Cray Wanderers completed a highly satisfactory week with a third straight win against Bostik South newcomers Shoreham at the Taxi-Link Community Stadium.
Cray came into the game in buoyant mood with a 3-0 win at Thamesmead on Wednesday night in the Kent Senior Cup followed by a 4-0 league win at home to Molesey on Saturday. They took that momentum down to the sunny Sussex coast and came away with a fairly comfortable victory against a Shoreham side still looking to find their feet in the Isthmian League.
After being totally dominant for the first twenty minutes, Cray eventually took the lead in the 21st minute with a superb individual goal from Bradley Stevenson who cut in from the left and unleashed a tremendous strike from twenty five yards which flew into the net.
Cray continued to press and scored a second in the 34th minute again scored by Stevenson when he tucked away a fine finish from Freddie Parker’s pass.
It became three nil, six minutes after half time when home defender, Lee Denyer could only divert Brandon Scott’s superb cross from the right wing into his own net.
Manager, Tony Russell was able to make almost a unchanged side from Saturday with the only change, Brandon Scott coming in for Aaron Rhule.
On a very hot afternoon Cray had to pace themselves for the 90 minutes ahead and started off in confident mood. In the 4th minute, down the left, Freddie Parker laid the ball back to Karl Dent whose first time shot was well saved by home keeper James Broadbent, pushing the ball behind for a corner. This was followed by a fine left wing cross from Bradley Stevenson which no one could get on the end of.
Cray continued to press against a side that struggled to contain them and Ben Mundele down the right worked his way into the box but his shot went straight to Broadbent. Then, also down the right, Parker dragged a shot across goal and wide of the left post.
A goal was coming and did so after 21 minutes and well worth waiting for. Stevenson who had an exceptional game throughout picked up the ball out on the left, took on a defender and with space lashed home a bullet shot which beat Broadbent at his near post and into the net.
After this Cray played some excellent football which Shoreham found hard to come to terms with and a second goal was surely on the cards. It came in the 34th minute and was the result of a fine one-two between Stevenson and Parker. Stevenson on the left edge of the area found Parker who slipped the ball back to the on-loan forward who clipped home an expertly placed finish wide of Broadbent for a sublimely taken goal.
Before the break, Dent fired a free kick over the bar, then Stevenson seeking a hat-trick hit a shot which went just wide and then unselfishly set up Dent who curled a shot just past the right post. Finally in a half totally dominated by the visitor, the impressive Timi Osidobu played the ball across to Stevenson down the right who charged into the area but was denied by a brave block by Broadbent.
Apart from a corner won in injury time for the home side there wasn’t a great deal to concern Nick Blue during the opening half.
The second half started in the same vein with Parker setting up Stevenson again but his effort was deflected over for a corner.
In the 51st minute, Cray scored a third goal which owed to a bit of good fortune when Brandon Scott put over an exceptional cross from the right into the box and home defender Lee Denyer could only divert the ball past Broadbent before Parker could get to the ball for an own goal.
This really put the match beyond doubt but Shoreham did come close with their first real opening when Evan Archibald was played through down the left, took the ball past Blue but his goal bound effort was brilliantly blocked by Dean Carpenter. Then for Cray Scott, cut across from right to left and was denied by another brave block by Broadbent.
The icing was almost put on the cake when Scott who was becoming more and more influential laid the ball across to Dent who made a short pass to Lea Dawson who hit a dipping shot from outside the area which was heading for the top corner but for a fine one handed save by Broadbent.
As the half wore on, understandably the game slowed due to the heat but Cray came close again when Stevenson set up Luke Medley but was denied by the keepers feet, then Dent drove wide from outside the area.
The game was long over as a competitive contest but Blue was called to make his first save of note when Tom Caplin set up Dan Simmonds for a snap shot which Blue claimed well.
The final opportunity for Cray came when from a free kick down the left, Dent’s cross into the area was headed over by the pretty imperious Jay Leader.
The final shot of note came to the home side who kept on going to the bitter end and Blue made a comfortable save from Caplin’s shot.
The final whistle went and Cray have certainly bounced back well from the disappointment of losing to Sevenoaks in the FA Cup and have had a very good week indeed. The team spirit in the side is fantastic right now and there was much praise for the way Cray played by some of the Shoreham supporters and neutrals in attendance.
For the home side there has been an acceptance that this could be a struggle for them this season and although they have lost all four league games so far it is a long season and they could yet find their feet. Many teams would have struggled to have coped with the Wands playing the way they did today.
Cray moved up to sixth in the league table with the win and means they have made an identical start points wise to last season with eight points from four games played. The Wands now take a short break due to the FA Cup weekend next Saturday before resuming their league campaign with back to back home games against Chipstead and Hastings United in September.
Cray Wanderers: Nick Blue (Capt.), Ben Mundele, Timi Osidobu, Jay Leader, Mitchell Nelson, Lea Dawson (Capt.), Dean Carpenter (Zak Henry, 58), Karl Dent (Anthony Adesite, 83), Freddie Parker (Luke Medley, 66), Bradley Stevenson, Brandon Scott.
Subs not used: Marcus Evans, Joe Vines.
Shoreham: James Broadbent, Alex Gathern, Luke Tan, Ryan Woodford, Lee Denyer, Ryan Timms, Scott Packer (Ross Smith, 76), Dan Simmonds, Evan Archibald, Tom Burton (Tom Caplin, 73) Jamie Craddock (Mark Goldston, 65).
Subs not used: Roon Qudri, Ross Myers
Booked: Gathern, Woodford
Referee: Barrie Small
Assistant Referees: David Ross, Peter Lowe
Att: 152