Cray Wanderers went down to a fourth straight league defeat as Dulwich Hamlet won an entertaining and competitive encounter at a sunny Champion Hill Stadium.

Both teams were looking to bounce back from Saturday 3-1 defeats and after both keepers made good early saves, Dulwich took the lead on 27 minutes when Luke Wanadio’s cross was headed in by ex-Wand George Porter.  Cray deserved parity and levelled in the 38th minute when Tom Bonner headed in from a Frankie Raymond free kick. 

The second half was a different story as Dulwich began to turn the screw and Shaun Rowley made three key saves in the first five minutes after half time.  The Wands were defending well but the winning goal came seven minutes from time when Wanadio did well to break into the box down the right and laid the ball across to Anthony Jeffrey to score. 

Cray were looking to recover from the 1-3 defeat at home to Lewes on Saturday and from the side that started the game into the team came Tom Bonner, Anthony Cook, David Smith and Kenny Coker in place of Quade Taylor, Lateef Adaja, Arezki Hamouchene and Dontai Stewart. 

Dulwich were also beaten at Chatham Town on Saturday and there were three changes with Dami Taiwo-Pratt, James Collins and Sean Bonnett-Johnson in for Danny Mills, Kreshnic Krasniqi and Sam German.

On a bright and warm afternoon which was in stark contrast to Saturday’s wash out the game was evenly matched during the first half and with a competitive edge that eventually led to nine yellow cards and in front of a crowd of 2248.

For Dulwich, the lively Anthony Jeffrey down the left put a cross into the side netting while for Cray, a Frankie Raymond free kick out on the right was aimed for the far post and Tom Bonner ahead of David Smith just couldn’t get a touch to turn the ball goalwards.

In the 12th minute, Dulwich came close when Jeffrey was found by Ross Marshall and his goalbound shot drew a fine save from Shaun Rowley.  Two minutes later, Cray came close from a free kick down the left of the area and Anthony Cook’s shot was pushed round the post well by Dillon Barnes.

Despite being a half of few chances the game was flowing quickly and in the 27th minute Dulwich went ahead when Michael Chambers found Wanadio who had scored in the first four games and put over a cross down the left which was met by the head of George Porter who got to the ball ahead of James Collins to score his second goal of the season.

Cray looked to get their way back into the game and Raymond saw a shot from the edge of the area saved by Barnes at the second attempt.

In the 38th minute Cray deservedly levelled when from a free kick down the right which saw Wanadio booked, Raymond put over a telling cross which Bonner got to ahead of Dami Taiwo-Pratt to glance the ball into the net from six yards.

The half ended with three Hamlet players booked and Raymond for Cray but at the break 1-1 was a fair score.

HT:  1-1

The second half began with a flurry of activity at the Wands end less than a minute after the restart Rowley was called into action to make a sharp stop to deny Porter who turned in the area and his effort was pushed away.

Then, down the right, Wanadio cut into the area and looked to hoist the ball over Rowley but Adrian Owiredu-Gyamera cleared off the line.  Then, Porter who could have a hat-trick saw a goalbound shot superbly saved by Rowley one handed at the right post.  Finally, Collins saw a shot parried all in the first five minutes of the half.

Shortly, after Porter glanced a header wide from a left wing corner as Cray were finding it hard going getting the ball forward to launch attacks of their own.

Cray made a change on 63 minutes with Quade Taylor on for David Ijaha and there was a half opening with a free kick in a good position down the left of the area but his shot was charged down.

The yellow cards continued to build but Cray were defending well especially Tom Bonner who was superb throughout and the Wands were beginning to look more comfortable.

Cray looked to get forward and Kenny Coker saw an effort from distance which may have taken a nick off a defender which Barnes had to be alert to save.  At the other end, Dulwich came close when substitute Danny Mills was played in down the right but Bonner made a great block to deny a certain goal.

However, in the 83rd minute Dulwich regained the lead when Wanadio cut inside down the right, into the box and squared the ball to Jeffrey to score from eight yards.

Dulwich ended the game the way they started the half and Wanadio saw an effort saved but going into the 90th minute Cray threatened down the right and Lateef Adaja set up Charlie Edwards who fired over the top.

The match ended with Dulwich almost scoring a third when Mills inside the area was denied by a smothering Rowley and in a goalmouth scramble the ball was cleared away.

In the end, Dulwich had done more than enough second half to win the game and Cray despite plenty of endeavour moved into the bottom four into 19th place and go into the FA Cup break at the weekend needing to get back to winning ways. 

Dulwich Hamlet: Dillon Barnes, Sean Bonnett-Johnson, Michael Chambers, Dami Taiwo-Pratt, Jerome Binnom-Williams, Ross Marshall, Ralfi Hand (Kreshnic Krasniqi, 90+3), James Collins (Danny Mills, 59), George Porter (Lorenzo, 75), Luke Wanadio, Anthony Jeffrey (Mark Marshall, 86)

Scorers: Porter 27, Jeffrey 83

Booked: Porter 34, Wanadio 38, Chambers 42, Binnom-Williams 69, Mills 90, Hand 90

Cray Wanderers: Shaun Rowley, Darion Dowrich, David Ijaha (Quade Taylor, 63), Tom Bonner, Adrian Owiredu-Gyamera, Frankie Raymond, Charlie Edwards, Anthony Cook (Lateef Adaja, 84), Kenny Coker, Nyren Clunis (Arezki Hamouchene, 90+3), David Smith (Dontai Stewart, 70).

Scorer: Bonner 38

Booked: Raymond 18, Coker 78, Bonner 80

Referee: Kane Dempster

Assistants: Rhys Jeffrey, Richard Myers

Att: 2248