Cray maintained their ten point lead at the top of the table with a hard fought derby win over VCD Athletic at Hayes Lane on Saturday afternoon, despite playing for over half an hour with ten men.
Cray started the game on the front foot with Tom Phipp setting up Ben Mundele who fired over. The Wands passing and movement put The Vickers under pressure with Karl Dent putting a free kick over, following good work from Mundele and then the same player put a shot across goal and narrowly wide after a good move involving Freddie Parker and Dent.
Mundele then set up Parker whose shot was blocked on the line by Jake McIntyre. Dent had another effort saved by Joe Mant before play evened out and Vickers went close when McIntyre put a free kick wide after a foul on Charlie MacDonald.
But just as VCD looked to be coming into things The Wands took the lead when Parker received the ball 30 yards out and took one touch before unleashing an unstoppable drive past Mant to make it 1-0 to the home side. Mundele was just off target soon after and The Wands finished the half on top with a series of corners, the only difficult moment coming when Phipp was booked for a heavy challenge on Aymun El Moyhalbel.
The second half saw VCD start well, MacDonald had a near post effort saved by Nick Blue and then he also put another chance wide. At the other end Parker had a shot parried by Mant after a strong run and Dent was also denied by the visiting keeper from the rebound. The Wands carried on pressing and went 2-0 up on 52 minutes when the impressive Mundele dropped his shoulder and created space before driving the ball into the net from 25 yards with a sublime finish.
A few heavy challenges started to fly in which saw players booked, before a major talking point in the game came on 58 minutes when ex-Cray striker MacDonald made the most of a coming together in the box with Archie Johnson and crashed to the ground. Referee Proctor not only saw fit to award Vickers a penalty but also remarkably send Johnson off. MacDonald notched his 19th goal of the season by sending Blue the wrong way from the spot and Cray were now only a goal in front with ten men.
After a brief wobble though The Wands settled and started to create more chances with Bradley Pritchard and Parker going close. Then with eight minutes to go Referee Proctor levelled things up when he sent off VCD sub Tyrone Guthrie for raising his arm to Phipp after the two had challenged for a ball.
Late on Cray finally put the game beyond doubt when Jack Steventon crudely upended Mundele in the box for a clear penalty, but no card was shown. Phipp coolly slotted home the spot kick to make it 3-1 to Tony Russell’s side and secure another win in this most impressive league campaign to date.
Cray: Blue, Johnson, Williams, Leader, Nelson, Mundele, Dent (Roberts 77), Pricthard, Phipp, Frederico (Uchechi 89), Parker. Subs Not Used: Power, Fujimade, Evans.
VCD: Mant, Udoji (Guthrie 66), Baker, McIntyre, Steventon, Denny, Gaggin, Odusanya, MacDonald, Hudson, Barrington (El Moyhalbel 17). Subs Not Used: Vincent, Cecil, Fuseini.
Goals; Cray – Parker 30mins, Mundele 52mins, Phipp 88pen. VCD – MacDonald 58 pen.
HT 1-1 FT 3-1 Att: 147
Referee: Mr Daniel Proctor