Cray Wanderers’ cup interest for the season came to an end as Charlton Athletic moved into the Semi Finals of the Kent Reliance Senior Cup with a classy and polished display against a young Wands side.

Several first team regulars were rested to save them for the tough rigours of the festive football programme but the side that played did have some first team experience but the extra professionalism of the Charlton side proved to be major difference between the sides.

The visitors took the lead from the penalty spot after 18 minutes through Albie Morgan before making it 2-0 just after the half hour with a superb lofted shot from Brendan Sarpong-Wiredu which was the score at the break.

Charlton upped the gears even more at the start of the second half when Alfie Doughty scored a third seven minutes after the restart.  Cray though kept plugging away and pulled a goal back from the penalty spot through Anthony Adesite on the hour.   Two minutes later though Charlton scored a fourth through Jo Cummings deft header and finished the game in style with George Lapslie tapping in injury time to complete the scoring.

There were not surprisingly a few changes to the side which beat Whyteleafe on Saturday with Nick Blue, Ben Mundele, Dean Carpenter and Mitchell Nelson the only four players to feature.  Saturday’s subs, Ralique Lawrence, Freddie Parker, Zak Henry, Marcus Evans and Jerome Federico all started along with Timi Osidobu and Anthony Adesite.

Charlton are three times winners of the competition and lie fifth in the Professional Development League and Jason Euell side were always going to provide a very tough proposition to Tony Russell’s side.

The game began fairly quietly with both sides trying to find their way into the game.  Cray perhaps just edged the early exchanges winning an early corner through Jerome Federico, then Adesite’s free kick out on the right was claimed by Dillion Phillips in the Charlton goal.  Then Ben Mundele exchanged passes with Federico and made a good run into the area but his effort was blocked by Ryan Blomberg.

Charlton had been tidy in possession but hadn’t really threatened Cray until the 18^th minute when from a throw in down the left the ball came to Gabriel Almeida who played a clever pass through to Jordan Zemura who was upended in the box by Evans and a penalty kick was awarded.   Albie Morgan stepped up to confidently convert the spot kick.

Charlton almost scored a second five minutes later when Dan Birch’s cross from the right fell to Luke Carey whose close range header was pushed onto the crossbar by Nick Blue and over for a corner.

Cray looked to get a foothold in the match and Lawrence drove wide of goal from twenty yards from Mitchell Nelson’s pass.

The Wands were indebted to Blue once again as Almeida put Carey through on goal but his effort at the near post was saved by Blue’s foot.

In the 31^st minute Charlton scored an excellent second goal when Morgan who was controlling the game in midfield found Brendan Sarpong-Wiredu down the left who found himself just outside the area and curled in a lofted shot which gave Blue no chance to save with a moment of genuine class.

Charlton were now well on top and Morgan drove a shot wide and then from a free kick 30 yards out fired over the wall but just over the bar.  Morgan then tested Blue from distance with a well hit effort.  Before half time, Charlton came close again when from a corner, Sarpong-Wiredu headed wide.

Just before the break Cray had their best opportunity to get on the scoresheet when Mundele set up Federico whose cross to the far post was headed wide by Lawrence.

Half Time:  0-2

Cray made a half time change with Nick Wybrow from the U23s side making his first team debut.

The second half carried on where the first ended with Cray struggling to keep up with some slick Charlton passing and harrying and the Addicks should really have scored a third but Zemura’s cross found Carey who shot over the bar from a good position.

That was a temporary reprieve as in the 52^nd minute, Charlton scored a well taken third goal when Morgan’s left wing cross was missed by Carey but arrived at the far post to Alfie Doughty who did well to place the ball into the bottom left corner of the net.

Cray hung in the game and Morgan shot wide for Charlton before Cray got themselves back in the game with a penalty award of their own on the hour.  Wybrow’s ball found Adesite down the right who turned into the area and was brought down by Blomberg.  Adesite stepped up to take the kick himself and scored his second goal of the season, both in the Kent Senior Cup.

Just as thoughts turned to a dramatic Wands fightback for the second Wednesday night in a row, two minutes later Charlton restored their three goal advantage.  They were awarded a free kick down the right and Doughty’s ball to the far post found the head of Jo Cummings who cleverly diverted the ball wide of Blue to make it 4-1.

Charlton dominated the game after that but Cray did almost pull a goal back when Charlie Foster’s ball from the right found Lawrence whose effort was blocked and looped over to Parker inside the area but fired over the bar.

Another youngster then made his 1^st team debut when Kyrique Garvey-Williams came on with 18 minutes to go.

For the visitors, from a corner, Cummings headed wide of goal and then Birch shot wide.  This was followed by the impressive Morgan seeing a shot palmed out by Blue.

Cray looked to threaten from a free kick 30 yards from goal and Adesite fired over the wall and Phillips got down to save comfortably.

Then with two minutes to go Federico’s ball across from the right found Adesite again whose effort was well saved by Phillips.

The game was drifting to an inevitable conclusion when two minutes into stoppage time Charlton scored a fifth goal when Doughty’s ball across from the left to the far post found substitute George Lapslie who tapped the ball into the net to round off a good night for Charlton.

Cray gave it their all and there was no disgrace in the final performance but were just beaten by the better more streetwise side who took their chances well and possibly by their token never got out of second gear.

The Wands now can prepare for the big festive league games starting with a trip to Molesey on Saturday looking to preserve their place in the top 2.

 

Cray Wanderers: Nick Blue, Ben Mundele (Charlie Foster, 55), Timi Osidobu (Nick Wybrow, H/T), Marcus Evans, Mitchell Nelson, Zak Henry, Dean Carpenter, Anthony Adesite, Freddie Parker, Jerome Federico, Ralique Lawrence (Kyrique Garvey-Williams, 72)

 

Booked:  Evans, Henry

 

Charlton:  Dillion Phillips, Dan Birch, Jordan Zemura, Ben Dempsey, Jo Cummings, Ryan Blomberg (Capt.), Brendan Sarpong-Wiredu, Albie Morgan (George Lapslie, 86), Luke Carey (Matt Carter, 87), Gabriel Almeida (Kareem Isiaka, 72), Alfie Doughty.

Subs not used:  Tyrone Kirunda, Jordan Beeney

 

Booked:  Zemura, Sarpong-Wiredu

 

Referee:  Aji Ajibola

Assistant Referees: Liam Vittoria, Max Sollis, Joseph McKay

 

Att: 152

 

 

                       

Cray Wanderers                                                    1

Adesite 60 pen

 

Charlton Athletic                                                  5

Morgan 18 pen, Sarpong-Wiredu 31, Doughty 52,

Cummings 62, Lapslie 90+2