Cray Wanderers 4-1 East Thurrock United - To a man, I thought they were outstanding today, says Cray Wanderers boss Neil Smith

Cray Wanderers 4 – 1 East Thurrock United
Location	Hayes Lane, Bromley, Kent BR2 9EF
Kickoff	20/04/2022 19:45

CRAY WANDERERS 4-1  EAST THURROCK UNITED
Isthmian League Premier Division
Wednesday 20 April 2022
Stephen McCartney reports from Hayes Lane

CRAY WANDERERS manager Neil Smith insists the fight for Isthmian League Premier Division survival is not over after his side put in an impressive performance in this relegation dog-fight against East Thurrock United.

The Wands leapfrogged over Marc Harrison and Liam Wallace’s charges into nineteenth-place in the table with 36 points from their 41 games, a point clear of the Essex side, who arrived at Hayes Lane on an five match unbeaten run.

Cray Wanderers’ tenth league win of the season ensures the bottom two sides, Merstham and Leatherhead (both on 33 points) can no longer finish above the Kent side, who complete their campaign with a trip to second-placed Bishop’s Stortford on Saturday.

Former Bromley manager Smith lost his first three games in charge of Cray Wanderers, losing to Kingstonian (1-2), Leatherhead (1-2) and Hornchurch (0-5) but came away from Enfield Town with a 3-3 draw on Good Friday and Smith kept faith with the same starting eleven for this must-win clash.

East Thurrock United crossed the Dartford crossing having drawn their last two games, at Bognor Regis Town (1-1) and at home to Wingate & Finchley (2-2) on Easter Saturday and also kept the same starting eleven.

The Rocks started on the front foot, sensing Cray Wanderers’ players were feeling nervous, without troubling Cray Wanderers’ seventh goalkeeper of the season.

However, Cray Wanderers’ experienced players stood up to the plate and Chris Dickson’s composed finish set them on their way, before Saul Kader doubled the home side’s lead just five minutes later.

Dickson, 37, notched his 12^th goal of the season with an emphatic finish on the hour-mark, before East Thurrock United pulled a goal back through Oli Croker’s deflected 30-yarder.

Holding midfielder Sam Wood, 35, completed the scoring with four minutes remaining to give his boyhood club a fighting chance of maintaining their status.

“I’m just delighted for the club and the boys,” said Smith, 51.

“We’ve come in (29 days ago) and Gary (Hillman, chairman) asked us to do our very best to try not to just stay up but help them to build a club and took the challenge.  We knew it was going to be a tough one and to be fair we probably should’ve got results in the last two games and we shouldn’t be relying on the last two to try to get something.

“We’re not done yet. We have got another game on Saturday, who knows what might happen?  I’m absolutely delighted for the players because they’ve worked hard in training and obviously the supporters and the owners of the club.”

Smith added: “It was a must-win.  You looked at it and everything else and you saw the results from the weekend and we knew we had to win today – but we didn’t want to put the pressure on the boys but yes if you don’t win then it’s a tough ask to then go and beat Bishop’s Stortford so we wanted to win today but I thought we thoroughly deserved it.”

East Thurrock United started the game on the front foot, with Smith explaining that his side were feeling nervous with their league status at stake.

Smith said: “I thought they started better than us. It looked a little bit nervous from us. They were on the front foot, they needed to win just as much as we did but I think we just slowly and surely kept our shape, kept believing and obviously got that goal.

“The first 15 minutes you saw a lot of nerves, you saw a lot of people making mistakes.

“We’ve got a seventeen-year-old kid in goal and I hoped my defenders looked after him and we were going back and forth and once we got the goal you could see the nerves drop and then we got the second one and it was great to go in.

“But I’ve seen many games here that nothing’s over until it’s over but I’m just trying to instil a little bit of belief in the boys and character to see the game out.”

However, Cray Wanderers created an opening inside the opening 11 minutes.

Right-wing-back Anthony Cook threw the ball into Jamie Yila who stabbed the ball back from within the right-channel and Cook delivered a deep cross into the box.

Dickson knocked the ball down for Wood to unleash a first-time left-footed drive which flashed just past the foot of the left-hand post from inside the D, with the goalkeeper well-beaten.

“We had the boys in training last night, it wasn’t a case of rock up after the weekend and we hope.  We’ve been working on things, every training session we’ve been working on patterns, shape, set-plays and I think you saw that organisation in the boys tonight,” revealed Smith.

East Thurrock United enjoyed plenty of possession but failed to create a clear-cut chance.

Croker swung in their first of seven corners into a crowded goal-mouth but holding midfielder Tom Barton steered his header over the crossbar at the back post.

However, the pressure was finally lifted when Cray Wanderers opened the scoring with 23 minutes and 7 seconds on the clock.

Dickson tussled for the possession of the ball in the build-up before Saul Kader released Dickson in behind East Thurrock United’s left-back Jack Morrell and Dickson kept composed to plant a right-footed drive across the keeper and into the bottom far corner from 10-yards.

“I’ve demanded a lot more from Dicko tonight because he’s a senior player and I said he needed to be the man up front for us and he was. He was outstanding,” hailed Smith.

“He had a little bit of a deeper role for him to try to help the young guys around him and he was outstanding today. That’s the Dicko I know. 

“There’s some good players there and they should be better than where they are, so I’ve got to ask the question, why are they there?”

East Thurrock United goalkeeper Arthur Janata pulled off a fine save just before the home side got some breathing space by scoring the second goal.

Jedd Smith delivered a deep diagonal cross towards the far post where Dickson found a pocket of space and buried his header towards the roof of the net from 10-yards, only for Janata to stick out his right-hand to claw the ball towards a team-mate who gently knocked the ball back to the goalkeeper.

“A great ball from Jedd and he caught it well. He jumped early, the keeper pushed it over. He was in the box more,” Smith said of Dickson.

Cray Wanderers went direct for their second goal, timed at 28 minutes and 39 seconds on the clock.

Cook was stationed in his right-back position and played a sublime long 60-yard through ball that played Kader in behind the defence and his finish was sublime, with the outside of his right-boot, which sailed inside the near post from 12-yards.

“He scored a great goal on Friday, took it really well,” said Smith.
“I know Saul from my Bromley days, he was someone I kept an eye on, so when he’s through, I knew it was going to go in and he finishes well and then you see everyone’s nerves drop.”

With his side in the lead at the break, the job was not done.

“I told them (at half-time), start as if it’s nil-nil, don’t feel we’ve cracked it because I’ve seen it too many times at this club we’ve relinquished good advantages so the first 10-15 minutes was going to be vital,” said Smith.

Cray Wanderers winger Jamie Yila showed some sublime skill inside the opening seven minutes of the second half.

He took the ball towards the by-line on the left and some silky skill took him past three defenders before trying to curl the ball into the top far corner from a very tight angle, only for the ball to curl around the far post.

Cray Wanderers’ centre-half Ethan Kaiser launched a free-kick forward from the half-way line and Wood’s first time drive from 35-yards deflected off Dickson inside the box and the ball was comfortably gathered by Janata.

Cray Wanderers deservedly went three-goals in front with 14 minutes and 29 seconds on the clock and the home fans in the crowd of 463 could then start to relax.

Kaiser played a first time diagonal out of defence to release Yila charging down the right wing. He cut the ball back to Cook, who ran down the line before feeding Yila, who cut into the box and stroked a right-footed angled drive which bounced off the base of the far post from 15-yards.

Dickson emphatically lashed a first-time right-footed drive into the top right-hand corner from 10-yards to cap off an impressive performance from the much-travelled campaigner.

Smith was full of praise of former Fisher winger Yila, who has jumped two levels from the Southern Counties East Football League Premier and has scored 11 goals for the Wands this season.

“There’s some good players in there. Look at Yila, what he can do with the ball at his feet.  My thing is can you do the other side of it because I’ve been that manager looking at players like that.  What is he like not on his day?

“I’ve just said to Yila in (the dressing room). I think I can get you wherever you want to get to but it’s going to take hard work from him, just not me.

“He’s got experienced players around him as well in Cookie, Dicko and Woody and all are saying the same thing.  He’s got the talent but he’s got to do the hard work with it and I think it’s just coming along as well.  To a man I thought we were outstanding today.”

East Thurrock decided to throw holding midfielder Barton up front at this point in the game and this tactic brought the Essex outfit their best spell of the game.

Left-back Jack Morrell swung in their sixth corner of the night and Barton’s header at the far post was beaten away by Nathan Boamah at his near-post in the 63rd minute.

Coker played the ball out to left-winger Johnny Ashman, who cut inside and flashed a 30-yard drive past the post.

Cray Wanderers’ left-wing-back Kasim Aidoo’s low ball into the corridor of uncertainly clipped the heals off East Thurrock United centre-half Ryan Boswell inside the box and the ball came out to Cook who drilled his shot past the near post.

Dickson switched the play and played the ball out to Jedd Smith, who played the ball on the outside to Cook, whose cross flashed across the diving keeper and past the far post.

East Thurrock United created their best chance in the 71^st minute.

Barton released Coker in behind down the right and he cut the ball back towards the unmarked Ashman, who sliced his first-time shot horribly past the far post, untroubling 17-year-old keeper Boamah from penalty spot distance.

Smith said: “They had a little spell.  Woody got himself an injury, a couple of the other boys were getting a little bit sloppy but in the end we had to just keep our shape.  I think the boys were a little bit nervous.  We weren’t doing the things that we were doing I the first half and they got that goal.”

However, East Thurrock United pulled a goal back with 26 minutes and 37 seconds on the clock.

Barton went in strong on Cray Wanderers’ centre-half Ethan Kaiser and the challenge went unpunished by referee Howard Collins, who allowed play to continue and the ball rolled to Coker, who cracked a deflected left-footed drive which sailed into the top far corner from 30-yards.

“The referee’s saying ‘play on’, but I think one of our players got injured in the build-up to that so they all stood and watched waiting for a whistle,” said Smith.

“He’s hit the shot, it wasn’t going in, it’s hit a deflection and then spun into the other corner and just wrong-footed Nathan.  I said to the boys in there, you have to play to the whistle.”

Cray Wanderers last maintained a clean sheet in their 3-0 home win over Merstham on 5 February and tonight was their third win in 14 games since then.

Smith said: “It’s something that we know we have to work on. That’s probably why we went three at the back because we want to help out having that young keeper but I was quite comfortable with everything until they got that goal.”

Cray Wanderers were sitting back to protect their two-goal lead and East Thurrock United’s centre-half Ryan Dear joined an attack and played a reverse pass into right-back Ben Wyss, who unleashed a right-footed drive sailing over the crossbar from 35-yards.

Cray Wanderers produced some quality football on the night – which belied their league position and this was summed up with their fourth goal, timed at 40 minutes and 33 seconds.

Boamah kicked the ball upfield and Kader’s back-heal and Dickson’s flicked pass put Wood through on goal and he produced a clinical left-footed finish past the keeper into the bottom far corner in a one-v-one situation.

Smith said: “The last goal, what an absolute brilliant goal!  If that was last night, Liverpool scoring it against Man United, they’ll be hoo-ha-ing about it but I’ve just got to say about Sam Wood, I thought he was immense again. He’s been outstanding since he’s come (back) into this club.

“There’s a back-heal and a little flick and Sam goes through and he finishes it and you’re like I don’t remember him doing that last night!”

Manager Smith made three late changes and Cook stroked a 30-yard free-kick towards the centre of the goal, which Janata got down on to his knees to hold into his midriff.

Bomoah has been thrown in the deep end due to an injury to Max Huxter and he  pulled off a fine injury-time morale boosting save.

Substitute Ruben-Martins Dantas-Carvalho, Wyss and substitute Nana Adarkwa all linked up well down the right and the ball was played into Wyss, just inside the penalty area and his right-footed curler was destined to nestle inside the bottom far corner, only for Bomoah to dive to his right and use a strong right-hand to make the save.

“Listen, he’s done brilliant. He’s pulled off the save (from a free-kick against Enfield Town) and everyone’s talking about Nathan so I’ve got to try to keep his feet on the ground but at 17 to come into this sort of environment, I think he’s done extremely well,” added Smith.

East Thurrock United host 12^th placed Horsham on Saturday, while Smith takes his side to Bishop’s Stortford, a side in second-place on 84 points, three points clear of both Hornchurch and Enfield Town.

A final day victory will keep Cray Wanderers in the division. However, if they slip into the bottom three and in the points-per-game zone and finish with a better points-per-game average than Southern League Premier Division South side Kings Langley, then they will stay up.

Kings Langley are on 34 points and travel to fifteenth-placed side Salisbury on Saturday.

“I’ll set up exactly the same, I want to win. Bishop’s Stortford, they’re now cemented in there. Do they rest players?  My players’ are running on empty at the moment so I might have to freshen it up but I don’t want to go there after a night like this and not to try to win.  I want to finish on a high this season and not at least get beat.

“I’ve got (former Bromley players) Jack Holland, George Porter and Frankie Raymond and all the old boys coming to support us (tonight), Bromley supporters to join in with the Cray supporters, who have been absolutely fantastic with me coming in, really welcoming me with welcome arms so tonight was really humbling. It was quite emotional to see so many familiar faces getting behind Cray and myself.

“I think the boys took on every bit of information that we gave them today.

“We’ve got one game to go and it’s not over. Anything can happen so we’re going to go there and prepare like we have done since we’ve been here but you don’t want to be hoping for other results to go your way. You want to do it yourself if we can.

“We’ll asses the players tomorrow in training and see where we are for Saturday.

“It (team spirit) has been very good since we’ve walked in, the only thing we’ve been, I wouldn’t say lacking but you’re looking for that team spirit and it’s been very difficult with the amount of players that they’ve had this season (65 in 47 games in all competitions), three managers (Danny Kedwell, Grant Basey and myself).  It’s always going to be difficult.”

When asked about next season’s plans, Bromley resident Smith, who is assisted by Tim O’Shea, replied: “We’ve all got to sit around a table and discuss where it’s going from here.  We’ll have that conversation. My job was to come in and try to keep the club up and just give them some advice on how we can build a club at Cray with Academies, girls and women’s football and everything else.  I can give them all of the advice but at the end of the day it is all about on a Saturday trying to get results but if we can build a club with a new stadium, I think there’s a good future here.”

Cray Wanderers: Nathan Boamah, Anthony Cook, Kasim Aidoo, Tom Hanfrey, Ethan Kaiser, Richie Danquah, Jamie Yila (Denzil Williams 90), Sam Wood (Luca Albon 90), Chris Dickson, Saul Kader (Kyel Reid 90), Jedd Smith.
Subs: Cameron Brodie, Narcis-Florin Filipe

Goals: Chris Dickson 24, 60, Saul Kader 29, Sam Wood 86

Booked: Kasim Aidoo 82

East Thurrock United: Arthur Janata, Ben Wyss, Jack Morrell, Tom Barton, Ryan Boswell, Ryan Dear, Johnny Ashman, Oliver Spooner, Olly Miles (Nana Adarkwa 32), Harry Hope, Oli Coker (Ruben-Martins Dantas-Carvalho 81).
Subs: Sonny Dutton, Sam Collins, Elliott Sartorivs

Goal: Oli Coker 72

Booked: Ryan Dear 75, Ben Wyss 89

Attendance: 463
Referee: Mr Howard Collins
Assistants: Mr Joseph Turnpenny & Mr Ronald Albert