Cray Wanderers made it three games unbeaten after picking up an excellent point at a very strong Bishop’s Stortford side thanks to Mitch Chapman’s first goal for the club eleven minutes from time cancelling out Frankie Merrifield’s first half strike.

On a rare Friday evening league game and on a night with hardly a hint of cold under the lights there was much to admire about both teams’ performances and especially in the second half when the game went from end to end and both goalkeepers made good saves.

Neil Smith was looking to build on the momentum of Saturday’s 1-0 win vs Canvey Island but did have to make a couple of key changes with Alex Bentley picking up a knock in that game and was replaced by new loan signing from Sutton United, Roman Charles-Cook at right back. Sam Wood made his first appearance of the season following injury in place of Anthony Cook who was on the bench.

There were a handful of changes to the Bishop’s Stortford side who were beaten at Lewes on Saturday with Jack Thomas, Harry Beadle and John Giles coming in for Sam Robbins, Terrell Egbri and Matt Johnson and were 7th in the early league table.

The last time the two sides met on 23rd April was on the last day of the season and the Bishop’s Stortford side were just too strong on the afternoon but this game looked from the off to be a much tighter affair.

Cray perhaps just edged the early proceedings with a free kick out on the right played into the box towards Mitch Chapman was cleared away by a defender.

Then just after the ten minute mark, Nyren Clunis found space to fire in a shot which was well held by Jack Giddens.

On the quarter of an hour mark Bishop’s went ahead with a quality piece of finishing from the prolific Frankie Merrifield. The ball was worked from the right to Ollie Peters whose ball across found Merrifield who curled a shot from 12 yards wide of Shaun Rowley and into the net.

Cray were slightly rocking at this stage and Merrifield became the provider two minutes later to set up Peters who down the right hit a shot which came back off the top of the crossbar.

The game then evened out for a spell and Sam Skeffington hit a shot well off target while at the other end Giles was unlucky to see his shot from outside the area go just wide of goal.

Cray though ended the first half well and Skeffington set up Clunis for a shot which was deflected behind for a corner.

The Wands forced one or two late corners and before half time, Wood’s right wing cross found Skeffington who shot over the top but at half time the Wands were still very much in the match.

The second half was an end to end affair from the start and Cray came close to levelling when Charles-Cook cross from the right to the far post was met by the head of Tom Derry but Giddens was able to claim at the left post.

Then the ball went up the other end and Giles from inside the area saw a shot well saved by Rowley and Cray cleared the ball before Tosin Olufemi could get a touch to the ball.

Following this activity the lively Foxley had to be replaced for Bishop’s Stortford by Terrell Egbri with a leg injury.

Cray also changed from the bench with Anthony Cook and Sinn’kaye Christie coming on for Michael Ademiluyi and Harold Joseph in the 52nd minute.

For Cray down the right a cross into the area sought out Dan Bassett who connected to the cross but Giddens got down smartly to claim the ball.

Cray were indebted to Rowley once again shortly after when he got down well to turn aside Egbri’s cross-shot and then Chris Harris was denied a shooting chance by a fine block from the superb Jalen Jones.

Jones almost scored at the other end when from a Wood right wing corner into the box the defender headed over.

Then, Cook, who was lively when he came on down the right saw his shot loop onto the roof of the net via a Bishop’s Stortford defender for a corner.

With twenty minutes to go, Billy Crook came on for Skeffington and Cray were looking strong going forward while Peters shot wide for the home side.

In the 79th minute Cray got the goal their performance had merited when from a free kick out wide on the right, Wood’s ball into the box was glanced on by Derry and down the right of the area the ball fell to Chapman who picked his spot perfectly to shoot past Giddens and into the net for his first Wands goal.

A minute later though Bishop’s Stortford almost went back in front when Chris Harris latched on to a long pass and fired wide of goal.

The game was entering five minutes of injury time when Cray almost won the match when down the left of the area, Bassett was unlucky as his volley was hit into the ground and Giddens did very well to turn the ball behind for a corner.

Bishop put on a lot of late pressure from throws and corners but in the end Cray proved resolute enough to see out the storm and picked up a fine point against a quality side.

In the end a draw was probably about the right result and perhaps shows more of a maturity about this Cray Wanderers side as perhaps last season would have lost this match. Cray now move on to a Kent derby against Margate on Bank Holiday Monday and can rest up for the next two days with the satisfaction of a number of good performances over the first four games of the season.

Bishop’s Stortford: Jack Giddens, Jay Porter, Anthony Church, Ryan Henshaw, Harry Beadle, Jonny Giles (Chris Harris, 58), Jack Thomas (Matt Johnson, 76), Darren Foxley (Terrell Egbri, 50), Ollie Peters, Tosin Olufemi, Frankie Merrifield.

Subs: Archie Edwards, Mark Haines.

Scorer: Merrifield 15

Cray Wanderers: Shaun Rowley, Roman Charles-Cook, Harold Joseph (Sinn’kaye Christie, 52), Jalen Jones, Sam Wood, Sam Skeffington (Billy Crook, 70), Mitch Chapman, Michael Ademiluyi (Anthony Cook, 52), Dan Bassett, Nyren Clunis, Tom Derry.

Subs: Ben Krauhaus, Gary Lockyer.

Scorer: Chapman 79

Booked: Crook

Attendance: 399

Referee: Gary Connell

Assistants: Daniel Baines, Daniel Smith