Cray Wanderers 0-2 Leatherhead - I must admit we had key players out, says Ian Jenkins

Tuesday 22nd February 2011
CRAY WANDERERS  0-2  LEATHERHEAD
Championship Manager Cup Quarter-Final
Tuesday 22nd February 2011
Stephen McCartney reports from Hayes Lane

CRAY WANDERERS’ interest in the Championship Manager Cup came to a disappointing end as the highest ranked side left were knocked out by Leatherhead.


Leatherhead - fourth in Ryman League Division One South - can now look forward to hosting Dulwich Hamlet in the semi-finals - as well taken goals from Tommy Hutchings and Jack McLeod sent the Kent side crashing out with a poor performance.

A disappointed Cray Wanderers manager Ian Jenkins had no complaints about the result.

He said: “I thought they played well to be honest with you.  I think they deserved the win.  Obviously they’re a good side, always have been.  When we played them in the league they were always strong.  They’re good enough to play in our division.”

The Ryman League announced yesterday that their League Cup was sponsored to the tune of £10,000.

The Wands would have banked £1,790 had they won the silverware - or £1,190 as runners-up - but instead have to make do with £490 in prize money, following wins over Whyteleafe (£90), Folkestone Invicta (£150) and Thamesmead Town (£250).

The Tanners collect a further £300 for winning tonight and the semi-final winners will each collect a further £400 and the League Cup winners will take home a further £600 in prize money.

Jenkins added: “It would’ve been nice (to have won the Cup). If we would’ve won (tonight, we would have met) Dulwich so you’re looking to go on and win it really, being the highest club in it. Cup football. It doesn’t work like that does it?

“When you go to the League do at the end of the season, it’s nice to go there for a reason so disappointed with the result but it was a fair result in the end.”

Jenkins fielded a strong squad, although he was without midfielders Danny Phillips (ankle/Achilles) and Ross Lover (groin) and he lost central defender John Guest (groin) during the warm-up so Tony Dolby was drafted in as a late replacement to partner Tyrone Sterling at the heart of defence, as Mark Willy still struggles with the knee injury he sustained away to Margate over Christmas.

Jenkins said: “We had key players out, I must admit.  Danny Phillips, who you’re gonna miss, Ross Lover and John Guest were all ruled out for tonight so you’re gonna miss those sort of players.”

The home club received official confirmation from the Ryman League secretary that they could play Dolby, who was an unused substitute for Hastings United against Whitehawk in an earlier round.

But Cray were never in the game and Leatherhead scored a brilliant goal with only 60 seconds on the clock.

Mu Mann was fouled by Chris Saunders in a central position and up stepped Hutchings who sent a stunning left-footed curling free-kick from 26-yards up and over the wall and into the right corner, leaving keeper Dave King rooted to the spot to score his 18th goal of the season.

“That’s a good finish,” praised Jenkins.  “If you’re going to give a free-kick away on the edge of the box in the first minute the fella’s got nothing to lose has he?  Go out there and do your best to score.  It’s a fantastic finish!

“I think we started and ran at their defence, first minute of the game and Lol (Laurent Hamici) should’ve had a shot and we might have scored but he decided to have a bit of skill and lost the ball and they went up the other end.  It was a bad foul to give away on the edge of the box but a good finish.”

Cray created a couple of half chances - Allan McLeod cut a fourth minute corner back to Saunders who tried to make amends only to flash a right-footed shot wide - and then Jack Clark’s left-footed drive bounced past the far post from 25-yards.

But the home side really should have levelled in the 17th minute when Leigh Bremner teed up 20-goal striker Laurent Hamici, but the Frenchman dragged his shot past the far post when he really should have scored.

Leatherhead also missed a good chance after Sterling was caught in possession in midfield as a slick move involving Mark Simmons and Elliot Thompson resulted in Hutchings laying the ball inside to the unmarked Greg Andrews but he failed to score his 28th goal of the season as his weak shot rolled to King at the near post.

Leatherhead keeper, Chico Ramos, who lives in Enfield, pulled off the save of the match in the 26th minute when he dived to his left to get a strong left hand to Aaron Day’s effort - the long-serving Cray skipper sticking out a right leg to meet Clark’s wicked set-piece delivery from the left.

The off-colour Kent side almost grabbed another lifeline in the 40th minute.

Hamici nodded the ball down the line to release Bremner, who cut inside Leatherhead skipper Chris Boulter before unleashing a right-footed curler from 25-yards, which brought another fine save from Ramos, who dived to his left again to beat away.

But instead of firing home the rebound with his right-foot, Clark wasted the opportunity as Leatherhead closed down the follow up shot.

Jenkins said: “We created a few chances, their keeper pulled off some good saves.  It was just one of those games I think.

“Maybe a bit more committed, Jack Clark might have buried the rebound with his right foot instead of cutting it back on his left but he aint had many games but in the end there we huffed and puffed, we created a great chance with a minute to go but miss-kicked it in front of goal.”

That was as good as it got for a disappointing Cray Wanderers side, as Leatherhead played out a comfortable second half.

Mann rode Allan McLeod’s sliding challenge down the left and reached the by-line before floating a cross across the penalty area, which was initially headed away by Sterling, but the ball dropped to Jack McLeod, who smashed a low drive towards the near post but King’s feet blocked the shot and the ball looped over the crossbar after 53 minutes.

Cray Wanderers didn’t get any change out of a solid Leatherhead back four, well marshalled by Boulter and Jon Boswell.

Leatherhead wrapped up the deserved victory rather fortuitously in the 67th minute.

Mann smashed an angled drive from 30-yards towards goal and the ball fell nicely for the unmarked McLeod inside the box, who turned and swept a clinical left-footed drive into the bottom left-hand corner past the static King.

Reflecting on the clincher, Jenkins said: “A good finish by the bloke but I think he got lucky where he received the ball - but it was a good finish.”

Mann squandered a couple of chances later on, but Cray didn’t really look like scoring all night and seemed disinterested in progressing further in this Cup competition.

An example of their poor play came inside stoppage time when substitute Ebenezer Masade reached the by-line and cut the ball back for fellow substitute Carl Gibbs, who miss-kicked the ball when well placed, as did Hamici and Leatherhead swiftly broke up field.

Cray Wanderers face Haringey Borough (Spartan South Midlands Premier) in the last sixteen of the London Senior Cup on Thursday night and Jenkins has promised changes for the game that has been switched to Beckenham Town’s Eden Park Avenue ground.

Joe Vines, a central defender, who has recently been released by Maidstone United, will mark his return to the club and diminutive striker Jamie Wood has been drafted in especially for the match from Kent League side VCD Athletic.  Both are former Wands players.

“I will be making changes,” said Jenkins.  “I’m just waiting to see what Darren (Anslow) can give me from the reserve side.  He texted me tonight saying there’s a few of them working but I was going to take six or seven of them and play the fringe players that have been with us and obviously Joe Vines.

“I like Joe.  I’ve always liked Joe.  He’s a good competitor.  He always gets stuck in.  He’s a big leader.  You can hear him around the dressing room and on the pitch and he’ll be good for us.  With the injuries to Wills (Mark Willy) and Guesty, it’s probably worked in our favour that we have signed him.  He will play Thursday against Haringey Borough at Beckenham Town so that will be his first game (back).”

Jenkins added: “Jamie Wood’s back for one game.  I’ve just signed him for one game because I don’t want to be risking players for a Thursday with a big game away at Wealdstone (on Saturday).  That’s the most important game.”

The manager revealed that Phillips and Lover may travel, saying, “I might sit them on the bench and give them 20 minutes if they are available.  If not they should be back for Saturday.”

Jenkins hinted that out of tonight’s squad, Clark and Steve Lozano may be appearing against the north Londoners.

With a London Senior Cup quarter-final tie away to Tooting & Mitcham United at stake, Jenkins wants his side to avoid another Cup upset.

“Haringey will be up for it! I’ve looked at their league table on Sunday in the Non League Paper , they’re doing alright.  They’ve got nothing to lose and they’ll want to put one over on us.

“It would be nice to get a Cup.  It’s a nice Cup that London Cup.  It’s a lovely Cup.”

Cray Wanderers: Dave King, Allan McLeod, Alex Bentley, Aaron Day, Tyrone Sterling, Tony Dolby, Jack Clark (Carl Gibbs 78), Chris Saunders, Laurent Hamici, Leigh Bremner, Steve Lozano (Ebenezer Masade 70).
Subs: Ross Lover, Adam Cottrell, Ian Jenkins.

Booked: Leigh Bremner 77

Leatherhead: Chico Ramos, Leim Restall, Rob Hill, Chris Boulter, Jon Boswell, Elliot Thompson, Jack McLeod, Mark Simmons, Greg Andrews (Marc Elson 76), Tommy Hutchings (Kev Terry 71), Mu Maan.
Subs: Alex McKay, Steve Rowe, Anthony Russell.

Goals: Tommy Hutchings 1, Jack McLeod 67

Attendance: 92
Referee: Mr Tony Mason (Sidcup)
Assistants: Mr Adam Bakalarz (Bromley) & Mr Paul Beadle (Sevenoaks)