Cray were eliminated from the Kent Reliance Senior Cup but only after a titanic struggle with holders Dartford at Hayes Lane.
In a game that was a credit to the competition, the pace of the match was at its slowest breakneck and with barely a bad tackle in the game, the officials also were barely noticed as the game flowed. The Wands took the lead half way through the first half and twice hit the woodwork afterwards before Dartford hit back in the second half with two well taken goals to book a trip to old rivals Welling United in the 2nd round.
Cray manager made eight changes to the side which beat Molesey on Saturday which was expected. In came, Ade Osifuwa, Timi Osidobu, Jai McKinlay, Lee Prescott, Max Williams, Danny Haynes, Ben Mundele and making his senior debut, Edgar Morais.
Dartford manager, Tony Burman played a fairly experienced side himself and the holders started the game extremely well and penned Cray back for the opening quarter of an hour. The first real opening came in the sixth minute when Luke Wanadio found Ellis Brown down the right of the penalty area and his effort was blocked by the diving Nick Blue.
Cray had a let off three minutes later when from a right wing corner from Ryan Hayes right into the heart of the penalty area the ball was met by former Wands player Duane Ofori-Acheampong who headed against the crossbar from about four yards out.
A Dartford goal seemed likely and Lee Noble and Ronnie Vint both had efforts go just wide of goal.
Cray though did offer a threat down the right with the pace of Morais and it was he who set up Cray’s first real chance with a strong run down the right and a pull back to Mundele who pulled a shot just wide of the right post.
Two minutes later another swift Cray attack saw Morais put another cross into the box and this time Mundele who was slightly off balance got a good strike in on goals which keeper Bailey Vose did extremely well to save.
Then Prescott put an excellent cross into the area which Haynes just couldn’t get on the end of as the game became more even. Ofori-Acheampong saw a shot from close range deflected off Jai McKinlay for a corner as the pace never relented.
It was Cray though that broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute with a goal which again owed a lot to the pace of Morais who broke away down the right and put over a cross which found Haynes whose close range shot was saved by Vose but following up Mundele tapped the ball over the line to score.
Cray were now looking the better balanced side and came close to scoring again five minutes later when a Prescott corner was headed wide by Jay Leader.
For Dartford, Wanadio curled a shot narrowly wide of goal and Morais had an effort on goal comfortably saved by Vose just before the half hour mark.
There was a real blow for Cray though in the 36th minute when Sean Roberts who was an influential game in midfield picked up an injury and had to leave the field replaced by Jey Siva.
The Darts almost got back into the game when Ryan Hayes turned and fired a curling effort narrowly wide and then a Brown cross shot seemed to bounce off the post and away for a goal kick.
Two minutes before half time though Dartford had a massive let off when Siva played a tremendous ball through to Morais who ran on, took the ball past the keeper and seemingly had just to roll the ball in for a second goal but somehow the ball hit the post and bounced away and was cleared by Keaton Wood.
However, at half time Cray led 1-0 and had every chance of causing what would have been a major upset.
Half Time – 1-0
Cray had to make another change at half time as Ade Osifuwa had picked up a knock before the break and was replaced by the pacey Brandon Scott.
Scott made an almost instant impact with a bursting run down the left and turned Wood before squaring the ball to Haynes whose shot cannoned back off the underside of the crossbar and the follow up was steered wide by Mundele.
Shortly after, Prescott curled a free kick over the bar and then Siva played in Haynes again down the left and his curling effort fizzed just wide of the right post.
Dartford though were also playing well and a volley from Hayes went just wide of the Cray goal and forced a couple of corners to stem the Cray tide of attacks.
A Darts equaliser did seem likely and it duly arrived in the 58th minute when Cray perhaps switched off at a Wanadio corner kick, the ball came to Noble who played the ball through to substitute Andy Pugh and the former Welling United man finished clinically from twelve yards.
Alex Brown shot over the bar straight afterwards and Cray back on the attack, saw the lively Mundele down the right cut inside and fire in a shot which was blocked by the legs of Vose.
Another Wanadio corner caused Cray problems and Vint saw a close range effort blocked by Blue and Brown following up was denied by a great tackle by Osidobu.
The Wands kept coming forward and a Prescott shot from 30 yards was well held by Vose and then the keeper was lucky that he seemed to flap at a cross from Siva but the ball was cleared. Another, Dartford corner was turned wide by Brown as the game was about to enter the final twenty minutes.
With the thought of penalties looming, the Darts went in front in the 71st minute when Vint’s fine pass found Ofori-Acheampong and the tall striker turned just inside the area and fired in a shot which seemed to rather creep into the net giving Blue no chance in goal.
Blue did well shortly after to block a shot from Wanadio but Cray were not finished themselves and Scott was starting to threaten down the left and put a ball across which no one could get on the end of and then took Prescott’s pass and drilled in a low cross shot which was blocked by Vose for a corner. From the corner Williams fired wide.
With five minutes to go Cray saw an effort from another first team debutant, Joel Massamba saved fairly comfortably by Vose before Tom Bonner had the ball in the net from a corner but was disallowed for a push on Blue.
With four added minutes for stoppage time, there was still hope for Cray to take the game to penalties but despite some good pressure from the Wands, Dartford hung on and showed the mentality of champions to pull themselves through.
Cray though performed extremely well particularly the likes of Morais, Mundele, Prescott, Leader, Osidobu and McKinlay and gave Dartford plenty to think about during this absorbing ninety minutes which was a great advert for the sponsors of the tournament and for the long term future of Kent’s senior cup competition,
Cray continue in cup competition on Sunday when Carshalton are the visitors for the Preliminary Round of the FA Trophy.
Cray: Nick Blue, Ade Osifuwa (Brandon Scott, H/T), Timi Osidobu, Jay Leader (Capt.), Jai McKinlay, Lee Prescott, Sean Roberts (Jey Siva, 36), Max Williams, Edgar Morais, Danny Haynes (Joel Massamba, 80), Ben Mundele:
Subs not used: Bradley Woods-Garness, Charlie Horbacki
Dartford: Bailey Vose, Tom Gardiner, Keaton Wood, Tom Bonner (Capt.), Ronnie Vint, Alex Brown (Elliot Bradbrook, 70), Ryan Hayes (Andy Pugh, H/T), Lee Noble (Henry Fulton, 87), Duane Ofori-Acheapmong, Ellis Brown, Luke Wanadio.
Subs not used: Tom Wynter, Tony Coxall
Referee: Jack Packman
Assistants: Joseph McKay, Connor Stacey
Attendance: 148