Cray Wanderers continued their unbeaten start to 2020 and moved up to third in the Isthmian Premier League table after a dramatic come from behind victory at fellow playoff contenders Enfield Town. 

The game looked to be heading for a draw but Jay Leader’s header three minutes into injury time earned Cray the points against an Enfield side who had been reduced to ten men for the last quarter of an hour.

In a match that promised so much before the game it certainly lived up to the star billing and Charlie Allen who started the game as the main striker in the absence of Joe Taylor, capped off a series of excellent performances by putting Cray in front in the 38^th minute with a superb lofted chip-shot over keeper Nathan McDonald. 

Cray just had the edge for most of the game to that point but the match turned around completely in the space of three minutes as Ryan Blackman steered home in the 57^th minute and three minutes later Billy Bricknell converted a penalty after Ken Charles was upended by Ben Mundele just inside the area.

The game had another twist as Enfield had Blackman sent off for a second bookable offence. Cray sought at least a point with the man advantage and drew level when Allen scored his second of the game when he turned home Rhys Murrell-Willamson’s flick to make it 2-2. Finally to cap off the match, three minutes into injury time, Bradley Pritchard’s right wing corner was met by the head of Leader who emphatically placed the ball into the bottom right corner of the net and a big three points were secured.

Cray had made three changes to the side which beat Lewes last Saturday with Lee Lewis, Joel Rollinson and Bradley Pritchard coming in for Karl Dent, Jerome Federico and Joe Taylor who was unavailable awaiting a new arrival to his family. 

On a grey, murky but dry afternoon Cray set off at an impressive pace and took the game to Enfield but the home side with the experience of Bricknell up front and pace out wide were always going to be a threat.

Cray after probing for an early opening had the first real attempt on goal when Rhys Murrell-Williamson set up Lee Lewis who fired over the top. 

Enfield though, showed their qualities and a ball played down the left found Bricknell who held off Mitchell Nelson and fired a shot just wide of the right post.

Cray then had a decent spell of pressure and Tom Phipp shot over top before Jay Leader followed suit with a hooked effort. The Wands were then a little unlucky not to take the lead when Joel Rollinson’s cross from the right found Pritchard inside the area and his overhead kick only just cleared the crossbar.

Cray continued to play well and Murrell-Williamson set up Barney Williams who hit a well struck shot over from the edge of the area.  Then, Rollinson was unlucky when his dipping shot was tipped over the bar by Nathan McDonald. Then from a right wing corner the ball came to Phipp on the edge of the area who hooked a shot against the angle of post and crossbar.

Enfield looked to get forward and a Bricknell shot was deflected behind for a corner and then a cross in from the left by Joe Payne was put behind by Nelson for a corner.Perhaps Enfield’s best opening of the half came on the half hour when Lyle Della-Verde cut inside and fired in a cross-shot which Lewis Carey did well to push behind. 

A goal duly arrived for Cray in the 38^th minute when Murrell-Williamson played a ball forward from just over the half way line towards Charlie Allen who beat Marc Weatherstone for pace and from just outside the area deftly lifted the ball over McDonald for his first goal for Cray Wanderers.

The frenetic pace continued and Bricknell saw an effort blocked by Carey as Enfield looked to get straight back into the game.

Cray almost added a second when Murrell-Williamson forced McDonald into a fine save from his free kick.

The second half saw the game continue to swing from end to end but it was Cray who fashioned the first meaningful effort effort when Murrell-Williamson shot just wide having worked some room.

Enfield were, however, beginning to exert a bit more pressure and Della-Verde fired in a shot from 20 yards which was held by Carey.

Then in the 57^th minute, Enfield drew level with a well taken goal as Della-Verde’s cross found Blackman who steered his shot wide of Carey and into the bottom left to make it 1-1.

The game then turned round completely on the hour when Ken Charles was adjudged to have been tripped just inside the area by Ben Mundele and a penalty was awarded.  From the spot, Bricknell stroked home the spot-kick to give Enfield the lead.

With twenty minutes to go, Cray introduced Palace Francis for his league debut and he certainly made a big impression to help swing the game back Cray’s way.

Enfield could have added a third when Bricknell curled a shot over. Then from a free kick, Della-Verde’s ball into the box was turned behind by Nelson for a corner.

However, in the 77^th minute, Blackman was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Allen in midfield leaving Cray with a man advantage for the remainder of the game.

Cray were to make that advantage count in the 83^rd minute, the Wands drawing level when a free kick out on the left was played towards Francis who flicked a header towards Murrell-Williamson who in turn hooked the ball towards Allen who showed great composure to fire into the net from 12 yards.

Cray won a couple of late corners but it looked like the game was going to end in a draw but there was another twist to follow.

In the third minute of injury time, Cray won a corner. Pritchard’s ball across was perfectly placed towards the back of the area where Leader ghosted in to place a fine header past McDonald.

Cray held out for the remaining minutes picking up a big three points against a fellow contender that now puts Tony Russell’s side 3^rd in the table and four points behind 2^nd placed Folkestone Invicta.

Enfield Town: Nathan McDonald, Jonathan Muleba, Joe Payne, Scott Thomas, Marc Weatherstone (Capt.), Josh Urquhart, Lyle Della-Verde (Junior Mubiayi, 78), Ryan Blackman, Billy Bricknell (Sam Hatton, 88), Sam Youngs, Ken Charles (Glenn Wilson, 80)

Subs not used: Kezie Ibe, Samson Esan

Scorers: Blackman 57, Bricknell 60 pen

Cray Wanderers:  Lewis Carey, Ben Mundele (Aaron Rhule, 80), Barney Williams (Capt.), Jay Leader, Mitchell Nelson, Tom Phipp (Karl Dent, H/T), Lee Lewis (Palace Francis, 70), Bradley Pritchard, Joel Rollinson, Rhys Murrell-Williamson, Charlie Allen

Subs not used: Jerome Federico, Geofrey Okonkwo 

Scorers: Allen 38, 83, Leader 90+3

Referee: Daniel Simpson

Attendance – 303