Cray Wanderers 1-0 Chichester City - It's important that we've picked up those points because we're walking into the tough part of the season, that Christmas period, says Cray Wanderers boss Neil Smith

Tuesday 10th December 2024
Cray Wanderers 1 – 0 Chichester City
Location Flamingo Park, Sidcup-by-pass, Chislehurst, Kent BR7 6HL
Kickoff 10/12/2024 19:45

CRAY WANDERERS  1-0  CHICHESTER CITY
Isthmian League Premier Division
Tuesday 10 December 2024
Stephen McCartney reports from Flamingo Park

CRAY WANDERERS manager Neil Smith says he thought every man out there was outstanding after claiming a great result to move six points clear of the Isthmian League Premier Division relegation zone.

The Wands had 30-year-old centre-half Quade Taylor sent off for violent conduct after 27 minutes before Miles Rutherford also had his centre-half Ryan Davidson sent off for two bookings in the 48th minute on a chilly December night at Flamingo Park.

Smith’s side leapfrogged over Chichester City in the table, courtesy of 19-year-old lone striker Nathan Jeche’s scrambled winner with 13 minutes remaining, to score his second goal for the club and seal Cray Wanderers’ second league home win of the season, as Shaun Rowley kept his 12th clean sheet of the season in all competitions.

“A great result! Obviously to go a man down so early in the first half, I thought the boys were very disciplined,” said Smith, whilst being interviewed inside his manager’s office.

“Some of the decisions were going against us but we came in at half-time, regrouped, obviously they lose a player and I thought we were deserving of the win.

“I’ve got to be brutally honest, I thought we could’ve had a couple more than we did.”

Smith was asked what his game plan was when it was 11-a-side, 10-v-11 and then 10-a-side.

“Well, 11 v 11 was exactly what we did in the first 20 minutes before he got sent off.  I thought we were comfortable.  We let them have it at the time and obviously had a couple of chances with Nathan (Jeche) and Nyren (Clunis) and obviously the sending off changes your mindset and you’ve got to get in at half-time to regroup.

“At half-time we gave them instructions, which they stuck to. After they lose a player it’s then like what we discussed, we wanted to do in the first half, go and win the game.  I thought we deserved it.”

Cray Wanderers came away from Bowers & Pitsea with a 1-0 win at the weekend, courtesy of Frankie Raymond’s 79th minute penalty and Taylor was recalled back into the side to replace Remi Sutton.

Both sides kept the ball on the deck and Chichester City created their first opening after 230 seconds after Cray Wanderers’ right-winger Joshua Williams gave the ball away.

Chichester City’s left-winger Modou-Lamin Jammeh fed the ball in behind Taylor into 19-goal tall striker Jimmy Wild, who stroked a low left-footed drive from 20-yards, which bounced once into the gloves of Rowley, who made a comfortable save.

“I thought Bons (Bonner) and even Quade while he was on and when Ike went back there as well, kept him (Wild) quiet and he was one that we knew about,” said Smith.

“He’s scoring a lot of goals at the moment but I thought we kept him quiet.  They’ve also got Prichard as well, who is making a name for himself at the moment and I thought we kept him quiet and I thought every man out there today was outstanding.”

Chichester City played with two high full-backs in the shape of Emmett Dunn (right) and Isaac Bello (left) and the home side’s pace down the left was a threat.

“We knew about it and then what we were hoping you can catch them out on the break and I thought we did that a couple of times,” said Smith.

“I thought they were very, very good and they’re a good side. I like them and I’ve seen them a few times and they’re making a name for themselves and thoroughly right, rightly so, but I thought we deserved the win tonight.”

Cray Wanderers’ left-back Darion Dowrich released winger Lateef Adaja, who cut in towards the corner of the box before curling a right-footed shot towards the roof of the net, which forced visiting goalkeeper Kieran Magee to dive high to his left and use his right hand to push the ball elegantly over his crossbar with nine minutes and 43 seconds on the clock.

“It was a great save and he needs to do it more Lateef. He needs to feed that confidence and when he starts like that, you know he’s going to have a great game,” said Smith.

When asked about the link-up play between Dowrich and Adaja, Smith replied: “They’re working well together. They’re two young kids that are still learning the game. I thought they’re working it well and I thought even Josh and Ike on the other side.

“When the sending off comes along, you’re putting Lateef right-back and I thought he was outstanding! To throw a young kid, you’re going right-back because they’ve got a bit of pace and they’re trying to get down that side, the left-back (Bello) is the one that normally gets forward. I thought he was brilliant to go in there at such short notice.”

Chichester City’s centre-half Rob Hutchings hit a long 60-yard ball out of defence and Wild chested the ball down for attacking midfielder Ethan Prichard to sweep his first-time right-footed shot harmlessly wide of the left-hand post from 30-yards.

Cray Wanderers attacking midfielder Nyren Clunis recycled the ball back into the Chichester City box (after his initial corner from the left came back to him) and Tom Bonner came up from the back to send his diving header over the crossbar from a tight angle inside the six-yard box.

Chichester City’s winger Finlay Chadwick was penalised for tripping the impressive Adaja and Bonner’s quickly taken free-kick along the deck released Clunis in behind the high Dunn.  Clunis cut into the box and his right-footed angled drive from 16-yards was tipped around the post by Magee, diving low to his left, the ball bouncing just past the foot of the far post (15:15).

“He just needed to get a bit more pace onto it but again another great save. You’ve got to give the keeper some credit,” added Smith.

Cray Wanderers missed a glorious chance to take a deserved lead in the 25th minute when Dowrich released Williams down the left and he cut the ball back towards the unmarked Jeche, who lost composure and chipped his right-footed shot just over the crossbar from 14-yards.

Smith said: “I think he actually hit the top of the ball and it bounced over. If he just makes a connection, any other connection, middle of the ball and it’s a goal.

“I thought we were creating enough chances to go in two or three-nil up.”

Bonner – who kept Wild in his pocket – clipped a long ball over the top of the high Dunn to release Williams, who cut onto his right-foot and placed his right-footed angled drive from 12-yards across goalkeeper Magee and bouncing just past the foot of the far post as the pacey home side kept knocking on the door down the left.

However, there was a momentum shift as soon as referee Jordan Crossley had no option but to pull out a red card from his pocket and send Taylor off for violent conduct with 26 minutes and 57 seconds on the clock.

Wild received treatment after being kicked by Taylor and The Wands were a resilient, well-organised outfit with two banks of four, with Jeche keeping his position as the lone striker.

“I didn’t see it so I went in (the referee’s room) at half-time and apparently he (Wild) put his head down and Quade put his foot up and obviously there was a connection. I can’t argue and I’m not going to,” said Smith.

“He (Taylor) just said the ball was bouncing and it just skidded up. His foot followed the ball, the kid then put his head down. He can’t say anything about that and I didn’t question the ref at half-time. He explained the situation and he was right.”

Chichester City bossed the possession of the ball but they found it hard to break down a defence well marshalled by 36-year-old Bonner.

Right-back Ikechukwu Orji slotted in beside Bonner at the heart of defence, while Adaja was deployed as an emergency right-back with Dowrich keeping his left-back berth.

Chichester City took until the 41st minute to create a chance when holding midfielder Moore clipped a diagonal towards the right where Prichard’s sublime touch outside the box saw him beat Dowrich and once inside the box his chip was plucked out of the air by Rowley’s outstretched right-hand at his near-post.

Clunis gave the ball away inside the Cray Wanderers half before Wild released Prichard in behind Orji but his right-footed chip sailed over the top of the far post.

Moore whipped in a cross from the right and central midfielder Clarke’s diving header flashed across Rowley and only just missed the foot of the far post.

Smith said: “I thought we did well. Chichester wanted to pass the ball, you could see that and they’ve got a philosophy but I thought they were doing all the passes and round the back and they still had to break us down.

“Nyren (Clunis) was excellent with his communication. If he wasn’t involved on one side, he was talking all the time and you then had Frankie (Raymond) and Charlie (Edwards) in the midfield.  The best players are in midfield and they want to get on it and I thought they kept them quiet.”

Chadwick took a nasty bang to the head and was forced off the pitch and referee Crossley played 10 minutes and 10 seconds of stoppage time, but Cray Wanderers held out.

Smith revealed: “I just said they’ve got to stay disciplined because we were losing our temper a little bit and we were shouting at stuff and now you’ve got to keep your head. We can’t lose another player. We can’t make a rash tackle, do anything. Now it’s about decision making and being calm and I thought we did it well and then their player gets sent off.”

Raymond clipped a long ball from inside the Cray Wanderers half and Jeche was brought down by Davidson and referee Crossley gave the Chichester City centre-half a second yellow card and then a red as both sides now had 10 men on the pitch (2:28).

Clarke slotted in at the heart of defence beside captain Hutchings and Chichester City had plenty of possession as they continued to probe by keeping the ball on the artificial pitch.

Smith said: “It was one of them. I think he turned the lad and he could’ve been going at goal and he’s pulled him down and it was the right decision.

“As soon as it went even-Stevens on the team again, just do what we were looking to do in the first half.”

Moore was playing some good passes from the middle of the park and he played a diagonal out to high Bello, whose sublime first touch took Adaja out of the game before cutting into the box and hitting his right-footed shot just over the crossbar in the 50th minute.

“Bello’s a good player, the three is a good player. We know he’s right footed,   Lateef needed to show him down the line, didn’t, but he missed the target but we were doing that in the first half, so I wasn’t too concerned,” added Smith.

“Listen, I think they’re a very good side and I think they’re getting the plaudits with the amount of goals (30) they’ve scored and we’ve kept a clean sheet again tonight. I think that’s our 12th for the season in all competitions.

“Earlier on in the season we tried a different formation and we were probably letting in too many goals and then you have to make sure you build a foundation and the foundation comes from our defence.

“Again, Bons (Bonner) was outstanding, Quade until he came off, Ike, Darion is just growing and growing as player and Lateef when he had to go back there.”

Cray Wanderers created a couple of swift openings with a burst of energy when Dowrich put the ball in from the left towards the back post and Clunis’ right-footed half-volley was blocked inside the box before Charlie Edwards cut the ball back for Jeche, who curled his shot around the top of the far post.

But both sides cancelled each other out after the hour-mark with one goal the most likely outcome.

Raymond fed the ball along the deck into Adaja, who released Clunis on the right and after getting the better of Bello, his low cross was gathered at the second attempt by Magee, who dropped down to his knees and gathered the ball in to his midriff in the 61st minute.

Wild was in Bonner’s pocket for most of this game and Bello lacked composure on the edge of the Cray Wanderers penalty area.

Jammeh switched the ball over to the left and Adaja stuck out a leg but failed to stop the cross, before Bello cut inside and shot harmlessly high and wide, trying to find the top far corner.

Cray Wanderers grabbed the winning goal, timed at 31 minutes and 7 seconds, following a penalty box scramble.

Raymond floated a high up and under cross from the right, goalkeeper Magee punched the ball away under pressure and Clunis’ low drive was blocked within the crowd of players and former Snodland Town striker Jeche steered his left-footed shot into the back of the net.

“It was Nyren who had first contact. It was a bit of a pinball, ricochet and then it needed just a cool head,” said Smith.

“I think Nathan at this moment in time, his lead up play is very, very good and now he just needs to get those goals now and hopefully this sort of gets him on a run now of a couple more."

Cray Wanderers have scored 19 League goals in 19 League games but have only conceded 23.

Smith said: “Of course it is (a concern) but if you’re keeping clean-sheets and you’re only winning 1-0, I think Arsenal won the League on it. 

“Of course, we want to score more but I think earlier on in the season the one thing we weren’t doing was taking our chances. We did create chances today. I could go through, blimey, who was it? The Whitehawk game (0-0 home draw on 22 October) we had so many chances and didn’t score. We didn’t have as many today and we scored and if you’re winning 1-0, you’ll take that to build the confidence for the team.”

Cray Wanderers went close to doubling their lead when Clunis played a low ball in from the right into substitute midfielder Toby King, who placed his right-footed angled drive across the keeper and only just past the foot of the far post, which proved to be the last chance of the game, as the full-time whistle was blown at 50:02.

“It was unlucky. He came into the game and it is erratic and there is a bit of pressure on in those situations. He just normally is a great finisher in training and it’s just didn’t happen today but he got in that position to take it,” added Smith.

Now unbeaten in three games, Cray Wanderers have climbed up to sixteenth-place in the seventh-tier Isthmian League Premier Division table, having picked up 22 points (six wins, four draws and nine defeats) from their 19 games.

Chichester City are now in seventeenth-place with 22 points (six wins, four draws and nine defeats) from their 19 outings and Hastings United have picked up 19 points from 18 games.

The relegation zone contains Cheshunt (16 points from 17 games), Whitehawk (15 points from 18 games), James Collins’ Bowers & Pitsea (13 points from 18 games) and Bognor Regis Town (12 points from 18 games).

Smith, meanwhile, takes his side to league leaders Dover Athletic on Saturday. Jake Leberl’s side are unbeaten in their last 10 games in all competitions and have picked up 43 points (13 wins, four draws and 2 defeats) from their 19 games.

The Wands then host second-placed Billericay Town (37 points from 19 games) on Saturday 21 December, travel to sixth-placed Dartford on Boxing Day, before hosting tenth-placed Hendon (28 December) and 13th placed Dulwich Hamlet come here on New Years’ Day.

“I know Jake Leberl, he’s got them well-organised and they’re flying at the moment. There will be a decent crowd there and he’s brought the good times back to Dover. It is a massive, massive club and they’re probably deserving and should be up where they are,” said Smith.

“But we go there and we know it’s going to be tough but we’ll work our socks off and hopefully come back with a result.”

When asked about his forthcoming fixtures, Smith replied: “That’s why these last few games have been important, that we’ve picked up those points because we are walking into the tough part of the season, that Christmas period.

“I’ve only got a 13 man squad at the moment, 14, with a few kids, so it is going to be tough - but I back my players all day long.”

Smith revealed he has experienced a budget cut which has seen the recent departures of David Ijaha and Anthony Cook.

“We’ve had to find some money from somewhere, unfortunately you have to release players and they were brilliant servants to the club, Cookie and Dave, to me on a personal note, were amazing.

“But sometimes things off the field that you have to try to sort of level off and unfortunately sometimes players have to go.”

When asked whether he can bring new players into his small squad, Smith replied: “Hopefully, that’s down to the (board)… We’ll see if we can find some players, if we do then, if we’re allowed to bring them in, then we will.”

This game attracted the lowest League attendance to Flamingo Park (303), for the first meeting between Cray Wanderers and Chichester City.

Smith said: “I just want to say thank you (to our supporters). We knew it’s been tough. You’re walking into a new stadium, a new ground. There’s new pressure for the players because it is new.  It’s the first League game, the first Cup game and everything was a first and I think you notice now, we’ve got to get used to the ground, although it’s ours, we’ve got to get used to it.

“The support base is hopefully growing, the club is growing in respect of what they need to do and how a club’s run because they haven’t had to do it before.

“There’s going to be difficult spells which we’ve had and hopefully we can come out the other side and we just hope we’re all supportive and pulling in the right direction.

“Listen, it’s another game won, it’s another three points, it’s another clean sheet, it’s another goal.

“We’ve actually scored less goals than them and we’re above Chichester on goal-difference so it shows how important keeping those clean sheet are and getting those goals against down because I think if we can nick a win, let’s do it.

“Of course, I want to win four or five nil every week but you know you can’t, so you have to make sure that while you’re keeping those clean sheets, if you get a chance, make sure you take it!"

Cray Wanderers: Shaun Rowley, Ikechukwu Orji, Darion Dowrich, Frankie Raymond, Quade Taylor, Tom Bonner, Lateef Adaja, Charlie Edwards (Toby King 72), Nathan Jeche (Kenny Coker 90), Nyren Clunis, Joshua Williams.
Subs: Bobby Parkes, Freddie Warwick, Joshua Shonibare

Goal: Nathan Jeche 77

Booked: Tom Bonner 45, Charlie Edwards 45

Sent Off: Quade Taylor 27

Chichester City: Kieran Magee, Emmett Dunn, Issac Bello (Curtis Da Costa 79), Joe Moore, Ryan Davidson, Rob Hutchings, Modou-Lamin Jammeh (Oliver Munt 87), Joe Clarke, Jimmy Wild, Ethan Prichard, Finlay Chadwick (Lloyd Rowlatt 45).
Subs: Jamie Horncastle, Ben Pashley

Booked: Ryan Davidson 24, Lloyd Rowlatt 75

Sent Off: Ryan Davidson 48

Attendance: 303
Referee: Mr Jordan Crossley
Assistants: Mr Oliver Hind & Mr Emre Arelan