Cray Wanderers moved back into 4^th place in the Isthmian Premier league table and made it 11 matches without defeat after beating Merstham at Hayes Lane.  The win puts Cray on 61 points level on points with Hornchurch and Folkestone Invicta and seven behind leaders Worthing.

Joe Taylor took his league tally to 25 and 31 in all competitions with a brace of goals in the first half, the first after six minutes and the second from the penalty spot just before the break.  Cray’s second goal was well finished by Bradley Pritchard five minutes before half time. Merstham looked to rally in the second half and managed to pull a goal back with practically the last kick of the game when Shola Ayoola netted.  

Before the game, after a presentation of framed shirts to club sponsors, the club made a special signing of 100 year old former Cray Wanderers goalkeeper George Taylor to commemorate the clubs oldest living player.

Cray had moved down one place to 5^th on Saturday after Carshalton Athletic beat Horsham while Hornchurch had gone up to 2^nd. The signs were there for a good, open match as Merstham needed the points as they are in the midst of a relegation battle.

The Wands were buoyed by the appearance in the side once again of Jay Leader who had missed the last two matches and Tom Phipp who made his first start since the win against Horsham a month ago.  Leader came into the side for Geofrey Okonkwo while Phipp came in for Karl Dent.

Cray began the game at a breakneck speed and an early Charlie Allen effort from 25 yards crashed off the top of the crossbar after 4 minutes.

Two minutes later, Cray were ahead when the ball was worked down the left and Joel Rollinson’s through ball was latched onto by Joe Taylor who calmly drilled a low shot wide of Matte Pierson and into the bottom right corner for his 30^th goal of the season.

Merstham looked to work their way back into the game and James O’Halloran hit a shot wide of goal from 20 yards.

At the other end, Cray continued to impress going forward and Carlse who began the game impressively, set up Rollinson who shot over from just outside the area. 

Then Cray came close again when Murrell-Williamson made a great run down the right and cut into the area and his shot was pushed away well by Pierson in the 13^th minute.

Merstham were awarded a free kick just outside the area and Ekpiteta’s shot came back off the wall and out to O’Shane Stewart whose drive was deflected through to Lewis Carey.

Then Cray won a corner and Murrell-Williamson’s cross to the far post was headed towards goal by Leader and appeared to strike the arm of Edwin Mensah before Taylor could get to the ball and eventually came out to Bradley Pritchard who fired over the top.

In the 25^th minute Cray looked to increase their lead and the excellent Charlie Allen found Murrell-Williamson down the right and his looping ball into the area was headed out by Mensah to Carlse who from just outside the area pulled a shot just wide of the right post.  

Just after the half hour the Wands almost scored a great goal when Tom Phipp played a superb pass through to Taylor who held off a defender and found Murrell-Williamson whose shot was well held by Pierson.

As the half wore on, Merstham had a flurry where they looked to level and Omar Folkes and Eddie Dines combined to set up Bobby Mills whose shot was deflected behind for a corner. 

However, five minutes before half time Cray grabbed a second goal to give comfort Ben Mundele played a lovely ball through to Pritchard and his crisp finish from 8 yards into the net was his fourth goal of the season.

A minute before half time, Cray were awarded a penalty. Allen found Rollinson who played a pass to Carlse who broke into the area and was brought down by Fernandez.  From the spot, Taylor coolly fired home to make it 3-0 and give Cray a degree of comfort at the break.

To Merstham’s credit they came out well in second half and looked to get back into the game. Michal Gough first going close with a volley over the bar.

As the half went on Cray were perhaps content to take the sting out of the game and were composed and defensively strong.

Merstham did seek a goal to put them back in the contest and Gough once again fired well over the top, then Yannick Monga set up Ayoola whose shot was blocked. Then, Ayoola won the ball and set up Folkes just inside the area who couldn’t get a shot away and was cleared by Leader.

The game had long seemed won by Cray and they saw out the game with substitutions and weren’t overly troubled until the last couple of minutes of the match.  Firstly, Harry Mark found Ekpiteta whose low shot from 20 yards was well gathered by Lewis Carey.

Then finally in the third minute of added on time, Merstham pulled a goal back which perhaps their efforts in the second half deserved. Gough played a pass through to Ayoola who found space to drive a shot in off the right post to make it 3-1. 

Cray on Saturday meet Brightlingsea Regent who similarly to Merstham require points at the other end of the table but the Wands keep marching on and with their key players all coming back to fitness and a full squad for Tony Russell to choose from things are looking bright for the last ten games of the season.  

Cray Wanderers:  Lewis Carey, Ben Mundele, Tom Carlse (Barney Williams, 87), Jay Leader, Mitchell Nelson (Capt.), Tom Phipp (Lee Lewis, 81), Charlie Allen, Bradley Pritchard, Rhys Murrell-Williamson (Jerome Federico, 66), Joel Rollinson, Joe Taylor

Subs: Karl Dent, Geofrey Okonkwo 

Scorers: Taylor 6, 44 pen, Pritchard 40

Merstham: Matte Pierson, Potchu Mendes-Calucane, James O’Halloran, Edwin Mensah, Emmanuel Fernandez (Shola Ayoola, H/T), Mitchal Gough, O’Shane Stewart (Yannick Monga, 45), Eddie Dines, Omar Folkes (Harry Mark, 79):

Subs: Barry Hayles

Scorer: Ayoola 90+3

Referee: Peter Cruise

Attendance – 329