Cray Wanderers’ visit to a sunny Bognor Regis Town ended in defeat as the Wands moved to the bottom of the Isthmian Premier as a strong first half performance from the Rocks helped ease their league position.

Cray had come into the game confident after the FA Cup win at Wingate & Finchley on Tuesday but fell behind early on at Bognor who scored with their first serious attack through Tommy-Lee Higgs in the 6th minute.  The home side had other chances to score in the half but had to wait until the last minute when substitute Spencer Spurway netted to put Bognor 2-0 up at the break.

The second half was a scrappier affair and Bognor made it three nil in the 71st minute courtesy of another substitute, Dan Gifford before Cray pulled a goal back five minutes before half time when Kenny Coker scored his first league goal of the season.

Cray were looking to build on the momentum of the 1-0 win at Wingate & Finchley and from the side which started that game there was one change with Anthony Cook coming in for the injured Adrian Owiredu-Gyamera.  On the bench was a new signing, defender Kayne Diedrick-Roberts previously with Bognor Regis Town, Cheshunt, Aveley and Sevenoaks Town. 

Bognor had been beaten at home by Margate in the FA Cup and were in need of a confidence boost and began the game well and Callum Barlow saw an effort blocked behind for a corner.  In the 6th minute, the Rocks took the lead when down the left Matt Burgess did well to put over a cross for Tommy-Lee Higgs who at the second attempt fired into the net from inside the area.

Cray looked to get back into the game without creating too many chances with the nearest falling to Tom Bonner following a corner down the right which was headed out and fired well wide.

Bognor continued to look the more threatening side and almost scored a second when Jasper Mather and Barlow combined to set up Harvey Whyte who shot over the top.

Then, Bognor Regis were awarded a free kick in a central position and Calvin Davies’ shot was pushed over well by Shaun Rowley.  Bognor had to make an early substitution with Spencer Spurway coming on for Hayden Gale and then Hayden Vaughan shot over the bar.

This was followed for Bognor by a cross from the left coming to Burgess whose shot was cleared off the line by Frankie Raymond.

Bognor were winning one or two free kicks and from one out to the right of the area, Higgs and then Davies saw efforts blocked by David Ijaha.

Before half time Raymond saw a shot charged down which led to a breakaway from Vaughan who looked to take on Ijaha but pulled his shot wide of the right post.

This was a temporary reprieve as in the 45th minute Bognor scored a second well worked by Vaughan down the left who set up Spurway who finished with a low shot and at the break Cray had a lot of work to do.

HT:  2-0

At the break, Quade Taylor, Kayne Diedrick-Roberts and Arezki Hamouchene were brought on to try to get Cray back into the game. 

The second half began fairly scrappily with Mather seeing a shot blocked behind for a corner and from another corner, Shaun Rowley needed lenghty treatement for a head knock and played the half sporting a red bandage.

Then at the other end Bognor keeper Ryan Hall required treatment for a leg injury so the first fifteen minutes of the half never really got going.

Cray were looking to respond and Kenny Coker’s cross down the left went across goal.  Then Charlie Edwards fired over the bar

However, any chance of a Wands comeback were quashed in the 71st minute when Bognor scored a third when Mather won the ball down the right and laid the ball across to another substitute Dan Gifford who scored from close range.

The Wands did look to end the game positively and Hamouchene saw a shot deflected over for a corner while for Bognor Vaughan hooked an effort over.

In the 85th minute Cray pulled a goal back scored by Coker who was played through beating the offside trap and finished well for his third goal of the season.

With there being eleven minutes of injury time for the treatment to both keepers there was still time for an unlikely revival and substitute Lateef Adaja down the left of the area saw his effort blocked behind by Hall for a corner.

This was followed by Hamouchene seeing a shot blocked and following up Quade Taylor fired over the top.

Cray kept plugging away and from a corner, Hall punched the ball away and fell to Ijaha who shot wide.

In the end Bognor Regis had merited the win especially after the first half performance and Cray now have a two week break from league football with the FA Cup tie at home to Hastings United next Saturday and the FA Trophy on 5th October to follow before the next league game at home to Whitehawk on 8th October and will hope to bounce back from a tough afternoon by the sea.

Bognor Regis Town:   Ryan Hall, Harvey Whyte (Delwin Duah, 75), Hayden Gale (Spencer Spurway, 24), Calvin Davies, Essa Janneh, Tyler Edmondson, Jasper Mather, Matt Burgess, Callum Barlow (Dan Gifford, 66), Tommy-Lee Higgs (Rocco Gamblin, 82), Hayden Vaughan: Sub: Finn Evans

Scorers:           Higgs 6 mins, Spurway 45, Gifford 71

Booked:           Barlow 65

Cray Wanderers:         Shaun Rowley, Anthony Cook (Quade Taylor, H/T), David Ijaha, Tom Bonner, Darion Dowrich, Frankie Raymond, Charlie Edwards (Lateef Adaja, 75), Nyren Clunis, Kenny Coker, David Smith (Arezki Hamouchene, H/T), Imran Kayani (Kayden Diedrick-Roberts, H/T): Subs:  Tom Borders

Scorer: Coker 85

Booked:           Coker 55, Bonner 65, Taylor 90+6

Referee:          Will Briers

Assistants:       Konrad Kaminski, Neil Sutherland

Att: 514