Cray Wanderers’ four game unbeaten league run came to an end as Cray Valley PM edged a tight contest with two goals in four minutes after the Wands got off to a dream start going ahead after nineteen seconds through Lateef Adaja. 

The Wands had held on fairly comfortably until the 64th minute when Sonny Black was credited with a leveller following a scramble in the area. 

Then in the 68th minute Tom Beere grabbed the winner, slotting in Fumi Shomotun’s cross to complete a league double over the Wands and push Neil Smith’s side back into the bottom four. 

In the first league game at the Artic Stadium between the sides, Cray Wanderers came into the match in decent form, having won the last two games, four without defeat and four without conceding too and .  

There was one change to the Wands line up to Saturday’s win against Hashtag United with Frankie Raymond coming in for Tom Bonner away on a break.  On the bench for Cray Wanderers were two new forward signings, Josh Williams most recently with Hampton & Richmond Borough and Nathan Jeche signed from Hemel Hempstead Town.

Cray Valley in 4th place drew 0-0 at Dartford on Saturday and Steve McKimm made one change with Matt Vigor coming in for Danny Waldren.

With the crackle of fireworks in the skies before kick off, Cray Wanderers got off to an incredible start when in the opening minute of the match Lateef Adaja got away down the right and placed a shot under Max Ovenden timed at nineteen seconds.

Cray Valley then had a fair amount of possession but found the Wands hard to crack with Shomotun firing a shot across goal perhaps the closest in the opening fifteen minutes.

One of six ex-Wands in the starting lineup, Tom Beere fired in a shot which was well held by Shaun Rowley but Cray Wanderers were defending stoically while Cray Valley weren’t giving much away either and both defences were on top.

The game picked up momentum before half time with Sonny Black heading over for Cray Valley and Clem Asiedu shooting over.

In stoppage time, Cray Wanderers came close when down the left Darion Dowrich set up Nyren Clunis who shot wide of the right post.

HT:  0-1

The game continued after half time with Cray defending solidly but Cray Valley were just beginning to pen the Wands back and Beere hit a shot wide and Freddie Parker fired a shot well off target.

In the 62nd minute Cray Valley came closest yet when Barney Williams hit a shot from distance which Rowley did well to push away and eventually for a corner.

Two minutes later the scores were level when Cray Valley levelled with a bit of a scrappy goal when a ball into the box fell to Black whose shot was possibly deflected in off a Wands defender or even Parker in a goalmouth scramble and certainly the Wands luck was out this time.

The Wands went back on the attack and Dowrich shot wide and were pressing to go back in front but on the counter attack Cray Valley took the lead.  In the 68th minute Beere broke forward, found Shomotun down the left who laid the ball back to Beere to fire in from twelve yards.

Cray Wanderers had introduced debutants Josh Williams and Nathan Jeche and looked to grab a leveller and Jeche fired over and then was played in down the left but his near post effort was deflected behind for a corner.

Beere then put an overhead kick wide for Cray Valley and for Cray Wanderers, a corner was played to Adaja whose shot was deflected behind for another corner.

In five minutes of added on time, the Wands threatened when Stefan Ilic saw a low drive from outside the area was well held by Ovenden but time ran out and the Millers saw out the win and moved up to 3rd place on 24 points and although not at their best continue to churn out good results.  

For Cray Wanderers, now back in 19th place next travel to Folkestone Invicta on Saturday and certainly look much more solid than earlier in the season and the back four were excellent here and will hope to get back to winning ways. 

Cray Valley PM: Max Ovenden, Barney Williams, Kiki Oshilaja, Clem Asiedu, Dan Bowry, Sonny Black, Tom Beere, Matt Vigor (Danny Waldren, 61), Funmi Shomotun, Michael Ademiluyi (Andre Coker, 70), Freddie Parker (Adam Coombes, 80).

Subs not used: Ali Tumkaya, Julien Anau.

Scorers: Black 64, Beere 68

Booked: Waldren 78

Cray Wanderers: Shaun Rowley, Darion Dowrich, David Ijaha, Quade Taylor, Ike Orji, Frankie Raymond (Perri Iandolo, 75), Lateef Adaja, Charlie Edwards (Stefan Ilic 87), Toby King (Joshua Williams, 63), Nyren Clunis, Kenny Coker (Nathan Jeche, 68).

Sub not used: Adrian Owiredu-Gyamera.

Scorer: Adaja 1 min

Booked: Orji 57

Referee: Tolu Sangowara

Assistants: Dele Sotimirin, Jake Symes

Att: 407