Cray Wanderers final home midweek league game at Hayes Lane ended in defeat as an in-form Hashtag United kept their playoff hopes alive with a 3-1 win on a rare Friday night encounter.
Hashtag went in front in the 21st minute courtesy of a Sakariya Hassan strike and was added to in first half stoppage time by Luke May-Parrott. The Wands pulled a goal back fifteen minutes from time by Tom Bonner but with Cray chasing a leveller, Pedro Carvalho made it 3-1 two minutes into added on time. Despite the defeat Cray at least until Saturday’s games remain 14th on 47 points while Hashtag who have now lost just one of the last ten league games are 10th on 58 points.
Cray, without a win in three games but safe from relegation made a couple of changes to the side which drew at Margate on Easter Monday with Tom Beere and Josh Hallard coming in for Frankie Raymond who was rested with a slight knock and Ellis Brown. Hashtag who had scored ten goals in the two Easter games made three changes to the team which beat Haringey Borough, 5-0 with Max Cornhill, Luke May-Parrott and Thomas Anderson coming in for Camilo Restrepo, Greg Halford and Alex Teniola.
On quite a mild evening the game got off to a cagey start but after ten minutes Hashtag began to pose a threat and Sakariya Hassan who had a good match throughout made a good run forward and set up Sam Cornish whose low shot was pushed out well by Shaun Rowley.
At the other end, Cray threatened from a free kick down the left of the area and Sam Wood’s strike went just past the left post. Cray won a couple of corners but in the 16th minute Luke May-Parrott’s cross from the right was headed goalwards by Nathan Smith but claimed by Rowley. Then Harry Haysom’s shot lacked power and was easily saved.
Five minutes later Hashtag went in front when down the right, Matthew Wooldridge’s cross fell to Hassan who made no mistake from ten yards.
On the half hour Cray had a half chance when down the left David Ijaha found Anthony Cook inside the area but his cross-shot went across goal.
Still though Hashtag looked dangerous going forward and Pedro Carvalho curled a shot just past the right post from Cornish’s pass.
Six minutes before half time Hashtag United almost added a second when first Percy Kiangebeni found space inside the area but Rowley blocked the shot and then did superbly to turn over the follow up shot from Hassan. A minute later Kiangebeni saw a shot deflected behind for a corner.
After a lively end to the half Cray almost levelled when Enoch Muwonge played a ball into a crowded penalty area and Jack Holland’s header was turned over by Joshua Strizovic and from the corner from the left from Tom Beere, Holland’s header at the far post was saved.
However, two minutes into added on time Hashtag scored a second when Carvalho down the right was given time to play a ball across for May-Parrott to slot home his fourteenth goal of the season.
HT: 0-2
The second half was a fairly lacklustre affair with Hashtag still in control of the game and almost added a third when Hassan made a good run forward and played the ball out to Kiangebeni who curled a shot just past the left post. Then, the lively Pedro Carvalho let fly with a shot just over the top.
Cray found chances hard to come by in the second half and introduced Alfie Evans, Ellis Brown and late on Charlie Paye for his league debut in a bid to get back into the match. For Hashtag, who still controlled the game following a corner the ball came out to Thomas Anderson who fired over.
Much of the half seemed to pass by without too much incident but in the 75th minute Cray pulled a goal back out of nothing. A free kick out on the right from Beere into the area was flicked on by Anthony Cook and reacting quickest in the area, Tom Bonner was on hand to slot home to make it 2-1 with plenty of time remaining.
Despite the Wands goal Hashtag finished the game strongly and went back on the attack and came close to a third when Toby Aromolaran headed wide from a left wing cross. Then, Kiangebeni fired wide.
In the second minute of added on time and with Cray chasing the game, Hashtag scored a third goal when Kiangebeni down the right played a neat ball through to Carvalho down the left of the area who made no mistake from nine yards.
For Cray, Tom Beere saw a shot pushed out from outside the area but in the end Hashtag ran out winners and looked like a side ending the season on a high with the Isthmian League Cup Final next Wednesday and were deserved winners on the night.
Cray still have four more league games to go and visit Hornchurch who could be champions by Tuesday night but with the pressure off will be looking to bounce back and put in a positive performance.
Cray Wanderers: Shaun Rowley, Emmanuel Kwatchey, Jack Holland, Tom Bonner, Sam Wood (Ellis Brown, 70), David Ijaha, Tom Beere, Anthony Cook, Josh Hallard, Enoch Muwonge (Charles Paye, 81), Gary Lockyer (Alfie Evans, 69): Subs: Cameron McQueen-Hinckley, Archie Johnson
Scorer: Bonner 75
Booked: Lockyer 45+3, Evans 85
Hashtag United: Joshua Strizovic, Matthew Wooldridge, Nathan Smith, Thomas Anderson, Max Cornhill, Percy Kiangebeni (Camilo Restrepo, 90+4), Harry Haysom, Pedro Carvalho, Sakariya Hassan (Toby Aromolaran, 86), Sam Cornish, Luke May-Parrott (Alex Teniola, 80): Subs: Greg Halford, Misha Djemaili:
Scorers: Hassan 21, May-Parrott 45+2, Carvalho 90+2
Referee: Joseph Dan-Pye
Assistants: Jack Owen, Mark Fitzpatrick
Att: 358