getting a breather near the end and on the end of Fiddes pass saw a jabbed effort held by Lennon MacLorg.
The nearest Whitehawk came when from a throw in after a spell of pinball Harry Lodovica saw his shot cleared off the line by Crossley Lema.
Lateef Adaja saw a shot blocked for a corner and debutant Alex Stepien-Iwumene who had a fine game shot over. Then Adaja set up Mongoy who fired wide. New signing Daniel Ajakaiye came on for the last twenty minutes to make his debut.
Towards the end Charlie Harris shot wide for Whitehawk and Briggs an effort deflected to Seaden but in the end Cray had returned to winning ways away from home after last Saturday’s defeat. Defensively with Tom Bonner and Quade Taylor outstanding and ably assisted by Frankie Morgan and Lema Cray produced one of their most complete performances of the season.
Cray move to 55 points but unfortunately all the results went against the Wands and it is as you were and stay 8th, eight off the playoffs but are still very much punching.
Seaden, Lema, Taylor, Bonner, Morgan, Raymond, Stepien-Iwumene, Mongoy (Hutchinson 75), Ogunwamide (Hand 84), Hernandez (Adaja 55), Fiddes (Ajakaiye, 72) – Sub: Owiredu-Gyamera
Booked: Hernandez 12
Att: 308
