Cray Wanderers and Enfield Town batted out an entertaining, hard fought draw in a match up between fourth and third in the Isthmian League Premier Division table at Hayes Lane on Saturday afternoon.
Both matches last season ended in draws and again the teams looked closely matched as the game got off to a lively start with play flowing from to end.
It was the visitors who created the better chances with Jake Cass forcing a save from Shaun Rowley and Marcis Wyllie firing over. Cass went close again soon after finishing a strong run into the box with a shot that just went wide.
With Enfield having been on top for a spell, Cray then rallied with Tom Derry forcing a save from Nathan McDonald after some neat build up play.
Sam Youngs missed a header for Town when well placed, before a good spell of possession from The Wands saw Nyron Clunis fouled by Jospeh Payne on the edge of the area.
From the resulting Clunis free kick Jalen Jones saw his header saved by McDonald and the rebound come off the post and go wide. Late on The Es then went close when Cass was denied by Rowley and Youngs was just off target with a shot from 20 yards, which kept the match scoreless at the break.
The second half started with Enfield pressing and they went 1-0 up on 49 minutes when Wyllie found space on the edge of the box and drilled a low shot into the far corner of the net to make it 1-0.
Cass almost made it two soon after, but Kellen Fisher managed to get the ball clear after it had gone past Rowley. Cray rallied again from there, Clunis went close after a strong run into the box and he then turned creator when he played in Dan Bassett who drove a low shot past McDonald from the right beating him at his near post to equalise on the hour mark.
Clunis then crossed for Derry whose header was saved as the game went up a notch in intensity. James Dayton hit half volley just wide for Enfield, before David Ijaha went close for Cray after linking up with Ben Krauhaus.
With the game wide open and becoming more stretched Bassett had a shot saved by McDonald, while at the other end Wyllie played in former Wanderer Andre Coker who saw his effort saved by Rowley.
A Lyle De La Verde free kick set up Youngs, but he was denied by a superb tackle from Jones in the area. With Enfield pressing, Cray almost went in front on the break when sub Anthony Cook broke free, but McDonald made a good save from his 20 yard shot.
Late on Derry went down injured with a cut to his nose and had to be patched up to continue, in the six minutes of stoppage time that followed, Cass beat two defenders only to see his shot saved by Rowley, while Bassett was denied by McDonald at the other end.
In a wide open finish, Enfield had the last chance, but Mitch Chapman did well to deny Cass as he broke into the box and then clear the danger to preserve a deserved point for Neil Smith’s side.
Cray, who aren’t back in action until 2nd November now, sit seventh in the table level on points with the three sides above them.
Cray Wands: Rowley, Fisher, Sodje, Christie, Jones, Krahaus, Ijaha, Skeffington (Chapman 75), Clunis (Cook 77), Derry, Bassett.
Subs Not Used: Crook, Ando, Ademiluyi.
Enfield Town: McDonald, Spencer, Payne, Thomas (Dayton 64), Wilson-Braithwaite, Richmond, Taffe (Coker 72), Youngs, Cass, Wyllie, Hercules (De La Verde 72).
Subs Not Used: Bray, Sayoud.
Goals; CWFC: Bassett 60mins. EFC: Wyllie 49mins
Att: 263
HT 0-0 FT 1-1
Ref: Tom Ellsmore