Cray made it four league wins in a row as an explosive start to the second half which brought three goals twas enough to beat Carshalton Athletic and move Cray up to fifth in the league table.

After an intriguing if slightly chess like first half, the Wands went ahead on the stroke of half time with Danny Haynes seventh goal of the season.  The game burst into life with four goals in fifteen minutes with Haynes scoring again with a 25 yard blockbuster and Ben Mundele made it 3-0 with his first league goal for Cray.  The Robins pulled a goal back on the hour before Brandon Scott added to his growing reputation with a well taken goal to ultimately seal the points.

The two teams had met in an excellent FA Trophy tie just six days before and there were two changes to the Cray starting lineup.   Ben Mundele came in for Jai McKinlay at right back and Lee Prescott started in place of Sol Taiwo.

Both teams started in many ways the way they finished on Sunday with some good passing and intelligent attacking play.  The first attempt towards goal came from Cray in the third minute when Prescott shot well wide.  Two minutes later, Carshalton threatened when Mickel Miller hit a shot from thirty yards which went straight to Nick Blue.

A fascinating tactical battle was ensuing with Cray looking to deny the Carshalton attacking players too much room and although they perhaps gave the initiative to the visitors in terms of possession, Blue was well protected.

Cray had a half chance when from a free kick out on the left, Jey Siva’ ball into the box was headed over by Jay Leader.   Shortly after another Siva free kick found Leader but this time his header was misdirected and went off goal.

In the 21^st minute, Carshalton came close when the lively Miller cut in from the right and fired in a well struck shot which Blue did very well to get down to save   A ball played up field by Blue found Haynes down the right but his cross shot was well off target.

The best chance of the game yet came in the 25^th minute when Haynes was presented with a chance but his strike from eight yards was pushed behind brilliantly by Alexandros Kozakis.

The match then went through a cagey spell with Carshalton enjoying some good possession and player-manager Peter Adeniyi made a run forward and took a return pass from Ricky Korboa and his shot was blocked by Karl Dent and away for a corner.

With a couple of minutes to go to half time, Prescott found Roberts inside the box but couldn’t get a clean connection and his effort was blocked.  Then Dent down the right put in a cross that was turned behind by Paris Hamilton-Downes for a Wands corner.

From the corner in the 45^th minute, Cray took the lead.  Jey Siva’s right wing corner to the back post was met by Paul Lorraine whose header found Haynes whose initial effort was blocked but he picked the ball up, turned and found space just outside the penalty area and placed a shot past Kozakis’ despairing dive.

This was a crucial moment of the game coming so close to half time and signalled a change for the pattern of the second half.

Halt Time:  1-0

The second half was more like the game on Sunday afternoon with more of a cut and thrust and the game burst into life with Cray going two up in the 47^th minute.

Haynes received the ball from Siva’s pass and from fully twenty five yards hit a sweet strike which gave Kozakis no chance in goal and was a breath taking goal of genuine class.

Carshalton threatened to come back and Brendan Murphy-McVey fired well wide before Dent’s pass found Haynes who dinked his shot towards goal but Kozakis did well to block the shot;

Moments later, in the 56^th minute, Cray made it 3-0 with a great piece of finishing when Sean Roberts played in Ben Mundele down the right who burst into the box and fired in a cross-shot which crashed into the back of the net showing his predatory instincts as a striker whilst filling in at right back.

Carshalton though are as good as side as Cray have played and they gave the Wands warning the game wasn’t over when substitute, Matthew Males hit a first time volley which forced Blue to make a fine save to block the shot.

That warning wasn’t heeded as a minute later on the hour, Carshalton pulled a goal back when Karboa’s cross from the left found Miller who stole in to head home from six yards.

Cray went back on the attack and Haynes’ low shot on the edge of the ‘D’ was saved by Kozakis before the Wands capped off a golden spell of great attacking with another well taken goal

In the 62^nd mninute, Dent found Scott down the right who used his great speed to set up a chance for himself and he cracked an unstoppable low cross shot past Kozakis for his fourth goal of the season.

This to all intents and purposes had finished off the game as the last twenty five minutes saw Cray soak up any pressure thrown at them and cleverly were able to slow the pace down.

For Carshalton, the hardworking Miller saw a shot blocked whilst for Cray, Roberts fired over the bar.

Blue had to get down smartly to save from Korboa’s deflected shot whilst for Cray a dangerous ball across from Scott just narrowly missed the on-rushing Bradley Woods-Garness and the ball drifted wide.

The game ended in rather quiet fashion but the crowd, the biggest of the season probably needed to take a breather after the exciting start to the half and can be well satisfied once again with the fare served up at Hayes Lane.

This was undoubtedly Cray’s best performance of the season so far.  Tactically astute, tremendously sharp going forward, sound defensively and an energetic midfield engine room,  There were some immense performances from the whole side and probably harsh to single out players but a particular mention though to Lee Prescott in midfield who had an excellent game, strong, determined and helped to overcome the loss of Taiwo with an impressive array of tackles and passes.

There is a very refreshing style about the side and with a mixture of experience and youth, the team have really looked the part in the last few games.

Carshalton are a good side and there will not be many teams beat them 4-1 this season and they will be there or thereabouts come the end of the season.

The two teams will meet again in the FA Trophy on Wednesday, 26^th October but before that, Cray face two key league games at home to Guernsey on Wednesday, 19^th October and away to Lewes on Saturday looking to maintain their good league form,  Life is never dull watching this Cray side right now and you feel they could get even better.

 

Cray:   Nick Blue, Ben Mundele, Jey Siva, Jay Leader, Paul Lorraine, Lea Dawson (Capt.), Lee Prescott, Sean Roberts, Danny Haynes (Bradley Woods-Garness, 80), Karl Dent (Max Williams, 67), Brandon Scott (Timi Osidobu, 88).

Subs: Jai McKinlay, Solomon Taiwo

 

Booked:  Mundele        

 

Carshalton: Alexandros Kozakis, Bobby Price (Capt.), Paris Hamilton-Downes, Peter Adeniyi, Jahmahl King, Mekhail McLaughlin, Mickel Miller, Sekou Kaba, Richard Ismail (Matthew Males, 58), Brendan Murphy-McVey (Esteban Salgado-Giraldo, 81), Ricky Korboa (Ryan Healey, 81).

Booked:          Korboa, Kaba

 

Referee:          George Warren

Assistants:     Scott Rudd, Tom Fell                       

 

Attendance:   218

 

Cray Wanderers                                        4

Haynes 45, 47, Mundele 56, Scott 62

 

Carshalton Athletic                                  1

Miller 60