After Saturday’s FA Cup success Cray came crashing back down to earth with a disappointing home defeat to Maldon & Tiptree who had exited the cup to Spartan League London Colney at the weekend and made several changes to their starting eleven. 
The Wands started the game in positive fashion with Ishmael Welsh looking dangerous down the left and Tom O’Connor appeared to have been brought down for a penalty only for the appeals to be waved away.
Then on their first real attack the visitors from Essex took the lead on 16mins when Joe Pearman connected sweetly with a low cross finding the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the box giving Darren Behcet no chance. Kyle Asante and Thomas Hayes both went close for Maldon soon after before the game settled with only one effort of note for The Wands when Garry Beckett shot over the bar.
The second half saw Cray start well again with Max Fitzgerald heading wide from a corner, before Maldon battled back into the game.
Winning the midfield battle and then making their dominance count the visitors made it 2-0 on 57 minutes when Kyle Asante’s dink over the keeper was only half cleared by two Cray defenders before Hayes crashed home the loose ball from ten yards.
Cray tried to battle back and they pulled it back to 2-1 when Adrian Stone headed powerfully home from a set piece on 67 minutes.
The Wands tried to mount a come back, but they were too often rushed in their approach play and failed to really create good chances relying on long ball over the top.
Jordan Bird’s free kick which was saved by Jack Giddens was they only real effort on target and as Maldon ran the lock down.
Then in injury time the home side were reduced to ten men when Hassan Isa was sent off for a shocking tackle on Paul Barnett to cap a frustrating evening for the home side.
This defeat leaves Cray at the foot of the Ryman League Division One North Table and facing what looks to be another tough season for the team formed in 1860.
Cray: Behcet, Fakinos, Springett (Bird 55), Lye (Isa 64), Humphrey, Fitzgerald, Bekcett, P O’Connor, Stone, T O’Connor, Welsh.
Subs not used: Stubbs, Dynan, Taylor.
Maldon: Giddens, Smith, Spillane, Johnson, Pinto, Berquez, Hayes (Durrant 84), Dark, Asante (Martin 64), Gentry (Barnett 73), Pearman.
Sub not used: Shakly.
Goals: Cray: Stone 67mins.
Maldon: Pearman 16, Hayes 57mins.
Referee: Mr O Jackson
Star Man: Thomas Hayes (Maldon & Tiptree)
Match Rating: 2/5
Att: 81