Cray Wanderers moved into 2nd place in the Bostik South for the first time this season with a solid victory at Whyteleafe. The win also stretched Cray’s unbeaten league run to 15 games.
The Wands dominated the first half and Brandon Scott, Jay Leader and Lea Dawson were all denied a goal by good saves from home keeper Kyle Merson. However, a couple of minutes into stoppage time at the end of the first half, Cray took the lead when Michael Freiter curled in a 25 yard free kick for his second goal in successive games
The home side came into the game immediately after half time but Cray were able to whether the storm and the worsening weather to score a second when Michael Power touched in Lea Dawson’s shot for his 24th goal of the season and Cray were comfortably able to see out the game.
Cray had shown their powers of recovery on Wednesday night to beat Sittingbourne from two goals down at Hayes Lane and there were two changes to the side that started that game. Dean Carpenter started in place of Zak Henry whilst Brandon Scott came in for Jerome Federico out on the right.
Whyteleafe started the season well but have been without a win for 11 matches before today. They played some good football at times but Cray were much the better side first half and just needed a goal to put the gloss on some good approach play.
The first half opening came when from a left wing corner, Michael Freiter’s ball to the far post was glanced by Lea Dawson but tall Scott Day on the line knocked the ball behind for another corner.
Cray were unlucky when Scott made a strong run through midfield to the edge of the area and his shot was on target but was pushed round the right post excellently by Merson for a corner.
The Wands dominated possession and got into good positions down the left and right and forced a couple of corners but were not able to convert the good approach play into chances.
Aaron Rhule was having some joy down the left hand side and made a good run to the very edge of the penalty area and was brought down by Luca Wrightman. From the free kick, Freiter’s kick cannoned back off Lanre Azeez out to Dean Carpenter who fired well over from 30 yards.
Whyteleafe posed the occasional threat especially through Sam Clayton out on the left hand side and he did well to get forward and put over a cross to the near post which a combination of Barney Williams and Dawson did well to clear behind for a corner.
Then Clayton played a ball out to the right to Tom Hutchings who put a cross over towards Day who flicked the ball across goal.
For Cray, Rhule put over a fine cross from the left to the far post towards Scott but Bradley Simms knocked the ball behind for a corner as he was about to connect.
From the corner, Cray came closest yet when Freiter’s right wing cross to the far post was met by Jay Leader whose header was pushed out by Merson and the keeper did well to block as Dawson followed up. Dawson did well to keep the ball alive and turned three defenders to shoot at the near post but Merson pushed the ball away well and finally the ball came to Scott who blazed a shot well over.
The game went through a scrappy phase as rain started to fall but before the end of the half the game picked up. For Whyteleafe, Hutchings set up Azeez for an effort that was blocked by Williams.
Then Ben Mundele down the right found Scott who sent over a looping cross to the left where Rhule hit a volley which was deflected behind for a corner off Azeez.
There was a let off for Cray a couple of minutes before the break when Whyteleafe won a corner and Clayton’s right wing kick was met by Josh Adusei but planted his header wide of goal much to Cray’s relief.
Then in the second minute of injury time, Cray were awarded a free kick after Power was checked just outside the left of the penalty area. Up stepped Freiter for the second time in successive games and he curled the ball to the left post and Merson couldn’t keep the ball out and hit the back of the net. That was the perfect end of the first half in which Cray had played well and deserved their lead.
Half Time: 0-1.
The second half was a different type of game as Whyteleafe came more into the game as Cray found it hard to get their passing game going as in the first.
For the first fifteen minutes of the half Whyteleafe had their best spell of the match. Firstly, Azeez who had had a quiet first half showed his pace by making a fine run forward from midfield down the right and from the edge of the area shot over the bar. Then, Hutchings hit a shot which went well over the top.
Perhaps Whyteleafe’s best chance came when Azeez again down the right showed good pace to set up Day whose shot was well covered by a diving Nick Blue for the first real save he had to make during the afternoon.
Cray gradually got hold of the game again in the teeming rain and a good passing move started by Scott out on the right ended with the ball going out left to Williams who combined well with Power who played in Rhule inside the area who shot on the turn and Merson did well to save.
This was followed by Jerome Federico setting up Williams for a shot which was deflected wide for a corner.
Whyteleafe seemed to run out of steam after their initial burst at the start of the half and a second goal seemed likely and came with eleven minutes left to play.
A very patient build up started by Leader then the ball came out to Williams who then found Federico down the left who cut inside and swept the ball out to Scott down the right. Scott charged into the box, took on Cormac Hegarty and rode a challenge to play the ball across to Dawson who from eight yards drove a shot towards goal which Power who was kept onside by Joseph DeBayo turned into the net for his 24th goal of the season and to all intents and purposes finish the game.
As the game drew to a close, a Freiter corner found Jay Leader who fired over the bar and from a free kick just outside the area, Power curled a shot into the side netting.
The match the nerve wracking and intense drama of Wednesday night but the Wands were very professional in their approach to the game, well disciplined and the win meant they have picked up 10 points out of 12 so far in December which is a decent tally in what was a very tricky start to the month. Whyteleafe are a smashing club and it can be hoped they can end their winless run soon but they are a decent side who are not in any danger of relegation so still have time to get their season back on track.
Cray now take a brief breather from league action on Wednesday night as they take on Charlton Athletic in the Kent Senior Cup Quarter Final which may give an opportunity to field some younger players before the Wands travel to Molesey on 23rd December as the Festive games begin.
Cray Wanderers: Nick Blue, Ben Mundele, Barney Williams, Jay Leader, Mitchell Nelson, Lea Dawson, Dean Carpenter, Michael Freiter (Zak Henry, 82), Michael Power, Aaron Rhule (Jerome Federico, 74), Brandon Scott (Ralique Lawrence, 90): Subs: Freddie Parker, Marcus Evans
Whyteleafe: Kyle Merson, Luca Wrightman (Cormac Hegarty, 76), Bradley Simms, Josh Adusei, John Scarborough, Joseph Debayo, Lanre Azeez, Bentley Graham (Shawn Clement-Peter, 60), Scott Day (Jake Connaris, 87), Tom Hutchings, Sam Clayton (Capt.): Subs: Eoin Kirwan
Referee: Shaun Farrer
Assistant Referees: Nigel Owen, Gareth Mays
Att: 143