The Cray Wanderers U21s were left frustrated after a game they largely dominated was won by the visitors Great Wakering whose superior finishing ended up the difference between the two sides.
This was Phil Foster’s side’s first outing for two weeks and came into the game on the back of two successive draws and looked from the outset a lot more confident side than the team that started the season.
The Wands started on the front foot and Edgar Morais was lively from the off and hit a fine shot from twenty five yards which was pushed over well by Rovers keeper, Franklin Craik.
Morais came close again with a close range effort before Ralique Lawrence made a strong run forward and his strike from distance went over the bar.
However, Great Wakering who were third in the table at the start of the game went ahead in the tenth minute. Harry Daly was played through but was denied by a good tackle by Charlie Horbacki but the ball was cleared as far as Daly who strode on and fired past Sean Law in the Cray goal.
Cray looked to bounce back and Connor Phelps fired over but Great Wakering were denied a second when Scott Clarke’s effort was well saved by Law.
Cray got the goal their performance deserved in the 24th minute when after a swift passing move, Brent Brojaj’s fine cutback from the right found Joel Massamba who emphatically swept home to make it 1-1.
The Wands’ tails were up then and Morais was unlucky when his long range strike was tipped round the post by Craik. Then Brojaj’s strike again made the keeper push a low cross shot away as the Wands had gotten well on top.
Yet in the 34th minute, in a bit of a bolt from the blue, Daly scored his second goal with a tremendous strike from twenty five yards which gave Law no chance in the Cray goal.
It was almost 3-1 a couple of minutes later but Clarke was played through but lobbed the ball over the crossbar.
Before the end of the half Brojaj and Morais both hit shots over the top but Cray went in at the break 2-1 down.
Half Time: 1-2
Cray started the second half much the same as the first and Phelps run down the right led to a fine cross into the box which led to a desperate clearance.
Morais then had a shot saved by the legs of Craik and then from a free kick, Massamba headed over from Zahir Khan’s cross.
Great Wakering though managed to ride out the storm and were able to control most of the last twenty minutes. Clarke cut in from the left and shot over as Rovers started to exert more pressure.
They made it 3-1 in the 73rd minute when Clarke found space twenty yards from goal and his shot flew past Law.
It was 4-1 six minutes later, Clarke was played through again and showed great composure to tuck home an accomplished finish to give the score a rather flattering look.
This Cray side though keep fighting on till the end and have scored goals late in every game so far and did so again two minutes from time when the lively Devontee Irving-Young notched his first goal for the club with an excellent finish but it was far too late to inspire another comeback.
In the end, Rovers had got the victory with perhaps their superior finishing the main difference between the sides and now moved second in the table level with leaders Witham Town on 13 points.
The attitude, application and desire are all there for the Wands and can really feel a little hard done by to be beaten this evening but just shows how unforgiving the teams in this league can be.
Cray are next in action on Saturday when they travel to fourth placed Tilbury.
Cray: Sean Law, Ralique Lawrence (Jayden Mitchell-Brown), Theo Newton, Abdul Wahab, Charlie Horbacki, Connor Phelps (Zahir Khan), Theo Whyte, Brent Brojaj, Edgar Morais, Erwin Kurz (Devontee Irving-Jones), Joel Massamba: Subs: Shane Pelou
Great Wakering: Franklin Craik, Aaron Clark, George Hale, Nigle Mukundu, Louis Robinson, Oliver Quick, Rees Price, Harry Daly, Scott Clarke, Mattias Tomking, Connor Peralta: Subs: George Cox, Ryan Woodley, Perry Hirst.