Cray Wanderers moved up to 17th in the Isthmian Premier after a hard fought but merited victory in wet and windy conditions against Bowers & Pitsea at the Len Salmon Stadium with Frankie Raymond slotting home the winner from the penalty spot in the 79th minute.

Cray perhaps held the edge over the 90 minutes and Bowers & Pitsea were reduced to ten men in the 68th minute when captain Lewis Chambers was sent off for a second bookable offence before Raymond’s penalty after a handball in the area by Malaki Toussaint from Nathan Jeche’s cross.  In the end Cray saw out the win and for Shaun Rowley an 11th clean sheet of the season.

On a very difficult afternoon for football both teams deserve credit for looking to keep the ball on the ground and although chances were few and far between the game was full of honest endeavour and well refereed.

Cray, starting in 18th place, were looking to build on last Saturday’s draw with Carshalton and from the side which started that game there was one change to the starting lineup with Lateef Adaja coming in for Toby King.  Bowers & Pitsea had lost their last five league games and from the team which started last Saturday’s defeat at Horsham there were three changes with Lewis Chambers, TQ Addy and new signing Ore Bello coming in for Alfie Evans, Alex Teniola and Malaki Toussaint.

Understandably with the conditions caused by Storm Darragh and played still in the teeth of the storm the game was going to take some time for both teams to get to grips with the conditions but Cray started well and much like the match at Canvey Island two weeks ago looked to play some good, passing football on the slick surface.

Cray had the first real openings with a free kick awarded down the right of the area from which Nyren Clunis fired over the top.  Then Cray came close in the 7th minute when Josh Williams down the right sent over a cross which was headed over from 7 yards by Clunis.

Bowers & Pitsea threatened down the left when Evans Kouassi set up debutant Ore Bello inside the area but his shot was pushed out by Shaun Rowley.

In the 18th minute Cray created perhaps the best chance of the half when down the left Nathan Jeche’s cross was steered wide of the right post by Lateef Adaja.

The game then went through a bit of a lull but Bowers & Pitsea threatened when Kouassi made a good run from midfield towards goal, turned and shot over the angle of post and bar down the right of the area.

Cray had the better of the latter stages of the half with Williams who had a fine game out wide saw a shot from outside the box held by Rhys Byrne.  Then, Adaja down the left set up Franke Raymond for a half volley on the turn from 25 yards well held by Byrne.

The last chance of the half came to Cray when down the left Darion Dowrich who once again had a great game set up Adaja who fired a shot wide of the right post and had a shout for a penalty when Williams cross from the right looked to have hit a hand in the box but no spot kick was awarded.

HT:  0-0

It seemed the rain was getting more swirly in the second half and at half time Kenny Coker was introduced for Cray in place of Nyren Clunis.

Cray started the second half once again well and Coker set up Frankie Raymond down the left of the area for a near post shot which was blocked.

Then Adaja down the right of the area saw a low shot at the near post pushed behind by Byrne for a corner.  From a corner out on the right played into the box the ball came to Remi Sutton who set up Charlie Edwards for a shot blocked and then Williams from the follow up also saw a shot charged down.

Cray introduced Quade Taylor for Sutton and then in the 63rd minute, Kouassi came close for Bowers with a shot just past the right post.

Two minutes later the home side were reduced to ten men when skipper Lewis Chambers was shown a red card for a second bookable offence for a foul in midfield.

Toby King came on for Adaja in the 68th minute and Cray pressed in the next ten minutes for the breakthrough and in the 79th minute were awarded a penalty when Jeche down the left saw his ball into the box handled by Malaki Toussaint for the Wands fourth spot kick in the last four away games. 

From the spot, Raymond stroked home his second goal of the season and Cray at this stage had the lead their performance overall had deserved.

The home side threatened when Rohdell Gordon from the restart saw a shot held by Rowley but Cray were resolute at the back and were able to soak up the pressure from the home side.

Cray were able to see out the remaining minutes for a hard earned win in tough conditions and moved the Wands onto 19 points and defended well restricting the home side to few opportunities, the midfield with Raymond and Charlie Edwards superb and up front Williams and Jeche worked hard and deserved more reward but overall it was a fine team performance.

The Wands go again on Tuesday night with a home league game against Isthmian Premier newcomers Chichester City looking to maintain the momentum but hopefully in drier and less gusty conditions.

Bowers:           Rhys Byrne, Joe Halsey, Archie Johnson, Lewis Chambers, Dexter Peter, Rohdell Gordon, Geofrey Okonkwo (Malaki Toussaint, 53), Luke Reeve, TQ Addy, Evans Kouassi (Alfie Evans, 69), Ore Bello (Liam Jones, 74)

Sent Off:          Chambers 66 (2 cautions)

Booked:           Chambers 45+2, Jones 90+3

Cray:               Shaun Rowley, Ike Orji, Remi Sutton (Quade Taylor, 63), Tom Bonner, Darion Dowrich, Frankie Raymond, Charlie Edwards, Lateef Adaja (Toby King, 68), Nyren Clunis (Kenny Coker, H/T), Josh Williams, Nathan Jeche:  Subs:  Freddie Warwick, Kevin Kardel

Scorer: Raymond 79 pen

Booked:           Bonner 76, Orji 88

Referee:          Benjamin Bowles

Assistants:       Phillip Molloy, Alfie Davidson

Att:       176