Cray Wanderers picked up a vital three points with an impressive win over ten man Potters Bar Town at Hayes Lane on Saturday afternoon, including two goals from new signings, which kept their feint hopes of making the play offs alive.
The game got off to a lively start with play flowing from end to end, David Ijaha headed a corner wide early on and then Sam Wood hit the post with a powerful shot from 25 yards out.
With the Wands now well on top Harrison Sodje then crossed for Yahaya Bamba who headed the ball against the post. Potters Bar briefly pressed with Cheyce Grant going close twice with headers from set pieces.
After another good spell, The Wands took the lead on 28 minutes when the impressive Matthew Weaire played a superb ball through to Bamba on the edge of the area and he cooly finished past Louis Chadwick for 1-0.
Wilson Cingoka had an over head kick saved by Shaun Rowley as The Scholars tried to respond, but then came they key incident of the game when Alieu Njie caught Wood with an elbow and they challenged for a header on the half way line and while The Wands midfielder was treated for a head injury, Njie was sent off by Referee Nicholas Dunn.
The visitors saw the half out from there despite more Cray pressure and the score remianed 1-0.
The second half saw Cray look to press from the off, Ijaha firing over before they made it 2-0 when Dan Bassett latched on to a great ball from Ijaha and smashed it into the top right hand corner of the net giving Chadwick no chance.
The Wands carried on looking to attack, Anthony Cook and Bamba combined to set up Sodje who shot narrowly wide and the Bassett had a shot saved at the near post after a good run into the box, although debutant Destiny Oladipo was well placed to receive the ball on the six yard box.
Bassett did set up Oladipo with the next attack though, playing the big striker in with a great pass for him to slide the ball under Chadwick for 3-0.
With Cray still pressing for more, Bassett then set up Wood who created space on the edge of the area and slotted the ball into the conrer of the net to make it four.
Neil Smith’s side carried on pressing Potters Bar with a series of corners and the next goal eventually came on 81 minutes when another debutant sub Rio Campbell picked the ball up on the right, twisting and turning in the box before finding the far corner of the net for 5-0.
Cray could have added more goals late on when Dayshonne Golding cut the bal back to Oladipo who missed his shot, before Sodje and Campbell both had shots saved by Chadwick whose excellnt efforts in goal kept the score respectable.
Cray now sit in eighth place, three points off the top five ahead of their next game away at Brightlingsea Regent on Saturday.
Cray: Rowley, Wood, Wearie, Ijaha, Sodje, Cook, Clunis (Golding 68), Bamba (Campbell 76), Bassett, Derry (Oladipo 65).
Subs Not Used: Whyte, Dogan.
Potters Bar:Chadwick, Titchmarsh, Ruskoe, Dickson, Martin, Russell, Grant (Bajaha 56), Njie, Oji (Olaiya 63), Smith, Chingoka (Kweme 90).
Goals: Bamba 28, Bassett 55, Oladipo 67, Wood 70, Campbell 81mins.
HT 1-0 FT 5-0
Att: 198
Referee: Mr Nicholas Dunn