The honours were shared at Ram Meadow as a goal eight minutes from time earned Cray a point against Bury Town.

The Wands were the better side for much of the game and created several opportunities during the match but it took an own goal to get Cray back on terms after falling behind to a Josh Mayhew penalty. Cray played the last few minutes of the game with ten men following the dismissal of Aryan Tajbakhsh.

A point was the least Cray deserved for a much improved performance from recent weeks and a mixture of bad luck in front of goal and some good saves from home keeper Neil O’Sullivan meant Cray had to settle for a point. The draw keeps Cray in sixth place on 65 points, two points behind fifth placed Cheshunt in the race for the playoffs.

There were a couple of changes to the side from last Saturday’s match with Dereham Town with Dean Carpenter and Aryan Tajbakhsh starting in place of Ben Payne and Karl Dent. There were two new names on the bench, centre forward, Michael Malcolm and centre half, Jai McKinley.

Bury who were unbeaten in five games started the brighter as it took Cray a little while to settle but the nearest the home side came was when a cross from Remi Garrett was punched clear by Nick Blue out to Matthew Collins who lashed a shot well off target.

Cray had to re-organise after just nine minutes when Ade Osifuwa who started the game with a slight knock was subsitituted and replaced by Ray Powell at right back. Although not his natural position, Ray played extremely well throughout the remaining eighty minutes with a tenacious and strong display.

It took Cray a good twenty minutes to really get going in the game and once they did they carved out a number of openings in the remainder of the first half. Cray were unlucky when a great left wing cross from Jamie Mascoll just narrowly missed the onrushing Ben Hunt and James Duckworth.

The Wands were presented with a decent opportunity with a indirect free kick inside the penalty area after Darcy De’ath sliced a clearance back to keeper Neil O’Sullivan and the referee deemed it to be a back pass. Despite the fact the wall wasn’t’ ten yards back, Grant Basey’s strike came back off the wall and was cleared.

Then Cray started to look menancing going forward and Hunt sent up Tajbakhsh for a shot from the edge of the area which went wide.

Just after the half hour Cray came close again when from a good move started down the right, Mascoll flicked on a pass from Tajbakhsh into the path of Hunt who fired over from twelve yards.

Then a minute later, Tajbakhsh with a good run down the right from the edge of the area hit a tremendous heading for the top corner but was met by a fine tip over by O’Sullivan.

Cray were looking resolute at the back but Bury Town had a couple of efforts in the last five minutes of fhe half. Firstly, Josh Mayhew flashed a cross shot from the right just wide of the left post. Shortly after, Garrett struck a shot from thirty yards well wide.

Still chances came for Cray before the interval. Firstly, a snap shot from the lively Tajbakhsh was well held by O’Sullivan. Then Hunt set up Mascoll whose ball into the box fell again to Tajbakhsh whose shot was blocked and following up, Hunt fired over the bar.

Finally for an action packed last fifteen minutes, Duckworth was unlucky when his shot at the keeper’s near post was blocked by O’Sullivans legs to keep the scoresheet blank at half time.

Half Time: 0-0

The second half began the way the first ended with Cray coming out of the traps quickly forcing a couple of early corners with Hunt glancing a header wide of goal as the Wands continued to press.

The feeling was that Cray just needed a break inside the area and they would eventually score. Cray were unfortunate when a fine shot from Dean Carpenter from twenty five yards was met by a fine save by O’Sullivan who did well to push the ball over the bar for a corner.

From the corner came a moment of controversy as Basey’s inswinging right wing corner swerved wickedly towards the far post and the ball appeared to have gone over the line before being cleared by a couple of defenders but the linesman didn’t signal a goal.

The game started to get a bit scrappy for the first time in the match and the rhythm of the game was disrupted as some decisions started to go against Cray.

However, the home side rather against the run of play were awarded a penalty in the 64th minute when Garrett’s ball into the box was cleared out to Mayhew whose shot on the edge of the area was adjudged to have been handled by Powell inside the box and the referee, Daniel Cook pointed to the spot. From the kick, Mayhew dispatched the kick confidently to gi ve Bury the lead.

Bury had a better spell after that and Cray had to clear from an Ollie Hughes cutback almost off the line but Cray kept plugging away with little reward in front of goal and it appeared the Wands were about to slip to another defeat when they finally had a bit of luck owed to them.

In the 82nd minute, Cray were awarded a free kick thirty five yards from goal out on the right. Basey’s swung in a great free kick which went through a melee of players but was touched into his own goal by full back Tevan Allen.

This was the least Cray deserved and a couple of minutes later a speculative effort from Tajbaksh from outside the area was saved comfortably by O’Sullivan.

Bury almost went back in front with three minutes to go with Cray starting to look tired when Daniel Hammett set up Mayhew who dragged a shot wide from close range.

With the game entering stoppage time, Tajabkhsh who had a tremendous game for Cray was sent off for a mistimed challenge after the referee initially allowing Bury an advantage leaving Cray to play the five added minutes with ten men.

Despite some concerted pressure from Bury, Cray came closest to snatching the three points when a well hit strike from Lea Dawson was deflected wide for a corner.

In the end the game finished in a 1-1 draw which saw a great effort from Tony Russell’s team who fought very hard and played probably their best game for a while and perhaps just need a more clinical edge in front of goal when on top of games.

The Wands will next be in action on Saturday, 27th February when Waltham Abbey visit Hayes Lane.

Bury: Neil O’Sullivan, Matthew Skivington (Ryan Yallop, 73), Tevan Allen, Matthew Collins, Darcy De’ath (Ollie Hughes, 65), Phil Weavers (Capt.), Remi Garrett, Ollie Canfer, Nick Ingram, Josh Mayhew, Daniel Hammett:

Subs: Noel Aitkens

Booked: Allen, Garrett, Weavers

Cray: Nick Blue, Adetayo Osifuwa (Ray Powell, 9), Grant Basey, Jay Leader, Dean Carpenter, Lea Dawson (Capt.), Sean Roberts, Aryan Tajbakhsh, Ben Hunt (Michael Malcolm, 75), James Duckworth, Jamie Mascoll (Karl Dent, 60):

Subs: Jack Lodge, Jai McKinlay

Sent Off: Tajbakhsh 90
Booked: Dawson, Powell

Att: 312

Referee: Daniel Cook
Assistants: Colin Allan, Dean Welham