Cray Wanderers moved out of the bottom four and into 16th place in the Isthmian Premier after an impressive win and performance against a Potters Bar Town side with just one home league defeat this season.

After a first half in which Cray had the better openings, Neil Smith’s side took the lead just before half time when Josh Williams who had come close three times earlier in the half slotted home a calm finish for his first Cray Wanderers goal.

The Wands added a second six minutes after half time from the penalty spot, converted by Williams after Lateef Adaja was brought down by Tom Lethbridge.  Cray defended well, restricting Potters Bar to few chances and in the 78th minute Nyren Clunis made it 3-0 with a superb curling shot out on the left.  The scoring was completed in stoppage time when Ike Orji’s cross from the right was turned in by Kenny Coker to round off a great afternoon for the Wands.

Cray had been beaten narrowly in their last two matches at Cray Valley and Folkestone and had been due a change of fortune as they had deserved more from those games.  From the side beaten at Folkestone there were two changes with Nathan Jeche and Charlie Edwards coming in for Kenny Coker and the suspended Quade Taylor.  

Potters Bar Town came into the game in 8th place and made three changes to the side which beat Hertford Town in the Hertfordshire County Cup on Tuesday with David Hicks, Joe Re and Ayo Shogbeni coming in for Prosper Keto, Ryan Hervel and Harry Brant.

On a grey but dry afternoon Cray began on the front foot playing some good football but Potters Bar had the first real shooting opportunity from a free kick when Jamie Dicks shot was pushed out well by Shaun Rowley.

For Cray, Frankie Raymond fired a shot well off target but began to exert pressure and Nyren Clunis down the left did well to keep the ball in by the byline and his cross was cleared out to Darion Dowrich whose shot was charged down.

Then, Dowrich down the left put over a cross which was met by Nathan Jeche with an attempt on goal but well gathered by Laurie Shala who had a good game in goal for the Scholars.

Just after the half hour, Clunis set up Josh Williams down the left who curled a shot wide, then shortly after was denied by a good blocked save by the legs of Shala at the near post.

Then Adaja set up Williams again down the left of the area and his shot at the near post was well held.

Potters Bar had a decent spell of five minutes shortly after with Hicks shooting well off target and then fired in a shot which Rowley had to get down to block.  This was followed by David Hicks firing a cross across goal, then Nana Kyei down the right also fired across goal.

Just before half time Charlie Edwards was unlucky when he hooked a shot on goal which Shala pushed out.

However, in the third minute of stoppage time, Williams got the goal his performance deserved when played through down the left of the area and coolly slotted the ball wide of Shala and got off the mark for the club in only his third game.

HT:  0-1

Cray began the second half like they ended the first and were playing the ball around well and in the 51st minute were awarded a penalty when Adaja was brought down by Tom Lethbridge.  From the spot, Williams stroked home his second goal with an accomplished penalty kick.

Shortly, after the hard working Jeche saw a shot pushed out by Shala and Cray were able for the next twenty minutes soak up any pressure from Potters Bar Town with the back four with Remi Sutton and David Ijaha outstanding and composed and disciplined full back displays from Darion Dowrich and Ike Orji.

Dowrich made a run forward and saw a shot held by Shala and Cray were looking composed and seeking a tenth clean sheet in league and cups this season.

Kenny Coker was brought on for Jeche before Cray almost added a third goal when Adaja broke into the box and saw his shot well saved again by Shala pushing the ball behind for a corner.

A minute later it was 3-0 when Frankie Raymond’s ball from the left was met by a terrific thumping finish from Nyren Clunis for his third goal of the season.

With Stefan Ilic and Toby King were introduced going into the last few minutes and in stoppage time, Cray added a classy fourth when down the right Ike Orji broke forward and hooked over an excellent cross which fell invitingly to Coker who placed a shot wide of Shala and into the net to complete an excellent team performance.

The win puts Cray up to 16th place on fifteen points a point above the bottom four but was a result the team deserved and can now go on to next Saturday’s trip to Canvey Island in good heart.  The defense has been a strength all season and for a team in the lower half of the table to have ten clean sheets is quite an achievement and now are starting to find goals at the other end and moving in the right direction.

The Wands next match will be against Erith Town in the London Senior Cup on Tuesday 19th November, 7.45 pm.

Potters Bar Town:       Laurie Shala, Isaac Currie, Tom Lethbridge (Ola Okeowe, 66), Joe Re, Ayo Shogbeni, Ronnie Henry, David Hicks, Jamie Dicks (Harry Brant, 66), Ben Ward-Cochrane, Chaynie Burgin (Steve Cawley, 52), Nana Kyei: Subs: Ryan Hervel, Pharren Innocent

Booked:           Re 20, Lethbridge 51

Cray Wanderers:         Shaun Rowley, Darion Dowrich, David Ijaha, Remi Sutton, Ike Orji, Lateef Adaja (Toby King, 86), Frankie Raymond, Charlie Edwards, Nyren Clunis, Nathan Jeche (Kenny Coker, 76), Josh Williams (Stefan Ilic, 86):  Sub:  Adrian Owiredu-Gyamera

Scorers:           Williams 45+3, 51 pen, Clunis 78, Coker 90+3

Referee:          S. Olhausen

Assistants:       A. Jackson, T. Fogden

Att:  144