Cray Wanderers got back to winning ways with a hard fought win over relegation battling Canvey Island at Flamingo Park on Saturday afternoon.
Prior to the game there was a minutes applause for lifelong clubman Peter Jackson, who sadly passed away last weekend, and it was fitting that his team put on a good winning performance in his memory.
The Wands started the game looking to be positive and they went close when Nyren Clunis headed over. Soul Kader than had a shot saved by Bobby Mason, before the visitors came back into things, but it was Cray who created the clearer chances.
Lateef Adaja just failed to connect to a great Josh Williams cross from the right, Mason made another save from Clunis and Adaja was then denied by The Gulls keeper after good work from Frankie Raymond.
When Canvey did attack Cray’s defence was very solid, marshalled by Tom Bonner. The breakthrough for Neil Smith’s side came on 35 minutes when Kader was tripped in the box and Referee Mr Blades pointed to the spot.
Raymond coolly slotting his penalty away to make it 1-0 to The Wands. Three minutes later Cray doubled their lead when a ball over the top from Eze Ebuzoeme found Kader who controlled it and then calmly lobbed Mason from just outside the box for 2-0.
This was the Bromley loanee’s sixth goal in five games. It was almost three just before the break, but Mason made a good save to tip away a Raymond free kick. Canvey Island then pressed in injury time with Bonner making two excellent blocks on the edge of the area to keep it at 2-0.
Canvey made three changes at half time and came out looking to get back into things, Jeremy Santos having a shot saved by Shaun Rowley and and he was then on hand to tip over Jimmy Wallace’s header from the resulting corner.
Oliver Parsons went close from range as The Gulls continued to press and they pulled a goal back on 56 minutes when Elliott Ronto found Chris Harris who slid the ball past Rowley to make it 2-1.
From there Cray tried to muster a response and attempted too get back into things, Adaja hit the post and Clunis had a shot saved from the rebound, but Canvey also had more chances. Santos hit the bat with a free kick and then fired over with a sharp turn and shot just outside the area.
The vital deciding goal came on 71 minutes as Cray fans were applauding Peter Jackson’s memory his age at the time of his passing. Adaja let fly from 25yards out and his unstoppable effort left Mason rooted to the spot as it crashed into the top right hand corner of the net.
Raymond went close from range soon after, before Rowley made two superb saves for the home side, denying Santos from close range and tipping over a Harris header from a corner to keep the score at 3-1.
The win keeps Cray Wands in ninth place in the Isthmian League Premier Division ahead of their trip to Carshalton Athletic next Saturday, while Canvey remain four points above the relegation zone.
Cray – Rowley, Orji, Bonner, Sutton, Dowrich, Raymond, Clunis (Brooke 95), Adaja (Damyanov 82), Williams (Penn 65), Ebuzoeme, Kader (Borders 89). Subs Not Used: Taylor.
Canvey – Mason, Tinubu (Parsons 45), Stephen, Salmon (Harris 45), Wallace (Nnamudi 85), Ronto, Adebiyi, Hubble (Gilbert 45), Sach, Santos-Hurtado, Foxley (Dorrell 86).
Goals: CWFC – Raymond 35pen, Kader 38, Adaja 71mins CIFC – Harris 56mins.
HT 2-0 FT 3-1
Att: 555
Referee: Daniel Blades