Cray Wanderers six game unbeaten start to the Bostik South season came to an end as also undefeated Lewes won a tense encounter marred for the Wands by finishing the game with nine men at the Dripping Pan for the second season in a row.

Lewes has been a bogey team for Cray in recent years and there seems to be a jinx or curse on the place as Cray led through Jay Leader’s fine header from a Karl Dent corner after 24 minutes.  It seemed that the Wands had a relatively comfortable passage up to half time before in the 44^th minute Bradley Stevenson was harshly sent off for raising his hands to Jamie Brotherton who had charged in with a studs up tackle but wasn’t booked.

In the third minute of injury time, Lewes levelled with a penalty converted by Brotherton after Steve Brinkhurst was adjudged to have been brought down in the penalty area.

Cray were up against it in the second half and went behind in the 57^th minute when Bouwe Bosma who looked fractionally offside was played through and lobbed the ball over Nick Blue leaving Cray with a mountain to climb.

Any hope of a Cray fightback were dented further in the 76^th minute when Mitchell Nelson was sent off for a lunging tackle on Bosma just outside the area.  Lewes couldn’t quite put the game to bed but Cray really were not able to create a chance to make the home team sweat for the win.

Tony Russell named an unchanged side from Wednesday night and looked to make a positive start and Brandon Scott after 45 seconds saw an effort inside the area blocked.

The game went through a fairly cagey spell with Lewes perhaps shading the early play with Bosma shooting just over and James Hammond’s run into the box had to be cleared by the Wands defence.

Cray won a couple of corners and from the second of these Karl Dent’s cross from the left smacked against the goal frame and out for a goalkick.

Cray were just starting to dominate possession when they took the lead in the 24^th minute.  From a corner down the right, Dent’s excellent cross was met firmly by Jay Leader who powered a header past Chris Winterton and into the net for his second goal of the season.

Chances in the game were few and far between and Cray seemed to be relatively comfortable although there was concern when Nick Blue was hurt coming to contest a cross into the box and had a spell of treatment for what seemed like an arm injury.

The half seemed to be drawing to an uneventful close but the game burst into life when a stern challenge by the left touchline by Jamie Brotherton on Bradley Stevenson led to the on-loan Gills player to raise his hands to the forward who certainly made the most of the push.  Although obviously not wise to raise hands, Brotherton’s challenge was worthy of at least a yellow card whilst Stevenson hardly devastating push was deemed a red card.

Just as Cray were looking to stabilise before the break then worse was to follow when after a neat build up down the right, the ball came to Steve Brinkhurst who was adjudged to have been brought down by Dent’s challenge just inside the area and the referee awarded a penalty.  Brotherton stepped up to score comfortably and leave the game tied at 1-1 at the break.

Half Time:  1-1

Cray had to make changes at the break with Michael Frieter and Freddie Parker coming on for Michael Power and Brandon Scott and looking to keep the game quiet for a spell.

Lewes almost scored straight away when a cross from the right found Bouwe Bosma inside the area but couldn’t connect properly and Blue got down to save.

The Rooks were dominating possession and Cray couldn’t really get anything going and it looked like it was going to be a very long half.

Lewes took the lead in the 57^th minute when Charlie Coppola played a lovely ball through to Bosma who looked perhaps a fraction offside charged on and as Blue advanced forward, lobbed the ball into the net with some style.

The game which never really took off just seemed to drift through the second half with Lewes in control but couldn’t get a third goal to give them comfort.  Hammond curled a shot wide as did Ronnie Conlon.

Any hopes of a Cray fightback were totally snuffed out in the 76^th minute when George Landais put Bosma through down the left this time and was brought crashing down outside the box by Mitchell Nelson and there were no complaints when he too was shown a red card.

With nine men Cray played with a lot of purpose and long throws and the pace of Ben Mundele now thrown forward in his old role of striker posed a few problems.  They just couldn’t create a chance to test Winterton.

Lewes had a couple of chances to put the game to bed firstly when Landais fired over and then after a decent passing move, Reece Williams-Bowers laid the ball across to Gus Sow who somehow screwed a shot wide.

Cray did all they could in what is always a tough encounter and one where the Wands never seem to have much luck at all which continued today.  This was a game of very few chances and one of fine margins and it was just that crazy couple of minutes before half time which turned the game Lewes’s way.

Cray are 11^th in the league table after 7 games whilst Lewes went second behind Whyteleafe on goal difference with both on 17 points.   The Wands are next in action on Wednesday night in the Kent Senior Cup at home to Dartford.

Cray Wanderers: Nick Blue, Ben Mundele, Barney Williams, Jay Leader, Mitchell Nelson, Lea Dawson (Capt.), Zak Henry, Karl Dent (Timi Osidbou, 75), Michael Power (Michael Frieter, H/T), Bradley Stevenson, Brandon Scott (Freddie Parker, H/T):  Subs: Marcus Evans, Joe Vines.

 

Sent Off:         Stevenson 44, Nelson 76

Booked:          Williams         

 

Lewes:  Chris Winterton, Steve Brinkhurst, Matthew George, James Hammond, Lloyd Cotton (Capt.), Frankie Chappell, Bouwe Bosma (George Landais, 78), Gus Sow, Jamie Brotherton (Alex Malins, 90+2), Ronnie Conlon (Reece Williams-Bowers, 83), Charlie Coppola:  Subs: Harry Reed, Liam MacDeviit

 

Booked:          Conlon, Cotton

 

Referee: Adrian Harris

Assistant Referees:   Thomas Berry, Lukasz Sipior

 

Att: 475