Cray Wanderers moved off the bottom of the Isthmian Premier table after a hard fought victory at Cheshunt and end a run of nine league games with a win courtesy of Charlie Edwards first goal for the club.  The result also ensured a three match unbeaten run and also three successive league clean sheets.

The match was never going to be a classic between two sides at the wrong end of the league table but after a scruffy first half Cray were much the better team after the break and twice came close through Kenny Coker, Anthony Cook and Lateef Adaja  as well as Edwards’ goal.  The winner came in the 77th minute when home keeper’ R’avan Constable’s clearance struck Edwards on the backside and looped into the net. Cray defended superbly throughout and kept Shaun Rowley relatively untroubled and held out for the win to move on to 9 points from eleven games played.

Cray had drawn the last two matches 0-0 against Hastings United and Whitehawk at Flamingo Park on Tuesday night and from the side which started that match there were two changes with Charlie Edwards and Kenny Coker coming in for Nyren Clunis and David Smith.  On the bench was a new signing in midfielder Perri Iondolo, who was part of Maidstone United’s exciting run to the 5th Round of the FA Cup last season and this season has been at AFC Totton and more recently Hayes & Yeading United.

Cheshunt were under new management making it the second game in a row where the Wands faced a new incumbent manager with Mel Gwinnett appointed yesterday. There were three changes to the team which beat Potters Bar Town on penalties in the Isthmian League Cup on Tuesday with R’avan Constable, Remi Sutton and Hassan Malbant coming in for Preston Edwards, Fionn Murphy and Tom Wood.

The home side began positively and in the opening minute, Vas Vasiliou fired a shot just past the left post.  Cray had a fair bit of possession but the game got bogged down with a few early stoppages ruining the game’s flow.

For the Ambers, Malbant inside the box saw a shot blocked and then Remi Sutton saw a shot deflected past the right post for a corner.

On the half hour, Cray threatened when Charlie Edwards’ cross from the left glanced off the head of Lateef Adaja and was claimed by Constable.

In the 34th minute, Cray created the clearest chance of the half when again down the left, Ike Orji’s cross deep into the area was headed wide of the left post by the superb Tom Bonner.

As the half wore on the Wands began to grow in confidence and Stefan Ilic saw a shot from outside the box held by Constable.

The game though was very competitive and there were four bookings, two apiece with MJ Muyembe and Taylor Curran for Cheshunt and Kenny Coker and Frankie Raymond for Cray but at half time it was quite a tense deadlock.

HT:  0-0

The second half saw Cray much more on the front foot and almost scored just after half time when a free kick from Frankie Raymond floated into the area was flicked on by Bonner and Coker’s header went straight to Constable.

For Cheshunt, Muyembe and Nalbant combined to set up Lordon Akoibirie whose shot was blocked but Cray were just beginning to exert pressure and following a corner down the right  the ball eventually came to Adaja whose ball to the far post was fired over by substitute Anthoy Cook. Then Raymond saw a volley blocked.  Perri Iondolo made his debut as substitute in the 64th minute.

In the 70th minute Cray came closest yet when Coker broke into the box down the right and his shot was pushed away one handed by Constable and the ball was cleared.  Shortly after, Raymond shot wide as Cray looked the more positive side.

The goal Cray had been seeking not only in this game but since the second half of the Chatham Town game on 15th October

came with a good stroke of fortune as Constable who had a good game in goal for Cheshunt saw his clearance strike Edwards on the backside and outside the area and into the net for his first goal for the Wands.

From here Cray defended superbly with Bonner and Quade Taylor winning every ball and tackle and Ike Orji and Darion Dowrich down the wings in great form. 

Cray almost added a second two minutes from time when Adaja was unlucky to see his shot down the left of the area clawed away by Constable and able to claim as Bonner looked to apply a touch.

For Cheshunt, Jeremy Bisau’s cross from the right landed on the roof of the net but in the end Cray saw out the four minutes of added time and picked up the first three points since the opening day of the season and deservedly so as Neil Smith’s side haven’t exactly been blessed with the best of luck at times and although the winner may have been fortuitous overall it was a just reward for a positive and at times dogged performance.

The Wands next face two successive home matches firstly vs Phoenix Sports in the Kent Senior Cup on Tuesday 29th October and then on Saturday 2nd November in the league vs Hashtag United.

Cheshunt:        R’avan Constable, Sam Granville (Jeremy Bisau, 76), Remi Sutton, Taylor Miles (Raul da Silva, 62), Darion Furlong, Taylor Curran, Vas Vasiliou, Jack Thomas, Hassan Nalbant

(Tommy Wood, 77), MJ Muyembe, Lordon Akoibire:  Subs:  Preston Edwards, Fionn Murphy.

Booked:  Muyembe 29, Curran 32, Granville 46, Furlong 80

Cray Wanderers:         Shaun Rowley, Darion Dowrich, Quade Taylor, Tom Bonner, Ike Orji, Lateef Adaja, Frankie Raymond, Charlie Edwards, Stefan Ilic (Anthony Cook, 54), Toby King (Perri Iandolo, 64), Kenny Coker:  Subs:  David Ijaha, David Smith, Imran Kayani

Scorer:            Edwards 77

Booked:           Coker 45+3, Raymond 45+5

Referee:          Fabio Roque

Assistant:        Toby Carlisle, Ends Arslan

Att:  365