Bottom of the Ryman Premier League Cray Wanderers took on mid-table Hendon at Hayes Lane on Tuesday night hoping to bring a little Christmas cheer to what has been a tough season for the second oldest club in the world, but sadly the misery continued at the hands of their impressive visitors from North West London.

The game went ahead despite the persistent rain all day thanks to the fantastic work of the Bromley Groundstaff, but The Wands may have been wishing it hadn’t as early as the third minute when an unmarked Chris Seeby converted a deep free kick in the six yards box.

The game flowed from end to end, but Hendon always looked more likely to score, Michael Bryan was denied by Charlie Grainger before Fisher headed home from a corner to make it 2-0 on 21 minutes. Before Cray could regroup it was 3-0 on 23 minutes when veteran striker Jefferson Louis converted a Bryan cross.

The Greens dominated the game from then on with Louis forcing a save from Grainger before he set up former Bromley striker Anthony Thomas to make it 4-0 on 43 minutes.

The second half was the same story Louis headed just wide before Thomas set up Louis to head home on 55 minutes for 5-0.

Tony Taggart forced a save from Grainger as Hendon kept pushing and then Sam Flegg made it 6-0 on 65 minutes heading home another good cross into the box, which Cray were unable to defend.

Thomas hit the post late on before The Wands had their first effort on goal just before the final whistle when Tommy Whitnell fired just over from distance.

Having parted company with long serving managerial duo Ian Jenkins and Joe Francis in October new partnership Keith Bird & Mick Paye, brought in from Bromley Reserves, initially oversaw an improvement in results, but despite several personnel changes they have been unable to keep The Wands off the foot of the table and on this evidence will find it hard to escape relegation.         

 

Cray Wanderers: Grainger, Orome, Clark, Talbot, Udoji, Smith, Day, Stavrinou, Henry, Stone, Whitnell.

Subs: Marshll-Katang, Bardon, Larin, Coleman, Simpson.

Hendon: Fitzsimmons, Seeby, Bennett, C Maclaren, Fisher, Bryan, K Maclaren, Diedhiou, Louis, Thomas, Taggart.

Subs: McCluskey, Flegg, McCann, Murray, Wallace.

Star Man: Jefferson Louis (Hendon)

Match Rating: 3/5

Ref: Mr D Spain