Cray Wanderers celebrated Non League Day with a four goal victory over struggling Bowers & Pitsea on Saturday afternoon in front of over 700 at Flamingo Park, with Nyren Clunis notching a second half hat trick.
In the first game of the ‘Post Smudger Era’, Tim O’Shea’s Cray Wands side started the game with debutant Kavalli Heywood starting up front after joining on a loan deal from Millwall.
After a cautious opening The Wands had the first chance when Darion Dowrich had a chipped effort cleared off the line by Yannis Abroisine. Heywood was very lively up front and on two occasions he almost caught Bowers keeper Joseph Witney in possession on the edge of the area as he tried to clear the ball.
Witney also made a good save to deny Heywood soon after from a tight angle. With Cray pressing Quade Taylor played in Nyren Clunis who curled an effort just wide from range and Frankie Raymond also forced a save from Whitney with a low drive.
Bower’s first shot came on the half hour when George Scales called Shaun Rowley into action, but the home stopper was equal to it. Raymond went close with a free kick, before O’Shea’s side went in front in first half injury time. Ike Orji was played in by Josh Williams down the right and the full back showed great footwork in the box before dispatching the ball past Whitney just inside the far post for 1-0.
There was still time for one more free kick when Dowrich’s run was ended by a foul, but Raymond hit the wall with his set piece.
The second half saw Bowers & Pitsea start well, Tq Addy combined with Max Fidders who fired wide across goal and Rowley then denied Fidders next effort on goal. Cray thought they should have had a penalty when Lateef Adaja was brought down by Kacper Gruszinski in the box, but Referee Joshua Evans waved the appeals away.
Scales fired a long range shot wide for the visitors on the hour, before The Wands came back into things. After a good spell the home side doubled their lead on 69 minutes, Williams and Orji combined down the right again and the cross came to Clunis who had his shot saved by Whitney, but his persistence payed off when he lashed the rebound home from ten yards for 2-0.
Bowers had a strong shout for a penalty turned down when Addy went down in the area, but again Mr Evans was not moved. Williams was again the catalyst for Cray’s attacking threat setting up Heywood who fired over.
With The Wands now playing some nice expansive football and pressing they made it 3-0 on 78 minutes when Dowrich sent a ball in from the left and Clunis converted again just inside the box.
With the home side pushing for more, Williams was denied by a brave save from Whitney at his feet and Eze Ebuzoeme shot over from twenty yards out. The Wands made it 4-0 on 85 minutes when Clunis completed his hat trick with a low drive that Whitney couldn’t hold on to as it skidded into the net. Sub Tom Borders went close late on and also set up Ebuzoeme, but his shot sailed over the bar.
The result saw Cray Wands remain eleventh, while it sealed Bowers & Pitsea’s fate as their relegation from the Isthmian League Premier Division was confirmed.
The Wands are back in action next Saturday when they entertain Dover Athletic at Flamingo Park.
Cray Wands – Rowley, Orji, Dowriich, Sutton, Taylor, Adaja (Ihiedi 89), Raymond, Heywood (Borders 79), Williams (Damyanov 87) , Clunis (Warwick 87), Ebuzoeme. Subs Not Used: Clark
Bowers – Whitney, Monville (Dorilli 87), Gruszinski, Albon, Ambroisine (Campling 77), Sani (Smith-Kouassi 66), Fiddes, Scales, Price (Shanna 75), Addy, Evans. Subs Not Used: Reeve.
Goals: Orji 45, Clunis 69, 78 & 85mins.
HT 1-0 FT 4-0
Att: 706
Referee: Joshua Evans