With Storm Dennis raging around Hayes Lane, Cray Wanderers and Kingstonian played out a competitive, hard fought scoreless draw, both sides having the best of the halves when they attacked with the wind at their backs. 

Kingstonian started the first half on top, with Dan Hector setting up Eddie D’Sane who was foiled by a superb tackle from Mitchell Nelson.

Ks then had a goal ruled out for pushing at a corner, before The Wands created their first chance when Bradley Pritchard crossed for Joe Taylor who put his shot just over the bar.

Gus Sow forced a save from Lewis Carey from the edge of the box as Kingstonian pressed and they had a shout for handball turned down when Dan Bennett’s shot hit Nelson in the area.

Kenny Beaney’s corners were a real danger for the visitors, but Carey and his defence stood up to the pressure well. As Cray came back into things Rhys Murrell-Williamson and Ben Mundele both came in for heavy treatment as they were brought down in possession in the midfield, with Referee Hancock showing three yellow cards to Ks players.

Both sides struggled to find the final ball after good approach play. Late on D’Sane had a shot saved at the foot of the post by Carey from another corner and then Cray’s defenders put their bodies on the line to deny D’Sane again.

The second half saw The Wands press as they attacked the town end of the ground, Murrell-Williamson set up Joel Rollinson who fired narrowly wide. Rollinson then set up Taylor who was denied twice by Ks keeper Rob Tolfrey from close range.

Murrell-Williamson went close with a free kick, but then Ks began to threaten again on the break, Fabio Saraiva hitting a drive from 25 yards that Carey tipped on to the bar.

A series of corners then followed, which Cray defended well, before The Wands had a great chance when a Saraiva free kick hit the wall and Cray broke up field with Murrell-Williamson racing up field in possession of the ball, but after cutting into the box he was denied by another great Tolfrey save.

With the wind now even stronger both teams struggled to keep the ball and pass it accurately and play was halted for a while when Nelson and Harry Osborne clashed heads at a corner. Late on Taylor had a shot deflected wide and Karl Dent’s corner was palmed away by Tolfrey under the bar, which lead to another corner, which Nelson headed over in a packed six yard box. 

The result was fair over the 90 minutes, with both teams doing really well to serve up a very watchable game in extreme conditions. The Wands are now fourth in the Isthmian League Premier Division table still unbeaten in 2020, well placed with twelve games to play as they head to East Thurrock United next Saturday.                 

Cray: Carey, Mundele, Williams, Neslon, Onobhage, Allen, Dent, Pritchard, Murrell-Williamson, Rollinson, Taylor

Subs Not Used: Abatan, Frederico, Lewis, Carlse, Francis. 

Kingstonian: Tolfrey, Clohessy, Saraiva, Cooper, Osborne, Beaney, Bennett, Kavanagh, D’Sane, Sow, Hector (Hall 90)

Subs Not Used: Davies, Lamont, Harrison, Henriques.    

Attendance: 239

Referee: Mr Thomas Hancock