A solitary first half goal was enough to claim a valuable three points for Cray as the Wands remain in third place in the table against Witham Town at Hayes Lane.
Michael Frieter’s close range finish put Cray in command and came close on a number of occasions in the second half to add to their lead but a resolute display at the back meant that keeper Nick Blue was rarely troubled. Witham remain four points clear of 22nd placed, Waltham Abbey after this defeat.
The Wands had to make a handful of changes from last weekend’s win at Barkingside. Ade Osifuwa’ departure to Hayes and Yeading meant Aryan Tajbakhsh filled in at right back whilst Ben Payne retuned at centre half with Jamie Mascoll dropping to the bench. Jacob Erskine’s injury meant a recall for Karl Dent to the starting lineup.
The visitors from Essex were unbeaten in their previous four games and looked slightly the better side in the early exchanges and Cray struggled to clear their lines on a couple of occasions as Witham threatened.
The first real opportunity though fell to Cray in the eighth minute when Michael Frieter put over a great cross from the right and Leigh Bremner got on the end of it and fired over from a tight angle.
Witham had the first direct shot on target a couple of minutes later when Max Bradford cut inside and shot from distance which Nick Blue got down well to hold.
Cray came closest yet just before the quarter of an hour mark when from a free kick out on the left, James Duckowrth’s fine ball into the box was met by the head of Bremner who got to the ball fractionally before keeper Lewis Down but the ball went just wide of goal.
The game went through a scrappy phase for a few minutes but Cray were starting to look the better side and in the 25th minute the Wands made the breakthrough.
Good Cray passing saw the ball go out to Bremner down the left hand side who showed good determination to get a chance to put the ball across and Duckworth on the edge of the area saw his shot turned in by Frieter from five yards.
Cray relaxed a lot more after that and began to dictate the game. A good run by Duckworth saw the ball arrive at the feet of Frieter whose shot was charged down by Lewis Payne. Then from a Tajabakhsh who played well in the full back position put over a great cross from the right to the back post but Duckworth on the end of the cross put his header off target.
Witham created their best opening when the lively Nathan Korenteng showed good pace down the right hand side and put over a smart cross which Ben Payne did well to head wide for a corner under pressure from Ryan Charles.
Their weren’t too many chances in the opening half with Cray creating the last real opening of the half two minutes before the break when Karl Dent fed Frieter with a great piece of skill down the right saw him leave Tom Cocklin trailing and set up Duckworth who from the edge of the area fired just over the top.
Half Time: 1-0
During the half time break the heavens opened and the second half began in a near gale but Cray set off at breakneck speed and in the opening ten minutes of the half came close to adding to their lead on a number of occasions.
Firstly forty seconds after the re-start Bremner down the left set up Sean Roberts who fired wide from twelve yards.
Then within the space of a minute came close twice, first when Grant Basey ball in from the left was met by the head of Roberts but glanced the ball just wide of goal. Then Duckworth teed up Dent who curled in a shot which narrowly went wide of the right post.
Then a minute later, Basey won a challenge in his own half and his ball forward fell to Duckworth who ran on and also fired wide of goal.
Another smart move saw Dent combine with Bremner who returned the ball to Dent who shot from twenty yards which went wide of goal. The chances kept coming and from a throw in the ball came to Duckworth who put over a great cross to the far post which was turned wide by Frieter.
Despite Cray playing very well at this time it was only 1-0 and Witham despite being under the cosh almost got back into the game in the 57th minute when Charles set up substitute, John Watson whose shot from the edge of the area was blocked by Payne and the ball fell to Korenteng who fired just over the crossbar.
Cray almost went two up a couple of minutes later when Nick Blue’s ball forward fell to Bremner who took a couple of chances and fired just over the angle of post and crossbar..
The weather seemed to be taking a turn for the worse halfway through the half and the game lost its fluency but Cray seemed still to have the upper hand with Bremner covering every blade of grass and the defensive pairing of Payne and Jay Leader looking solid against a lively Witham attack. They also looked likely to score from a set play as from a Basey corner the ball came to Payne but his attempt was blocked for another corner.
Witham still posed a threat and Korenteng set up Ryan Imbert for a shot from the edge of the area which was well struck but Blue got down well to save.
With the game entering the last ten minutes Frieter put a really great ball over from the right which was met by Duckworth close to the penalty spot but Down made a good diving save to keep the ball from creeping over the line.
The visitors kept plugging away from Scott Kemp set up Watson for a shot which went over the crossbar which was the last real opening which came Witham’s way.
With five minutes to go Cray thought they had wrapped the game up when Basey’s corner was turned in by Payne but the goal was disallowed for a handball offence.
The game had four minutes of stoppage time but Cray came closest to scoring again Ben Hunt’s ball in to the area was half cleared by Down and the ball came to Frieter who flighted the ball back toward goal but the ball drifted wide.
The final whistle went shortly after but despite the closeness of the score this was quite a decisive win for Cray and played very well and sets them up in good heart for Monday’s clash with Thurrock. With Thurrock held at AFC Hornchurch the gap between 2nd and 3rd place is four points although Harlow Town are level with Cray in fourth place with 80 points and have one game in hand.
Cray: Nick Blue, Aryan Tajbakhsh, Grant Basey, Jay Leader, Ben Payne, Lea Dawson (Capt.), Sean Roberts, Karl Dent, Leigh Bremner (Jamie Mascoll, 89), James Duckworth (Ben Hunt, 82), Michael Frieter:
Subs: Ray Powell, Jai McKinlay, Sam Faulker
Booked: Dent
Witham: Lewis Down, Tom Cocklin, Tyler Hayes, Spencer Harrison, Damian Green, Lewis Payne (Capt.), Nathan Korenteng, Max Bradford (Scott Kemp, 79), Ryan Imbert (Tom Robinson, 79), Ryan Charles, Michael Osei (John Watson, 54)
Att: 118
Referee: Oliver Davis
Assistants: Damian Mirzadeh, Nicholas Brown