Cray Wanderers unbeaten start to the Bostik South-East season continued as the Wands came from behind at half time to record their seventh win in eight games and their fourth on the road at VCD Athletic in a top of the table clash.
The first time this season Cray trailed for a long period of time after going behind to a 3rd minute penalty scored by ex-Wand Charlie MacDonald. Cray pressed for a leveller in the first half which was not forthcoming but two goals in the first five minutes of the second half turned the game on its head. Firstly, Freddie Parker coolly slotted home just after the break and then three minutes later Bradley Pritchard was on hand to convert Junior Dadson’s cross. Parker would later see a penalty saved by Joe Mant but Cray played well enough second half to claim a hard fought three points.
From the side which drew with Whyteleafe on Wednesday Tony Russell named an unchanged side with Aaron Rhule, Michael Power and Karl Dent out injured.
On a warm and very pleasant late September Saturday afternoon on the excellent playing surface at VCD, another exciting game was expected as 1st took on 3rd in a top of the table clash.
It was VCD though who caught Cray a bit cold in the opening minutes and were awarded a penalty after two minutes when the ball was worked from left out to the right to Alex Gaggin who looked to take the ball round the advancing Nick Blue but was brought down by a tackle from the keeper for a penalty. Charlie MacDonald slotted home the spot kick to make it the perfect start for the home side.
Cray created their first half chance shortly after when the impressive throughout Bradley Pritchard found Junior Dadson down the right but sliced a shot well wide. Then in the fifteenth minute after a lot of probing from Cray a right wing corner by Pritchard found Mitchell Nelson whose header from 12 yards was claimed at the left post by Joe Mant.
Then Barney Williams from the right edge of the area put a cross shot into the arms of Mant which was followed by a free kick outside the area, centrally about 20 yards from goal which Pritchard curled wide of the right post.
VCD were defending very capably and Keith McMahon’s team were getting in good blocks and tackles and looked a well drilled side in the opening half. On the break they looked very threatening and almost scored a second when Ali Fuseini set up Leon Lalor-Dell who saw his effort blocked by a smart save from Blue and the follow up came to Gaggin but the ball was cleared.
Good work by Sean Roberts and Jerome Federico set up Williams down the right who fired over the top. This was followed shortly after by Pritchard hitting a shot which narrowly went over the bar from the edge of the area.
VCD from a free kick out on the left saw Alistair Gordon set up Dominic Odusanya who fired wide of the left post then Cray twice were denied inside the area by good blocks from Temi Eweka to deny Pritchard from Dadson’s backheel and then Dadson himself as the Wands dominated possession.
Cray’s best chance of the first half came four minutes before the break when from a free kick slightly to the left of the penalty area the ball came to Federico whose stinging drive was pushed round the post well by Mant.
Before half time though VCD threatened a second goal firstly when Lalor-Dell made a good run from midfield and his shot was well claimed by Blue.
Then shortly before the break Odusanya found Gaggin once again down the right similar to the move for the penalty and though he took the ball round Blue the angle was tight and fired into the side netting. Then Gaggin saw an effort blocked.
So far this season Cray had trailed for just a minute and a half in the league this season so this was the first test of their resolve as VCD led 1-0 at half time.
Half Time: 1-0
Cray began the second half very impressively and an early cross from Dadson was chested behind by ex-Wand Junior Baker for a corner.
Then in the 47th minute Dadson’s ball forward came to Parker who strode on and confidently stroked the ball past Mant to put Cray back on level terms and set up another dramatic second half.
Cray were now looking inspired with Parker to the fore and two minutes later was denied by a good save from Mant from close range as the Wands pressed for a second.
The quick turnaround was complete in the 50th minute when Dadson took on Odusanya down the left and put over a cross which fell invitingly for Pritchard who got to the ball before Parker to smash the ball into the net from seven yards for his second goal of the season.
Cray had a chance of a third goal when Pritchard chased a ball down the left against Odusanya who looked to shepherd the ball behind for a corner but was dispossessed by Pritchard who was chopped down for one of the more obvious penalties of the season.
Parker stepped up to take the penalty but his kick which was well struck and was pushed around the right post by Mant for a good stop.
With the lead Cray were playing with a confident assurance and Dadson saw an effort from outside the area blocked by Baker.
VCD were still in the game though and there was a scare for Cray when the ball came to Lalor-Dell inside the area and Blue had to block and looked to have been clattered and needed a few minutes treatment.
Cray though continued to impress going forward and Ben Mundele linked up well with Dadson down the right but his ball across was claimed by Mant.
Archie Johnson who had a good game down the left hand side picked up a knock and was replaced by Malik Solebo for the final ten plus minutes .
Cray looked to finish the game and Pritchard who barely stopped running and prompting all afternoon almost scored down the right with possibly a cross that looped towards goal which came off the top of the crossbar.
Then good work by Parker set up Tom Phipp who dragged a shot wide and then in stoppage time Solebo was denied down the right by the keeper from Williams pass who came to meet the winger who looked to cut the ball back.
VCD had battled well and showed why they were a top three side but Cray had played extremely well second half and closed the game out well for a big three points to make it 22 points out of 24 to start the season.
This was a good test of Cray’s mettle being behind and showed their steely side for the second Saturday in a row to win a close game. VCD will pose a lot of problems to teams at Oakwood this season and they defend very well especially Baker and Eweka who made a number of blocks and tackles.
For Cray, Pritchard was impressive once again as was Phipp and in the second half, Parker and Dadson led the revival and comeback.
A tough September for Cray is now over and can take a breather until Saturday when Faversham Town visit Hayes Lane in what will be another close game.
Cray Wanderers: Nick Blue, Barney Williams (Capt.), Archie Johnson (Malik Solebo, 80), Jay Leader, Mitchell Nelson, Bradley Pritchard, Sean Roberts, Tom Phipp, Freddie Parker, Junior Dadson, Jerome Federico (Ben Mundele, 73): Subs: Iffy Onwuachu, Zak Henry, Marcus Evans
Booked: Blue, Phipp
VCD Athletic: Joe Mant, Jeffrey Gyamfi, Dominic Odusanya, Junior Baker, Temi Eweka, Jack Steventon, Alex Gaggin, Alastair Gordon, Ali Fuseini, Charlie MacDonald (Capt.) (Aymun El-Moyhalbel, 65), Leon Lalor-Dell (Courtney Barrington, 87): Subs: Jonathan Adebayo, Tyrone Guthrie, Jude Adebayo
Booked: Eweka
Referee: Chris Myatt
Assistants: Dominic Wynter, Scott Orchard
Att: 120