Cray Wanderers 2-2 Bognor Regis Town - To change it around in one full swoop during an off-season was always going to be hard, it's going to take it's time but we'll find our feet and we'll be ok, says Cray Wanderers boss Neil Smith

Cray Wanderers 2 – 2 Bognor Regis Town
Location	Hayes Lane, Bromley, Kent BR2 9EF
Kickoff	17/08/2022 19:45

CRAY WANDERERS  2-2  BOGNOR REGIS TOWN
Isthmian League Premier Division
Wednesday 17 August 2022
Stephen McCartney reports from Hayes Lane

CRAY WANDERERS manager Neil Smith says to change things around in one full swoop during the off-season was always going to be hard but insists his new-look side will find their feet and will be ok this season.

The Wands opened their Isthmian League Premier Division campaign with a 2-1 defeat at Billericay Town at the weekend but claimed their first point of the season after throwing away a two-goal lead in an entertaining game against an impressive Bognor Regis Town.

Robbie Blake’s side opened their campaign with a 1-0 home win over Hornchurch and found themselves a couple of goals down, courtesy of centre-half Harold Joseph and a sublime strike from left-winger Nyren Clunis.

However, Blake’s introduction of substitute striker Nathan Odokonyero had the desire effect as the 19-year-old striker converted a controversial penalty before cracking a sublime 30-yarder just 186 seconds later to equalise with 15 minutes remaining.

“It’s disappointing because I think at 2-0 we were worthy of the 2-0,” said Smith

“We should’ve had other goals, one cleared off the line and then the referee, I thought had a 10 minute spell.  The officiating over the two goals so far has been very poor.  I was telling the players ‘be careful’.  He looked like he was trying to give them something to them and he did.

“Listen, we want to be entertaining.  I want to try to get a crowd down here to see entertaining football and I think you saw that from our forwards.  We created so many chances, scored a great goal as well.

“My thing is you come off after a game like that and the officials are getting more talked about than my players and that’s the disappointment.”

It was all-change at Hayes Lane with only one player that started Cray Wanderers’ last home game – a 4-1 win over East Thurrock United in their penultimate game of last season – and that was the versatile captain Anthony Cook.

Traditional right-back Alex Bentley slotted in at left-back as Sam Wood wasn’t risked as he has a groin strain, so Cook slotted in at right-back with two new centre-halves in the shape of Joseph and Jalen Jones.

“We’ve got an injury down there (at right-back) at the moment.  I’ve got Sam Wood out injured; he would’ve played left-back.  Alex Bentley would’ve been right-back so you’re just waiting but we’re two games in, you’re still learning about people, people are putting themselves out there for you and hopefully it will turn round.

“Sam Wood’s just got a little niggle in his groin so because it’s so early, it’s difficult. If it’s 30 games in you might let him play through it but I don’t think you can do it this early.”

Cray Wanderers started the game on the front foot and created their first opening after only 109 seconds.

Winning the corner count 7-4, Cook, who took all of the home side’s corners, floated in a deep kick from the right and Jones planted his header straight at visiting goalkeeper Toby Steward, the Portsmouth loanee.

“Jalen is always going to be a danger with his size, as he was for the goal.  You still have got to put the ball in the right area and Cookie was on the money,” added Smith.

Bognor Regis Town were producing slick patterns of play on the deck with right-winger Alfie Bridgman causing a threat to emergency left-back Bentley and it was a surprise when he was substituted for Odokonyero in the 58^th minute, although the change proved to be a game changer later on for the Rocks.

Attacking midfielder, Danny Bassett was released down the left channel and in behind centre-half Tom Bragg and he teed up diminutive right-winger Michael Ademiluyi, who was put through on goal but Steward spread himself well to make a vital eleventh minute block.

“Maybe he should’ve just dinked it over him, he kept it low and made the keeper work, so again you can’t ask for any more than that,” said Smith.

Bognor Regis Town missed a glorious chance to take the lead just eight minutes later.

Sam De St Croix and left-back Joe Rabbetts linked up well and Nick Dembele was played in behind Cook and hung over a lovely cross from the left by-line but striker Tom Chalaye planted his towering header over the crossbar from four-yards.

Bognor Regis Town’s right-back Jake Flannigan released St Croix down the line and his back-heal flick allowed Bridgman to cut in from the right but his left-footed drive from 20-yards flashed just past the foot of the near post.

Smith revealed how his 25-year-old goalkeeper Shaun Rowley has arrived at the club, having played for Matlock Town (Northern Premier League) and Carlton Town (Northern League Division One East) last season.

“He was at Matlock Town last season and he’s also played for Halifax or been at Halifax and a couple of other northern clubs but his girlfriend moved down and he just moved down with her and gave me a ring,” revealed Smith.

Cray Wanderers took the lead with 27 minutes and 35 seconds on the clock.

Cook fed the ball into Ademiluyi who played striker Tom Derry through on goal and his right-footed drilled shot was screaming into the near corner, only for Steward to dive to his left to push behind for the home side’s third corner.

Cook floated in the resulting corner from the right deep where Jones’ header was blocked and an alert Joseph poked his first time shot into the roof of the net from within a crowd of players.

“Tom Derry gives me the work ethic. He’s taken a smack on the chin but the ref hasn’t given anything for and Tom wants to stay on and I think he won every header today,” said Smith.

“Again (the goal) was a great bit of moment.  Jalen got on the far post and heads it and I don’t think the keeper knew much about it for Harold to then finish it off, like we did with one of the other ones, he gets in there.”

A visionary Sam Skeffington saw Steward was off his line and tried to score from within the centre-circle, only for his 45-yarder sail over the keeper’s head and the crossbar.

Smith said: “He’s just got good vision Sam. Obviously the Bromley supporters will know about him but he just walked onto it, the keeper was off his line and he went for it and it just sailed over.”

Bognor Regis Town got in behind Cray’s two full-backs several times tonight and they should have equalised in the 32^nd minute.

Central midfielder Whyte released the impressive Bridgman down the right and he eased past Bentley to reach the by-line to cut it back on a plate for Dembele, who missed the ball completely and fell to the ground in total embarrassment.

“They got in behind a couple of times but I’ve just asked the keeper how many times did they have a chance at goal and there wasn’t really many,” added Smith.

“They put a cross across and there was no one on the end of it so I was quite happy with us.”

Clunis endured a quiet first half, although he did cut in and drilled a right-footed drive straight down Steward’s throat for a comfortable near-post save from 20-yards as Cray Wanderers went into the break in the lead.

“They do try to play out a little bit.  They’ve been together a little while now. It’s the way they play but we had to start better than we did at Billericay on Saturday and I thought we did,” said Smith.

However, Cray Wanderers took only 80 seconds to double their lead with a moment of class from Clunis.

Chapman did well to win the ball inside the Bognor Regis Town half before slipping the ball to Clunis, who was given time and space to cut inside and curl a sublime right-footed screamer into the top far corner from 25-yards.

“He’s got that in him, Nyren. He just needs to believe in himself a little bit more but what a strike,” said Smith.

“I thought there was a couple of chances when he could’ve had a shot and he passed and he was being too nice but that’s what he can do.  He gives me that in training. He gives me pace and better options and he gives me a bit of experience that you need with a new side.  I thought he’s done well since he came in.”

Bognor Regis Town went close to pulling a goal back when Davies’ right-footed free-kick from 25-yards only just flashed around the foot of the far post.

Just past the hour-mark, Chapman reached the by-line down the right and cut the ball back where Skeffington’s shot was blocked inside the box and Bassett lacked composure and skied his first time shot over the Bognor Regis bar.

Blake brought on left-winger Isaac Olaniyan (for Bridgman) and Odokonyero (for Chalaye) and these changes proved game changes for the Rocks.

There was controversy when referee Jack Willmore pointed to the spot when left-winger Olaniyan cut into the box and crashed to the ground, with Cook closest to him, just inside the corner of the penalty area.

Referee’s match fees in the Isthmian League Premier Division this season have increased and are £65 per match (the one tonight picked up £126 including expenses) and both assistant referees receive £45 per match (plus expenses).

Rowley dived to his right and got a hand to Odokonyero’s right-footed penalty but couldn’t prevent the ball finding the left-corner to give Bognor Regis Town a lifeline with 26:51 on the clock.

“At 2-0, I’m shouting out ‘be careful about the referee’.  He gave a few decisions that we don’t know where they came from,” claimed Smith.

“Once you get a penalty most of the boys will score one but how the penalty was given and for what we still don’t know so until I see the video…

“We had one turned down for exactly the same situation so you just think if you’re going to be consistent what you’ve just given down there, you’ve given there but he didn’t.”

Bognor Regis Town deservedly levelled with 29:57 on the clock, as Cray Wanderers were punished for sitting back.

The ball was worked out to Odokonyero who cut in from the left and unleashed a right-footed 30-yard screamer, which flew into the top left-hand corner, giving not many goalkeeper’s in the world a chance to save the quality finish.

“As soon as he hit it, we were standing behind him, as soon as he hit it, you could see it was going in,” admitted Smith, who was then asked whether it was a point gained or two dropped.

“Definitely two lost, a bit like Saturday. I think that was three lost.  We did well against Billericay, but we are a new team.  We’ve probably got one player who was in my team at the end of the season playing so you don’t expect miracles and Cookie’s playing right-back at the moment.”

Olaniyan released Dembele down the left (in behind Cook) and his angled drive was comfortable saved by Rowley.

Bognor Regis Town went close during this dominant spell when Flannigan played St Croix down the line and he reached the by-line (in behind Bentley) and cut the ball back but Odokonyero’s near-post flick at the near post went just past the near post from inside the six-yard box.

Cray Wanderers were holding on at that point and Dembele drilled a first time shot into the base of the side netting after substitute Charlie Bell and Rabbetts linked up well down the left.

However, Cray Wanderers were resilient during this spell of danger and created three late chances to snatch their first league win of the season in Smith’s eighth game in charge of the club.

Cook ventured forward and progressed inside the channel to whip in a cross into the near post where Clunis swept a shot on the turn just past the post from eight yards with 42:24 on the clock.

Smith was enraged when Cook was clearly fouled just inside the penalty area but referee Jack Willmore failed to award the spot kick.

Substitute Jacob Munting and Derry linked up down the left and Derry’s poor touch was pounced upon by Munting, who cut inside and flashed a shot across the keeper and just past the foot of the far post from 25-yards.

And with the last kick of the game, Chapman’s right-footed volley flashed past the left-hand post as the home side pressed for a last-gasp winner.

Smith added: “On Saturday, I probably panicked a little bit because they are a new team but we tried to get a goal and tried to get the winner, it wasn’t to be.”

Cray Wanderers are in seventeenth-place in the table at this early stage and welcome Canvey Island to Hayes Lane on Saturday.

The Essex side are in seventh after losing 3-1 at home to Horsham before bouncing back with a 5-1 win at Brightlingsea Regent last night.

Smith then takes his side to Bishop’s Stortford on Friday 26 August, the venue of their final game of last season which resulted in a 3-1 defeat by The Wands retained their league status on goal difference after banking 36 points from 42 games under three different managers (Danny Kedwell and Grant Basey).

“We go into every game positive. We didn’t expect miracles. I took over a club that was fighting relegation. We stayed up with the last kick of the game and somebody else scoring for us to give us the better goal difference so to change it around in one full swoop and during an off-season was always going to be hard.

“I’ve known these players for about six weeks so it’s going to take it’s time but we’ve got to make sure that we just learn from our mistakes, which weren’t many today.

“Bishop’s Stortford are one of the favourites, aren’t they? We knew we had a tough start. You’re playing one of the favourites in Billericay as your first game away from home, a tough one against a good Bognor side who have always played brilliant football and have got that reputation. Canvey Island, they go and win, Bishop’s Stortford, we’ll find our feet, we’ll be ok.

“I’ve told the boys in there, I’m hoping to get this crowd base up. We’ve got to give them some entertaining football, not too entertaining, obviously, but attacking football, a bit of pace and energy and I think the boys did that today.”

Smith is Cray Wanderers’ first full-time manager on a two-year contract but is working with part-time players who have jobs outside of playing in the eighth-tier of English football and those are on non-contract terms, whereas Smith had a full-time contracted playing staff in the National League in his last job at Bromley.

“Even today, one of the subs couldn’t make it because he had other things on,” revealed Bromley resident Smith.

“You don’t get the treatment every day. The boys who are injured are going to work so you don’t get back so quick and there’s always a big turnaround of players because someone might do well and they get taken so you’re not got the stability of having the same players every week.  If you give them a good base, give them something to hold on for and they might not want to go.”

Cray Wanderers: Shaun Rowley, Anthony Cook, Alex Bentley, Sam Skeffington, Harold Joseph, Jalen Jones, Nyren Clunis, Mitchell Chapman, Tom Derry, Danny Bassett (Jacob Munting 79), Michael Ademiluyi.
Subs: Sinn’Kaye Christie, Freddie Barton, Jack Enkh, Gary Lockyer

Goals: Harold Joseph 28, Nyren Clunis 47

Booked: Tom Derry 61, Mitchell Chapman 64

Bognor Regis Town: Toby Steward, Jake Flannigan, Joe Rabbetts, Calvin Davies (Charlie Bell 68), Tom Bragg, Craig Robson, Sam De Sr Croix, Harvey Whyte, Tom Chalaye (Nathan Odokonyero 58), Nick Dembele, Alfie Bridgman (Isaac Olaniyan 58).
Subs: Josh McCormick, Ethan Robb

Goals: Nathan Odokonyero 72 (penalty), 75

Booked: Isaac Olaniyan 90

Attendance: 243
Referee: Mr Jack Willmore
Assistants: Mr Ronald Albert & Mr Harry Phillips