Cray Wanderers and Leatherhead battled out a scoreless draw in this relegation battle that saw missed chances at both ends and finished in a result that didn’t help either team’s chances of staying up at the end of the season. 

The game got off to an open start, Joshua Bohui headed an early chance wide for the visitors, before Cray striker Erald Desa had a good chance saved by Manny Agboola when he latched on to a long pass from Richie Danquah.

The play was littered with stray passes and turnovers of possession, with The Wands living dangerously playing the ball around the back. Aaron Lamont curled a chance wide from the edge of the box for The Tanners, while Desa was just off target when shooting from range following a half cleared Cray corner.

Kyel Reid played in Kasim Aidoo who hit the side netting from a tight angle and then Freddie Barton found Desa with a ball over the top that saw the striker denied by the legs of Agboola when one on one.

Late in the half Jamie Yila cut in from the bye line, but his shot skimmed off the crossbar and away to safety and Yila was again denied this time by Agboola when latching on to a good ball from Luca Albon.

The second half started with Antony Cook firing over from long range and Yila shooting across the face of goal after good work by Desa down the right. Leatherhaed’s Michael Fernandes had a shot saved by Bailey Vose and Archie Burnett then had two shots from the edge of the area saved by the Cray stopper.

With play wide open Cray had the next good chance when Cook’s pressure on Agboola saw the ball come out to Desa who shot wide from ten yards out. Wands debutant sub Jacob Munting had a shot deflected into the keeper’s arms, while at the other end Vose made a good double save from Bohui and Pochu Mendez-Calucane.

With the game even more stretched Cray midfielder Cameron Brodie shot over following a corner, while Fernandes hit a long range effort for The Tanners, which landed on the roof of the net.

As Leatherhead pressed they had a penalty appeal waved away for a foul on Fernandes and then Yila made a great block to deny Cameron Black at the far post soon after. Jethro Hansen was just off target following a series of corners for the visitors, before Cray battled back late on.

Leatherhead sub Jermain McGlashan was very lucky only to be booked for a terrible challenge on Yila that halted his run down the right and saw him crash into the perimeter fence, before Chris Dickson played in Desa down the right, but his shot skimmed across the face of the goal and wide.

Then in injury time a deep cross from Cook found Yila at the far post, but his header from close range was saved by Agboola to keep the score tied at zero. 

The result leaves Cray in twentieth place and Leatherhead bottom, with Grant Basey’s side now preparing for the visit of Carshalton Athletic to Hayes Lane this Saturday. 

CWFC – Vose, Barton, Aiddo, Danquah, Hanfrey, Cook, Brodie (Dickson 71), Albon (Uchechi 84), Yila, Reid (Munting 45), Desa.

Subs Not Used: Reason, Oduguwa.

LFC – Agboola, Paget, Ogundere, Hanosn, Gough, Black, Fernandes, Lamont, Mendez-Clucane (Bridgeman 79), Burnett (Daley 84), Bohui (McGlashan 63).

Subs Not Used: Owens, Bowman.

Att: 252

Ref: Mr Thomas Wray