Cray Wanderers’ last home game at Hayes Lane ended in a chastening defeat to an impressive Bognor Regis Town side who outplayed the hosts for the majority of the match and took their chances.
The game got off to a lively and open start and it was The Wands who took the lead after only 7 minutes when Tom Beere played a great ball to Nyren Clunis who coolly slotted the ball past Archie Bennett for 1-0.
From there though it was The Rocks who started to have the better of the play, Tommy-Lee Higgs headed a chance over before finding the target to equalise on 16 minutes when he fired a low shot from the edge of the box to beat Shaun Rowley and level things up.
The impressive Jasper Mather then went close for Bognor, while at the other end Enoch Muwonge had a strong run into the area before his goal bound shot was headed clear by Joe Rabbetts.
With the game wide open Beere crossed for Gary Lockyer who headed wide and the big number nine also fired over after good work by Alfie Evans. As the visitors pressed with a good spell of pressure, Rowley made a fine double save to deny Mat Burgess & Dan Gifford, before Higgs shot narrowly wide.
The breakthrough goal for Bognor finally came on 37 minutes when Higgs found Mather out wide with a great pass and the winger cut in from the left before powering a superb shot into the roof for the net to make it 1-2 and send the large travelling support delirious.
Going into the break both sides had chances, Gifford had a shot from range tipped over by Rowley and Joe Briffa fired wide for Bognor, while at the other end Ellis Brown and Lockyer were both played in by Clunis, but put their chances wide.
The second half saw Bognor press from the kick off, Mather, Gifford and Burgess all going close before they made it 3-1 on 57 minutes when a set piece was only half cleared and Craig Robson hit an unstoppable half volley from the edge of the area to really put the game beyond doubt.
Higgs had a header cleared off the line by Archie Johnson, before on a rare break Anthony Cook crossed for Brown whose shot was saved at the near post by Bennett.
The Rocks pressed again and made it 4-1 on 76 minutes when Alfie Bridgman had a header saved by Rowley, but pounced on the rebound to convert from close range. Bridgman went close again, before Josh Hallard saw a shot on a rare Cray attack deflect off a defender and hit the post.
Deep into injury time Bognor made it 5-1 when Mather latched on to a loose pass and took the ball round Rowley before rolling it into an empty net to complete the rout.
A disappointing end to the 26 year stay at Hayes Lane for Neil Smith’s side, who have one more Isthmian League Premier Division game left this season away at Dulwich Hamlet next weekend.
Cray: Rowley, Kwatchey, Holland, Paye, Hallarrd, Evans, Beere (Wood 64), Brown, Muwonge (Johnson 54), Clunis, Lockyer (Cook 58). Subs not Used: McQueen, Brooke.
Bognor: Bennett, Whyte, Downs (Yang 36), Briffa (Baker 79), Rabbetts, Robson, Pattenden, Burgess, Gifford, Higgs (Bridgman 70), Mather. Subs Not Used: Holland, Vince.
Goals: CWFC – Clunis 7mins BTFC: Higgs 16, Mather 37 & 90, Robson 57, Brigdman 76mins
HT 1-2 FT 105
Att: 276
Referee: Daniel Blades