Cray picked up a point in an entertaining game between two teams in need of points at the bottom of the table, digging deep after playing their third game in a week.

In an open and even start it was the visitors who had the best early chance when Adam Bulle fired over from close range. Wingate eventually took the lead on 25 minutes when Mark Waetherstone headed home a set piece, with Cray looking a little to small at the back following Heleg Orome’s departure to Grays on Friday.

Cray responded well to falling behind with both Moses Ashikodi and Paul Vines having efforts blocked a mixture of keeper and defender on the line.

Ashikodi also had a goal bound effort bravely headed away by Ahmet Rifat off the end of the striker’s foot soon after! Late in the half Tommy Tejan-Sie had a shot saved by Cray keeper Darren Behcet to keep the score 0-1 at the break.

The second half got off to the perfect start for The Wands when following a foul on Vines, Ashikodi curled in a sweet free kick from 20 yards to equalise on 48 minutes.

Alex Stavrinou set up Dimitri Larin soon after but the defender headed just wide as Cray looked the more likely to score again. The game was then broken up by numerous offsides and niggling fouls from the visitors and they began too push the home side back as the half went on.

Tejan-Sie hit the post and Bulle missed a good chance before sub Craig Davies powered a header home from another set piece on 81 minutes to put Wingate & Finchley back in front.

To their credit Cray battled back again and with five minutes left a slick passing move ended with Stavrinou hitting a superb striker from 25yards that left Bobby Smith in the visitors goal with no chance to bring the scores level again.

The visitors will probably have gone home happier with the point, which won’t be enough to save The Wands at this stage, but Keith Bird’s men can be well satisfied with their battling display and the character showed to come back twice in the game.

 

Crays: Behcet, Udoji, Simpson, James-Lewis, Fitzgerald, Larin, Beckett, Stavrinou, Vines, Ashikodi, Stone.

Subs: Rowe, Akinde, Monan, Acheampong, Taylor.

Wingate & Finchley: B Smith, Wright, Street, D Smith, Weatherstone, Rifat, Kennett, McCall, Bulle, McGoniggle, Tejan-Sie.

Subs: Sharpe, Davies, Read, Aisen, Fredericks.

Goals: Cray: Ashikodi 48, Stavrinou 85mins.

Wingate: Weatherstone 27, Davies 81mins.

 

Referee: Mr M Webb

Star Man: Alex Stavrinou (Cray)

 

Match Rating: 3/5