Cray Wanderers came back from one down to pick up a vital three points in this hard fought game with fellow play off chasers Carshalton Athletic at Hayes Lane on Saturday afternoon thanks to goals from Dan Bassett & Tom Derry in the first half.

The game got off to a lively start with the visitors having the better of things, Tom Beere firing over from distance early on.

Cray’s first chance came when Bailey Akehursts free kick deflected wide off the wall for a corner following a foul on Yahaya Bamba.

It was Carshalton though who took the lead on 11 minutes when Crossley Lema got to the by-line and cut the ball back to Matthew Vigor who crashed the ball into the top left hand corner of the net.

Femi Akinwande went close soon after and Beere clipped chance over the bar as The Robins looked to extend their lead, for The Wands Anthony Cook played in Dan Bassett whose shot was blocked by the legs of Robins keeper Danny Bracken.

With the home side now on top, Cray drew finally level on 25 minutes when Bassett latched on to a loose ball on the edge of the area and drove it low into the corner of the net to make it 1-1.

The Wands continued to press from there and they went 2-1 up on 36 minutes when Bamba’s blistering pace saw him race clear of the Carshalton defence and then put in a low cross from the left for Derry to convert from close range.

From there Cook then set up Bassett who fired over on the break, before The Robins came close when Beere shot wide from a Calvin Ekpiteta cross just right on half time.

The second half saw Carshalton start well again, Akehurst made a couple of vital blocks on the edge of the area and they had penalty shout turned away when Ekpeiteta went down in the area.

Cray slowly came back into the game as things opened up. Bamba was crudely brought down by Oliver Cook when running towards the area and Cook’s free kick found Jalen Jones at the back post whose header was saved by Bracken.

Wands’ holding midfielder David Ijaha was lucky to avoid a second yellow soon after when kicking the ball away at a free kick and was quickly substituted for Sam Skeffington to avoid any further sanctions.

There were chances at both ends in the final fifteen minutes, Ekpiteta played in Vigor whose shot was blocked by Shaun Rowley and eventually cleared to safety, while at the other end, Cook found Bassett out wide who crossed for Derry, but his shot was saved by Bracken in The Robins goal and then Bassett saw his effort from the rebound deflect wide for a corner.

From the set piece Jones nodded the ball out to Skeffington, but he volleyed just over from 20 yards out.

Cook then went close with a powerful drive after a quick run up field, before in injury time the visitors had late chances to draw level, when Hamblin’s free kick out wide on the left just skidded wide of the far post and then Bamba and Freddie Carter made vital saving tackles to keep the score at 2-1 and secure the three points, which takes The Wands up to fifth in the table. 

Neil Smith’s side now face Folkestone Invicta at Hayes Lane on Wednesday night looking to build on this impressive win.   

Cray: Rowley, Tanga, Akehurst, Carter, Jones, Wood, Ijaha (Skeffington 76), Bamba, Bassett (Clunis 90), Cook. Derry.

Subs Not Used: King-Bassett, Weaire, Golding.

Carshalton: Bracken, Lema, Williams, Lee, Akinwande, Vigor, Cook, Hamblin, Cumberbatch (Akrofi 76), Ekpiteta, Beere.

Subs Not Used: Barnett, Smith-Joseph, Bradford.         

Goals: CWFC – Bassett 25, Derry 36mins. CAFC – Vigor 11mins. 

HT 2-1 FT 2-1

Att: 243