Despite a spirited second half display Cray Wanderers slipped to their third consecutive league defeat as they lost 3-1 to league leaders Lewes at Flamingo Park on Saturday afternoon.
The game got off to an open start in the driving rain with Parish Muirhead firing over for the visitors, while at the other end a Frankie Raymond free kick was eventually scrambled clear.
Lewes then took the attacking initiative, with former Wands striker Danny Bassett going close, before they took the lead on 13 minutes when a low cross from the right by Matt Warren was converted by Eddie Allsopp, the ball just crossing the line, which was spotted by the Linesman.
Bassett went close again as Shaun Rowley made a good save. After Wand’s winger Lateef Adaja had a shot saved by Toby Bull, the visitors then extended their lead on 19 minutes when Marcus Sablier (who had also been on loan at Cray previously) played in Bassett who coolly slid the ball past Rowley for 2-0.
Four minutes later it was 3-0, a stray pass from Darion Dowrich was kicked up by Sablier in the midfield, who then sublimely chipped Rowley from 35 yards.
With Lewes still pressing for more goals, Bassett had a shot saved and Muirhead hit the post as Cray just kept giving the ball away in key areas.
Finally The Wands settled late in the half and tried to create something, but in first half injury time it was The Rooks who nearly extended their lead when Sableir and Bassett both forced more saves from Rowley.
The second half saw Cray start with four changes and look to be more positive, Kenny Coker had a shot saved by Bull before they pulled a goal back on 49 minutes when a free kick found sub Anthony Cook who caught the ball on the half volley and found the net from 12 yards out.
Coker then shot wide as the home side pressed for a second and they had a goal ruled out for offside when Raymond’s free kick from out wide went in, but Cook was judged to be interfering with play as he crossed the keeper’s path.
Raymong curled a shot over from range, before Lewes started to employ what looked like time wasting tactics that saw a number of their players going down and requiring treatment.
Sablier then received a second yellow card, having just been booked for kicking the ball away he then fouled Nyron Clunis in front of the referee.
After going down to ten men, Lewes then rallied briefly, with Muirhead having a shot deflected over, while at the other end Cook had a long range shot saved and he was then denied by Bull again from a corner.
Clunis shot wide from distance, but Neil Smith’s side just couldn’t get another breakthrough. Joshua Williams nearly grabbed a fourth for the visitors late on, but his shot went narrowly wide and Quade Taylor then cleared another deflected chance off the line before the final whistle came.
The Wands now travel to Dulwich Hamlet on Monday, before they begin their FA Cup campaign next Saturday at Larkfield & New Hythe.
Cray: Rowley, Dowrich (Sodje 45), Ijaha, Taylor, Adaja (Smith 45), Raymond, Clunis, Stewart (Coker 45), Edwards, Hamouchene (Cook 45), Owiredu-Gyamera. Subs Not Used: Evans.
Lewes: Bull, Puemo, Enkh, Warren, Kaiser, Sablier, Bassett (Jefferey 85), Allsopp (Ladapo 77), Hutchinson (Williams 56), Allen (Mundele 70), Muirhead. Subs Not Used: Morris.
Goals – CWFC: Cook 49mins. LFC – Allsopp 13, Bassett 18, Sablier 23mins.
HT 0-3 FT 1-3
Att: 565
Referee: Chris Williams