Cray Wanderers continued their fine league form as a solitary Michael Power goal was enough to clinch a first ever win in Guernsey and for a short while at least put Cray on top of the Bostik South for the first time this season.
Cray dominated the game and had the best chances but a stubborn Guernsey side proved resolute and it was a deft header from perhaps a just onside Power after 52 minutes which broke the Green Lions resistance. The win extended Cray’s unbeaten league run to 23 games and after Lewes’ win at Chipstead later in the afternoon meant Lewes have a one point lead over Cray on 63 points and four points ahead of third and fourth placed Greenwich Borough and Carshalton Athletic.
With the Wands management, players, staff and supporters making a very early departure to the Channel Island for the 2pm kick off it made it one of the more unusual but very exciting days of the season so far.
There were two changes to the side which beat VCD Athletic last Wednesday, with Dean Carpenter starting in place of Zak Henry whilst Michael Power replaced Charlie MacDonald.
Apart from the initial first couple of minutes the first half was virtually all attack against defence as Guernsey after two tough defeats this week understandably played a containing game with five men in midfield and a lone striker and sought to frustrate Cray.
The Wands did furnish the first opportunity of the game when from a right wing corner from Karl Dent, the ball to the far post was headed wide by Mitchell Nelson in the 3rd minute.
Another Dent corner a few minutes later was flicked towards goal by Lea Dawson and Michael Power looked to get the final touch but the ball was turned round the post by keeper Callum Stanton.
From the resulting corner, Dent put a superb ball into the box which was met by Power whose header looked to be heading for the back of the net but was blocked on the line by Ben Coulter, at first glance it seemed with his upper arm so something of a let off for the home side.
Cray continued to look the more dangerous of the two sides and from a patient move which swept from end to end, the ball came to Dent who from twenty yards just pulled shot wide of goal.
Then Dent found Power down the left of the penalty area but hooked his shot into the side net under pressure from a defender.
The rest of the half was rather flat with Cray on top but couldn’t make the breakthrough although the Wands did have the ball in the net when Jerome Federico’s cross was knocked up in the air and as the ball came down Dawson went up with the ball with Stanton but although the ball came to Scott who fired home but the referee disallowed the goal for Dawson’s challenge.
Cray won a number of corners before half time whilst Nick Blue never had to make a save but Guernsey were probably the happier with a 0-0 half time scoreline.
Half Time: 0-0
The second half began much the same as the first with Cray having all the ball but did have a chance when Federico did well down the right and played the ball into the area to Power but his first time shot was easily claimed by Stanton.
A Cray goal was on the cards and it came in the 52nd minute when the ball was worked out to Federico down the right who took on defender Jamie Dodd and laid the ball to the impressive Ben Mundele who then swung a ball into the box which perhaps just beat the offside trap was met by the head of Power who turned the ball into the net from 4 yards.
Cray had been extremely patient and thoroughly deserved to go in front.
The pattern of the game stayed the same for a while with Cray threatening again from a corner when Scott saw an effort blocked and Dean Carpenter’s effort lacked power and went through to Stanton.
In the 62nd minute Cray thought they had scored a second when Scott who did look offside when he received the ball but wasn’t flagged down the left put a ball across which went past Stanton to Federico who tapped the ball in but the flag was now up.
The game then got a bit messy with a couple of yellow cards apiece and slowly Guernsey started to make inroads into the game as Cray perhaps got a bit sloppy but still Blue was well protected. Thomas Dodds saw an effort blocked by a Wands defender and after a corner was cleared away Don Heaume found Craig Young whose effort was blocked by Leader.
Cray got their game back going again and Carpenter found Nelson down the left who hung over a good cross which Power got on the end of but turned the ball over the bar from seven yards.
Charlie MacDonald was called into the fray and could have won a penalty with his first involvement as he appeared to be nudged over by Alex Le Prevost but no foul was given. From the corner, Dent’s ball to the near post was headed over by Nelson.
Cray almost scored a second when from another Dent corner from the right, Leader knocked the ball to MacDonald who with a back header sent the ball just wide. Then a free kick from Dent found MacDonald who hooked a shot wide of goal.
The last few minutes were a bit scrappy and in stoppage time, Guernsey won a corner which the goalkeeper went up for but fortunately for Cray they couldn’t take advantage and Cray were able to clear but Stanton got back before anyone could shoot for goal.
Late on, Ralique Lawrence was caught on the left touchline by quite a late challenge from Coulter but only a yellow card was shown.
In the end the Wands held out to win a game which with all the build up and anticipation that went with it was probably the poorest game of the season but Cray had to be very patient and professional and had to bide their time to get a goal in front and did enough to see the game out against tough opponents to break down but Blue had nothing to do in goal and Cray kept up their remarkable record of only conceding five goals on their league travels this season.
Cray now have a chance on Wednesday to go back to the top of the table with a win or draw against Ashford United before the big clash with Lewes on Saturday.
Cray Wanderers: Nick Blue, Ben Mundele, Barney Williams, Jay Leader, Mitchell Nelson, Lea Dawson (Capt.), Dean Carpenter, Karl Dent (Michael Freiter, 89), Michael Power (Charlie MacDonald, 74), Jerome Federico, Brandon Scott (Ralique Lawrence, 89).
Subs not used: Zak Henry, Marcus Evans
Goal: Power (52).
Booked: Federico
Guernsey: Callum Stanton, Simon Geall (Capt.) (Charlton Gauvain, 80), Jamie Dodd, Alan La Prevost, Jacob Fellaize, Ben Coulter, David Rihoy, Thomas Dodds, Keanu Marsh (Dom Heaume, 59), Craig Young, Paris Pereira (Ryan Zico-Black, 85).
Subs not used: Kyle Smith, Jordan Kelly
Booked: Le Prevost, Fallaize, Marsh, Coulter
Referee: Jamie Wells
Assistant Referees: Lloyd Higgins, John Nash
Att: 607