Cray moved up to fifth in the table with a hard fought win over Corinthian Casuals, extending their unbeaten run to six games in the process, despite a few nervous moments late on.

The game got off to a cagey start with neither side having a shot on goal for the first fifteen minutes, but it was Cray to grabbed the initiative with their first real chance when Karl Dent played in Jerome Frederico who crossed for Aaron Rhule to head home off the underside of the bar. Frederico crossed again soon after for Marcus Evans, but he put his header across the face of the goal and wide.

The game opened up from there with Lea Dawson heading wide for The Wands while Jack Strange and Warren Morgan were just off target for Casuals. Cray kept the ball for long periods of the half and if they lost it they soon battled hard to win it back.

Their pressure paid off  five minutes from the break when a foul on Michael Power saw Dent curl a superb free kick round the wall and into the net for 2-0. Just before half time Nick Blue made a fantastic save from Casuals defender Mu Maan, diving low to his right to stop his powerful header from a corner.

Corinthian started the second half on top, but Cray’s defence held out with only Hamilton Antonio’s long range shot going close as it sailed just wide of the far post. Cray rallied from there Dent hit a powerful drive that was well saved by Danny Bracken and Jay Leader headed a Dent cross just wide before they made it 3-0 on the hour.

Barney Williams found Dent out wide who crossed for Rhule to tap the ball home unmarked at the far post, with the visitors defence appealing for off side in vain.

A minute later it was 4-0 when Dean Carpenters surging run forward played in Frederico who crossed for Power to score past Bracken from just inside the box. Four minutes late Casuals pulled a goal back when Max Oldham’s deep ball found Malackai Robinson to score at the far post.

Power had to go off injured soon after and The Wands lost their target up front, but they still made more chances with Leader diving in at the far post just edging the ball wide from a Dent free kick.

The game became stretched and a bit scrappy as both sides tired when the visitors made it 4-2 with fifteen minutes left Reyon Dillon converting a Jordan Clark cross from close range after the winger had broken down the left and cut into the box.

Anthony Adesite narrowly missed the chance to convert a Dent through ball in injury time before Blue had to make another great save late on when he tipped a powerful free kick from Josh Ozun round the post, but in the end Cray held on for the win.

Cray: Blue, Carpenter, Williams (Mundele 66), Carpenter, Leader, Dawson, Henry, Dent, Rhule (Adesite 88), Frederico, Power (Freiter 75). Subs Not Used: Nelson, Lightfoot.

Casuals: Bracken, Morgan, Robinson (Robinson-Feeni 88), Daly, Strange, Maan, Oldham (Ozan 75), Antonio, Dillon, Checklit (Byatt 75), Clarke. Subs Not Used: Brown, Herring.

Goals: Cray – Rhule 15&60, Dent 40, Power 61mins. Casuals – Robinson 64, Dillon 74mins.

Att: 148

HT 2-0 FT 4-2

Ref: Mr S Finnigan