Cray Wanderers picked up a vital three points and their first clean sheet of the season with a comfortable win over bottom of the table Merstham on Wednesday night at Hayes Lane.
The Wands started on the front foot and went close through Tom Phipp and Joe Taylor early on, before they did open the scoring on 5 minutes when Rhys Murrell-Williamson and Taylor combined to set up Ben Mundele who coolly clipped the ball past Tyler Dickinson in the Merstham goal for 1-0.
Four minutes later Cray were 2-0 up when Murrell-Williamson had a powerful shot saved, but Bradley Pritchard was on hand to convert the rebound from close range.
The Wands continued to dominate play with the visitors only chance falling to Pierre Alexander-Morris who blazed a great opportunity over the bar from inside the box. Jason Banton had a shot tipped over by Dickinson soon after, but from the resulting corner Jay Leader headed home Freddie Parker’s delivery to make it 3-0.
Late in half Joedon Gugas-Cowin almost pulled one back for The Moatsiders, but his powerful drive was palmed away by Lewis Carey for a corner.
The second half saw Cray start well again, Murrell-Williamson had one shot saved, but he then made it 4-0 with a sharp turn and finish from the edge of the area on 47 minutes.
Phipp had a header saved soon after, Taylor fired wide after good work by Murrell-Williamson and Jason Banton was denied by Dickinson as the home side continued to push for more goals.
The fifth goal came on 62 minutes when Taylor got in on the act converting a rebound after another save from Banton. Banton then set up Tom Carlse who hit the post, before Dylan Cascoe hit the top of the bar with a cross shot on a rare attack for Merstham.
Premier League veteran Barry Hayles tried his best to add an attacking threat for Merstham from the bench, but it was to no avail.
Late on The Wands completed the scoring when Parker played in Taylor who coolly dinked the ball over the advancing Dickinson for 6-0 and it could have been seven in injury time when Taylor set up Banton, but his shot went narrowly wide.
This was a very stylish display from Tony Russell’s side who moved up to fourth in the table ahead of their FA trophy tie away at Whitehawk on Saturday.
Cray: Carey Mundele Leader Nelson Carlse Pritchard (Richards 54) Phipp (Lewis 68) Parker Banton Murrell-Williamson (Federico 74) Taylor.
Subs Not Used: Allen Onoabagbe.
Merstham: Dickinson Calucane Mason Simeone Gugas-Cowin Bolton Davies (Hayles 55) Monga (Healy 53) Mensah Morin (Cascoe 53) Williams.
Subs Not Used:
Goals: Mundele 5, Pritchard 9, Leader 30, Murrell-Williamson 47, Taylor 62 & 82mins.
Att: 376
HT 3-0 FT 6-0.
Ref: Jamie Pope