In front of a bumper crowd at Flamingo Park, it was Tonbridge Angels who booked their place in the First Round of the FA Cup, courtesy of a single goal just after the hour mark.

Tonbridge started the game looking the more threatening, Ryan Hanson having a shot deflected wide and then heading the resulting corner just wide.

Once Cray settled, The Angels still had more of the ball, but it was far more even. As the half went on the game developed a physical edge, with three Angels seeing yellow before half time.

Tonbridge often looked to hit the long diagonal ball to either wing, which put the home side under pressure, but they coped well with the test. 

Liam Vincent put in a dangerous low cross, which Shaun Rowley spilled, but the Cray stopper got up quickly to deny Mohammed Dabre from the rebound. Frankie Raymond had a free kick from out wide saved by Toby Steward for The Wands, before Vincent fired wide for The Angels.

The second half started with Ronny Nelson hitting the bar with a cross from the left as Tonbridge looked to break the deadlock, but Cray battled back again.

After a delay to play for an injury to the Linesman Alfie Igrahim, there was another soon after when Cray centre back Quade Taylor was hurt in a challenge out on the wing and while he was still off the field Tonbridge cashed in.

A long throw into the box was only half cleared and when the ball fell to Jamie Fielding he smashed home a volley from 12 yards to make it 1-0 to The Angels.

Noel Leighton then went close when he charged down a Rowley clearance, but the ball looped up over the bar. Going into the final fifteen minutes or normal time The Wands started to press for an equaliser.

A great ball from Imran Kayani found Lateef Adaja but as he shaped up to shoot Nelson made a superb saving tackle. Kayani almost scored an own goal soon after when the ball deflected off him in The Wands area, but Rowley managed to stop the ball on the line. Going into the ten added on minutes Neil Smith’s side threw everything forward.

Anthony Cook had a shot deflected on to the bar, the home side had a strong penalty shout turned away when Cook was hauled to the floor and Raymond had a free kick deflect wide off the wall. It was all Wands as Raymond fired wide and David Smith had a shot blocked for a corner.

With Rowley up for the corner Cray did everything but score, Calvin Ekpiteta shooting over after a mad scramble in the area. The final effort of the game saw Tronbridge break out of defence, but Rowley made a good save from Sean Shields to keep the score at 1-0.

The final whistle saw the large visiting support celebrate their place in the first round with their players and await Monday’s draw.
Cray Wands now have to focus on getting their Isthmian League Premier Division season going and moving away from the bottom of the table. 

Cray – Rowley, Orji, Bonner, Taylor, Dowrich, Raymond, Clunis, King (Ekpiteta 96), Edwards (Kayani 55), Coker (Smith 73), Adaja. Subs not used: Ijaha, Huxter, Owiredu-Gyamera.

Tobridge – Steward, Hanson, Nelson, Dabre (Adigun 67), Leighton (Robinson 77),  Hinds, Fielding, Vincent, Barkin, Santos (Maloney 85), Shields. Subs not used: Martin-Coward, Richardson.

Goal: Fielding 64mins.

HT 0-0 FT 0-1

Att: 1,222

Referee: Steven Hughes