Cray picked up a big three points in their bid for the promotion playoffs with a hard fought victory at fellow contenders Cheshunt.
The Wands began the day fourth, seven points clear of sixth placed Cheshunt and a fine James Duckworth strike and a resolute defensive display meant that a ten point gap now appears between Cheshunt, Brightlingsea Regent and Thamesmead just below the playoff places.
The two sides were without a game on Easter Monday due to the poor weather so both had the luxury of a free week. From the side which beat Witham Town on Saturday, Cray made one main change with right back, Elliott Cox making his Wands debut with the injured Karl Dent making way. Cheshunt were without leading scorer Jason Hallett who was suspended for the game.
The game with a lot at stake had few chances but there was a lot of good football to admire with both defences particularly strong but Cray had the edge in the first half and came close to scoring within the opening minute. From a corner down the right the ball was met by the head of Ben Payne and James May in the Cheshunt goal had to get down smartly to block.
Cheshunt attacked with pace but found the rocklike partnership of Jay Leader and Payne a tough nut to get past and on a couple of occasions in the opening stages made big blocks inside the area from driven balls from Louis Bristow and Liam Hope. Cray came close again from another Basey corner this time to the back post and Leader’s header went just over the top.
Cray continued to look the more sharper in attack and from another Basey corner, May’s punched clearance fell to Aryan Tajbakhsh whose first time shot went wide of goal. Then Duckworth who came into the game more after a quiet beginning cut in from the left and tested May with a low shot which he saved at the second attempt.
For Cheshunt a Bristow cross shot was deflected away from the edge of the six yard box as Blue remained well protected. The Wands looked a danger from set pieces throughout the half and Leader got on the end of another Basey kick but this time his header was well away from goal. Then Duckworth down the left put over a great cross to the back post which just missed the advancing Tajbakhsh.
Cray were playing some neat football going forward and were rewarded in the 37th minute with a fine goal. Basey picked the ball up down the left and found Tajbakhsh who laid the ball across to Duckworth in the middle who turned and found space inside the area, ran on an and confidently clipped the ball past May for a clinical piece of finishing.
The Wands were good value for the lead but Cheshunt looked to get back into the game before the break but the nearest they came was on the stroke of half time with a shot from Hope which went over the top.
Half Time: 0-1
Cray were certainly the better side first half but Cheshunt had the bulk of the play in the second half as the Wands were pushed back more.
Five minutes after the break, Nick Blue was forced to make a fine save when Bristow floated in a free kick from out on the left into the box and the ball fell to Kai Heather whose shot was met by an instinctive save from Blue with his legs.
Time and again, Cheshunt’s attempts to get back into the game were denied by Leader and Payne who thrived on the aerial balls played forward and gave the forwards little scraps to feed on.
Cray though were perhaps guilty of defending a bit too deep and couldn’t really get any good possession to launch attacks of their own but everyone did a great shift in making it hard for Cheshunt to take advantage.
With twenty minutes to go the game opened up again and Duckworth was brought down on the edge of the penalty area. From the free kick, Cray won a corner and Basey ball to the back post way headed back across by Leader to Leigh Bremner who on the stretch headed over the bar. Cheshunt began to look more threatening and Bristow fired over the crossbar.
Cray did have a big let off with ten minutes to go when Bristow set up substitute, John Frendo for a strike from twenty yards which well hit but fortunately for Cray came back off the foot of the post and away to safety.
Then from a corner, Heather’s ball from the left came to Frendo but with time scuffed his shot wide from the just outside the area.
For Cray, Sean Roberts strike went high and wide and with the game entering the last minute, Frendo couldn’t quite get a strong enough connection from Heather’s pass and his shot went wide.
In the third of four added on minutes at the end of the game, Luke Marshall’s right wing cross was headed wide by Hope and with that Cheshunt’s last chance to score.
The final whistle then went and make no mistake this was a classic away day performance usually reserved for championship winning teams and reminiscent of Cray back in October, November and December when they were grinding out wins away from home. The Wands are now unbeaten in their last five away games and there can be no doubt that the arrival of Leader has been one of the most astute signings of the season anywhere. Debutant, Elliott Cox also gave a composed display in his first game for a while whilst Lea Dawson and Sean Roberts were excellent in midfield and gave nonstop running displays.
With those three points safely bagged the Wands now turn to Tuesday night and the rearranged game with Thurrock who have slim hopes of catching leaders AFC Sudbury so there is lots to play for.
Cray: Nick Blue, Elliott Cox, Grant Basey, Jay Leader, Ben Payne, Lea Dawson (Capt.), Aryan Tajbakhsh (Jamie Mascoll, 79), Sean Roberts, Leigh Bremner (Ben Hunt, 79), James Duckworth, Michael Frieter:
Subs: Ray Powell, Jai McKinlay, Sam Faulker
Booked: Payne
Cheshunt: James May, George Pullen, Tom Fletcher, Joe Kizzi, Dave Kendall (Capt.), Luke Illsley (Luke Marshall, 59) Joe Clemo (Ayrton Coley, 86) Kai Heather, Liam Hope, Adam Bolle (John Frendo, 72), Louis Bristow
Booked: Bolle
Att: 170
Referee: Mr. N Davies
Assistants: Mr L Donaldson, Mr P Georgiou