Cray Wanderers continued their unbeaten run in 2020 and moved up to second in the table with a single goal victory over bottom of the table Brightlingsea Regent at Hayes Lane on Saturday.

The game got off to an open start, but it was The Wands who started to create the better chances, Joe Taylor hitting the foot of the post with a low drive from the edge of the box.

Cray eventually took the lead on nine minutes when Ben Mundele put in a low cross from the right which Taylor coolly flicked in off the far post from six yards out. Cray pressed from there with Turner making a fine double save from Lee Lewis and Taylor and then Jay Leader had a header saved from a corner soon after.

Tom Phipp and Rhys Murrell-Williams combined to set up Lewis whose powerful drive was again saved by Turner, before Mundele ended a powerful run with a shot that went just over the bar. ]

Lewis went close again as Cray continued to dominate, but late on in the half Regent did get back into things briefly with Jordan Barnett curling a shot wide from just outside the box. 

Cray started the second half well, Taylor set up Bradley Pritchard who hit the side netting and then the former Charlton midfielder set up Phipp who shot wide.

Joel Rollinson had a shot saved by Turner and Murrell-Williamson went close with a free kick. As the half went on things stared to get a bit nervy for the home side with just a single goal lead, but Murrell-Williamson nearly made it two when Pritchard set up the winger who charged through one on one with Turner, only to curl his effort wide of the far post.

Cray kept possession of the ball well and rarely looked in trouble, having another strong spell late on with Tom Carlse and Taylor setting up Rollinson who saw his driven shot tipped over by Turner. Mundele played in Karl Dent only for Turner to save bravely at his feet and then Murrell-Williamson broke free only to shoot wide.

In injury time Jerome Frederico latched on to a pass from Mundele, but his goal bound effort was blocked for a corner and they had to settle for a single goal win.                        

Tony Russell’s side now travel to Cheshunt next Saturday aiming to extend their unbeaten run and maintain the pressure on leaders Worthing.        

Cray: Carey, Carlse, Mundele, Leader, Nelson, Murrell-Williamson, Phipp, Pritchard, Lewis (Dent 68), Rollinson (Frederico 83), Taylor

Subs Not Used: Allen, Williams, Okonkwo.  

Brightlingsea: C Turner, Boyland, Gould, Kamanzi, Forrest, Thompson, O’Reilly, J Turner, Dunne (Bugg 83), Bryne-Hewitt (Machaya 74), Barnett (Batstone 83)

Subs Not Used: Mudd.    

Goal: Taylor 9mins.

Attendance: 167

Referee: Mr Jack Fagg