Cray Wanderers maintained their unbeaten start to the Bostik South season but had to be content for their second consecutive home draw against Hastings United.
The Wands dominated the game for long spells and played some exceptional football for the first 30 minutes and deservedly led through Brandon Scott’s well taken first goal of the season after 13 minutes.
Cray came close to adding to their lead before Hastings were able to get into the game but against the run of play they grabbed an equaliser when Curtis Gayler converted a penalty in the 36th minute after Davide Rodari was brought down in the area.
The second half saw Karl Dent denied by a fine stop from Charlie Horlock but despite being under the cosh, Hastings almost won the match in injury time when Sam Adams crashed a shot against the post.
Cray came into the game 9th on 9 points and were looking to be able convert more chances after the goalless draw with Chipstead on Saturday.
From that side, goalkeeper of the month for August, Nick Blue returned in goal whilst Zak Henry came into the midfield for Dean Carpenter and Michael Power started up front for Freddie Parker. Hastings appear to have come into the season with a different side to last season and were 15th in the league table with seven points and having lost their last two league games.
The game begun a bit cautiously with a couple of half chances created. Firstly for Cray, down the right, Brandon Scott played a ball across the area which missed the onrushing Power and came to Bradley Stevenson who couldn’t quite control his effort and went behind.
For Hastings, a cross from the right by Ollie Black went across the box with no-one on hand to follow up.
Cray went ahead in the 13th minute with a really fine goal. Power played the ball out to the right wing to Scott who sped past Black with incredible pace and with great poise across the six yard box and gently guided the ball into the net for a breathtaking piece of football magic.
A few minutes later it could have been 2-0 as Scott again gave Black a torrid time down the right and this played the ball into Power who saw a close range effort well blocked by Horlock and following, Karl Dent saw an effort cleared via a deflection off the line.
Then Scott set up Barney Williams for a shot fielded by the keeper and such was the manner of the performance by Scott that Black was replaced after 22 minutes and Hastings were able to address the problems they were happening.
Hastings looked to get into it and Adams saw a shot comfortably saved by Blue from thirty yards but Cray continued to play some excellent football and almost scored a second when Dent set up Stevenson with a neat pass and his strike was tipped behind by Horlock for a corner.
Then from another corner down the right Dent’s cross was headed wide by Mitchell Nelson and Stevenson fired a shot wide.
The feeling was that Cray needed a second goal to give them comfort and so It proved in in the 36th minute when Rodari did well to burst into the box and was brought down by Jay Leader for a penalty kick. Curtis Gayler confidently converted the spot kick to make it 1-1. This was the first goal Cray had conceded in the league for close to 400 minutes play.
This gave Hastings more confidence but Cray almost scored again before half time when Stevenson lifted a free kick over the top from twenty yards. Just before the break, Hastings almost scored again when Rodari pulled a shot across goal down the right.
Half Time: 1-1
The second half promised more goals and Cray again started well with Mitchell Nelson’s throw in to the box met by Jay Leader who headed over from 12 yards.
Then Stevenson found Scott down the right but slightly overhit his cross and went across goal.
Hastings though were very much alive in the game and almost took the lead when from a free kick out on the right, Sam Cruttwell’s cross was met by the head of Adams whose effort was tipped brilliantly over the bar by Nick Blue from ten yards.
Cray then had a great chance to take the lead when Scott made a burst through the middle and played the ball through to Dent who ran on into the area and was unlucky to see his shot well saved by Horlock and the ball went out for a corner.
Then Scott who had the bit between his teeth again made another powerful run forward but this time shot wide of goal.
Hastings had a half chance when Rodari down the left played the ball across to Gayler who mishit his shot and went through to Blue.
Then Bradley Stevenson took over for a spell first curling a shot over and then was found well by Zak Henry and shot just wide of the left post.
With the game going into the last ten minutes both teams sought a winner. Cray came close when from a free kick out on the left, Dent’s ball into the area was met by the head of Nelson but was glanced just wide of the right post. Then Dent’s found Leader whose header was blocked.
A throw in was launched into the area and found Lea Dawson who turned the ball goalwards but into the hands of Horlock.
However despite being the dominant side, Cray almost lost the game in stoppage time when from a free kick launched forward by Ollie Rowe the ball was cleared out as far as Adams who turned and fired in a shot which came back off the right post to the Wands relief.
After five minutes stoppage time, the game ended in a 1-1 draw which kept Cray unbeaten, in ninth place with ten points. There were some very notable performances particularly again from the impressive Mitchell Nelson, from Dent who had another fine game but also to Brandon Scott who was in scintillating form especially early on and took his goal well.
Cray go on to Lewes on Saturday in a match between two unbeaten sides with Cray perhaps looking to just convert their chances as their approach play tonight was excellent and are perhaps not always having the luck in front of goal.
Cray Wanderers: Nick Blue, Ben Mundele, Barney Williams, Jay Leader, Mitchell Nelson, Lea Dawson (Capt.), Zak Henry, Karl Dent, Michael Power, Bradley Stevenson (Aaron Rhule, 70), Brandon Scott (Timi Osidobu, 90+1).
Subs not used: Freddie Parker, Marcus Evans, Joe Vines.
Hastings United: Charlie Horlock, Michael Aziaya, Ollie Black (Sam Cruttwell, 22), Lee Carey (Ansh Janneh, 75), Tom Climpson, Ollie Rowe, Curtis Gayler (Billy Medlock, 75), Jack Dixon, Davide Rodari, Sam Adams, Sonny Dullaway.
Subs not used: Bradley Pritchard, Matt Rodrigues-Barbosa
Booked: Aziaya, Rodari
Referee: Scott Rudd
Assistant Referees: James Paternoster, Daniel Proctor
Att: 162