Hanwell Town 1-0 Cray Wanderers - A missed opportunity, yes, but it was just they were better on the day and took their chances, says frustrated Cray Wanderers coach Alfie George

Hanwell Town 1 – 0 Cray Wanderers
Location	Perivale Lane, Greenford, Middlesex UB6 8TL
Kickoff	02/09/2025 19:45

HANWELL TOWN  1-0  CRAY WANDERERS
The Emirates FA Cup First Qualifying Round Replay
Tuesday 2 September 2025
Stephen McCartney reports from Perivale Lane

CRAY WANDERERS coach Alfie George says the club have suffered from a missed opportunity after crashing out of The FA Cup in a shock replay defeat to Hanwell Town with an injury-hit squad.

Chris Moore’s side booked a deserved place in the Second Qualifying Round for a second successive season, as striker Kameron English, 30, came off the bench to find the bottom corner to score the only goal of the game, 54 seconds into stoppage time at the end.

The eleventh-placed Southern League Premier Division South (seven points from five games) hosts have banked £2,250 in prize money and welcome unbeaten Isthmian League South Central Division side Bedfont Sports Club in the next round on Saturday 13 September, courtesy of English’s first goal of the season.

Moore made three changes to his side that came away from Flamingo Park with a 2-2 draw at the weekend, while Wands manager Tim O’Shea made four, as Ally Maloney’s treatment table has been busy this week.

Luke Allen (calf), Tom Bonner (back), Frankie Del Morgan (ankle), Frankie Raymond (dead leg), Remi Sutton (hamstring) and Joshua Williams were unable to take to the pristine grass playing surface at Perivale Lane tonight.

“Frustrating, frustrating. I thought we done enough in the game to maybe get one or two.  One hit the post first half,” said George, who was put forward for post-match media duties by manager Tim O’Shea.

“It was summarised at the end. We got in a lot of similar positions but we passed instead of shot and on a surface like this, you’ve just got to let it go. It was very slippery and wet and we just said it’s going to take a deflection to win the game. It was very tight but yes, frustrating, frustrating.”

Hanwell Town – without a win in three before tonight – came out with all guns blazing and created their first opening after only 106 seconds.

Callum Woodcock – who plays on the right of a three man resilient central defence – threw the ball into the box, right-wing-back Joseph Wilson laid the ball off for holding midfielder Ade Shkumbin to sweep a first time shot across the keeper and past the far post from 22-yards.

The impressive Woodcock played a low diagonal pass out to Wilson and in the second-phase of the attack, Woodcock fed attacking midfielder Bradley Clayton, who laid the ball off to Wilson, whose first time drive from 22-yards was comfortably caught in Harry Seaden’s midriff (5:28).

When asked what threats the home side posed, George replied: “They were very direct.  Obviously we know Alfie Pendlebury from his time at Cheshunt. I liked him when he was there and we knew he was going to be direct, especially Saturday, how direct they were, a very physical side.

“We didn’t expect them to change much because they’ve got very similar personnel but we just knew they’d be very resilient and hard to beat, especially here on their home ground.”

Hanwell Town should have taken the lead (9:08) when Cray Wanderers centre-half Jamie Watson opened the gate.

Towering central striker Alfie Pendlebury dropped deep and from the halfway line chested the ball before hooking it out to four-goal striker Jordy Mongoy, who was released in behind but lost composure inside the box and dragged his right-footed shot across the keeper and trickling past the far post when he only had keeper Seaden to beat.

George said: “We’re playing a very young side, two centre-halves (Jamie Watson and Marc-Anthony Okoye) who have never played together, so they were going to start fast because they probably thought we were going to be weak.

“But what we showed was a bit of resilience, grit and determination. I think we kind of edged the first half, probably a little bit more. Second half was a bit more even and it was going to take a goal like that to win it.

“Good chance, good chance. It was a game of half-chances. There wasn’t really, real clear ones, apart from their one that Harry saved. It could’ve gone either way personally but I think they’ve done their job and into the next round.”

Taylor Miles is Hanwell Town’s set-piece specialist and his initial free-kick was cleared back out to him and he recycled the ball back into the penalty area for Harry Seabrook (the resilient central centre-half) to guide his free header at the back post bouncing into Seaden’s gloves for a comfortable collection.

Cray Wanderers started to gain control in proceedings and central midfielder George Brooke swung in their first of five corners in the 16^th minute and Marc-Anthony Okoye came up from the back to hook his shot towards goal from within a crowd of players, which was comfortably plucked out of the air by Samual Beasant.

When asked what 32-year-old Okoye brings to the party, George replied: “He brings experience.  I know Marc well from my time at Bromley with him.  It was an injury when he was very young, which kind of affected him and then he just stepped away from the game (retiring in 2019).

“But what he brings to us is a bit of stability because other than that we had no one so fair play to Marc. It was a drop of a hat. He’s dropped everything that he had on and he’s come and played for us for the last two games and it speaks credit to himself.  He’s that type of character.

“He’s a great guy. I went to school with him so I know him well and fair play for doing what he’s done for us in these last two games (against Hanwell).”

Hanwell Town’s left-wing-back Roberto Nditi was within the channel when he whipped in a quality delivery, which sailed over Mongoy’s head at the near post and Pendlebury flicked his shot looping over the crossbar as Hanwell Town were the better side going into the opening 20 minutes.

Seabrook was outstanding at the heart of Hanwell’s defence and he put his body on the line on a couple of occasions, pressing recalled Cray Wanderers striker Alex Hernandez, who latched onto Brooke’s low pass, cutting in and cracking a right-footed drive from 20-yards, which deflected off Seabrook and was comfortably caught by Beasant in the centre of his goal.

Luck went against O’Shea’s men on the half-hour mark when the impressive Lateef Adaja picked up the ball in midfield and ran forward with the ball, cut into the penalty area and shaped to place his right-footed shot across the keeper from 15-yards, only for the ball to agonisingly bounce off the foot of the far post with 29 minutes and 14 seconds on the clock.

“I think luck sums it up.  You see their goal at the end he’s taken a deflection or two and gone in and Lateef hit the post. I think that sums the night up for us pretty well to be honest,” admitted George, who was then asked why the winger had a much quieter second half.

“He was a threat in the first half but I thought the officiating was a bit harsh on him. He had his shirt ripped in half, he’s been kicked five times by five different players, so it’s going to take affect on any individual being hit that much but credit to Lateef, he got up and kept going.

“Some of the tackles that were left on him probably done a bit of damage but credit to Lateef, he’s come in was fresh and hungry and was probably our best player today.”

The Wands threatened again just 84 seconds later when attacking midfielder Nodirbek Bobomurodov and Quade Taylor linked up inside the Hanwell half, Hernandez swept the ball out to left-back Adrian Owiredu-Giamera, who cut inside Woodcock before drilling his right-footed effort over the top of the far post.

Visiting goalkeeper Seaden took all of the away side’s defensive free-kicks from anywhere on the pitch, while Pendlebury was a threat in the air, while Woodcock and Seabrook were outstanding at the back in the black and white striped shirts.

Brook swung in the away side’s third corner in the 38^th minute, Harry Hoath knocked the ball out of his penalty area with his head and the ball was met by Owiredu-Giamera’s dipping right-footed drive from 35-yards, which cleared Beasant’s crossbar, as both sides created chances during an open first half.

“Just keep doing the same, keep doing the same. Keep waring them down, we’ll get a chance,” added George, who admitted their subs bench was pretty light with four kids.

“We couldn’t really change much. I think if you looked at our bench, we’ve got a lot of the 23s, apart from Dicko (Chris Dickson).

“They were all under 23 players because that’s where we’re at with our squad at the minute. It was a youthful bench so we’re trying to affect it as much as we can with the team we’ve got.”

George wasn’t given too much away as to why Williams wasn’t in the squad.

“I think if you look at our team sheet, we were six or seven missing. Josh being a late one to that, which I’m not going to go into but The FA have got some explaining to do on that one.”

Moore made a tactical switch at the break, bringing on holding midfielder Edward Cooper and the threat of right-winger Adaja was killed off as Hanwell Town shut the door.

Hanwell Town were to be denied just three and a half minutes into the second half following a well-worked move.

Wilson played the ball down the line and Mongoy fizzed in a low cross from the right-hand side towards the back post where Nditi stung Seaden’s fingers with a left-footed snap-shot from the corner of the six-yard box, the 24-year-old keeper making a two-handed save at his near-post to beat the ball away.

“Yes, very good save. I think we just switched off at that point,” admitted George.

“That’s what H is there to do. He’s done it an awful lot this season, made big saves in big moments.  Yes, it was a good save and he’s kept us in the tie at that point.”

However, the 269 crowd at the stadium that is used by a couple of Queen’s Park Rangers’ teams on a sublime grass playing surface, watched a rather disappointing cagey second half.

Hernandez dropped deep before playing the ball out to Owiredu-Giamera, who cut in from the left and played the ball into Brooke, who took too many touches and rolled a poor shot, which was picked up by Beasant at the half-way mark.

“I think both sides didn’t really want to lose, no one wants to go out in the first stage of qualifying and it was a bit tentative,” explained George.

“The pitch was super zippy. I think there was a lot of pressure from the pitch, leaning towards maybe one or two touches, leading to three or four but it was just a typical Cup tie for us, going away from what we had to do, something a bit different and hope we get a result but Hanwell dug in and got the result.”

Cooper fed Clayton, who cut in and his deflected shot from 25-yards was comfortably gathered by Seaden, diving to his left to smother, to prevent the ball nestling inside the bottom right-hand corner (22:44).

Mongoy played the ball inside to Wilson, who fed Pendlebury, who was on the end of a strong tackle from Okoye, before Clayton played a short pass inside to Miles, who hit a first time drive from 25-yards, which was comfortably saved in Seaden’s midriff, as the game entered the final 20 minutes.

George was asked why 40-year-old striker Chris Dickson sat on the bench for 71 minutes – and he was denied by a very good save from Beasant shortly afterwards.

Right-back Prosper Keto played the ball into Hernandez, who played a reverse pass in behind Hoath to give Dickson his big moment but his right-footed shot on the turn from six-yards was superbly tipped round the post by Beasant, diving to his left.

“Just trying to fresh things up.  Dicko’s come in and he’s played a lot of games back-to-back,” said George.

“It was always going to be a squad game for us. Alex (Hernandez) is none worse off or better off. It was just a different approach that we wanted to take and we thought by doing what we done, maybe Dicko can have an affect.

“He got a few shots towards the end. It was just probably maybe could’ve potentially done it a little bit sooner but there’s nothing to read into it to be honest, it was just rotation.”

Reflecting on the chance, George added: “Dicko does what Dicko does. He gets in good positions. It was a good save.  That’s all you’ve got to say and he’s kept them in the game. He’s a good goalkeeper and he knows Dicko well so there was a bit of a battle there. He’s got in position and it was a good save.”

Brooke played a one-two with Hernandez and cracked his volley sailing over Beasant’s right shoulder and his effort just cleared the crossbar and landed on top of the roof of the net (35:16).

“Brilliant bit of play, brilliant, very, very good bit of play. I think he caught it too sweet,” said George.

“It’s one of them, if he kind of miss-hits it, it probably drops in and loops in but he’s kind of caught it full on the volley.

“A different day, that might’ve come of his shin pad and go in but good play, good play. The boys just kept pressing and we were trying to make chances like that. It was just few and far between because how well Hanwell were defending.

“They’re just a solid side. They do the basics well, defend well, try to keep the ball up at the right end. Credit to them, they sat in and dug deep. We applied pressure but they dealt with it.”

Hanwell Town increased their intensity in the final 10 minutes and they produced a sweeping four-man move (37:15) and English missed a glorious chance to win the game at this point, with extra-time looking the likely outcome.

Clayton and Miles were involved in it and Miles found English unmarked at the far post but he went to pieces and swept his low right-footed shot from eight-yards towards the bottom near corner, which Seaden made a comfortable save at his near-post, holding the ball low to his right.

George admitted: “Lucky escape, lucky escape, can’t deny that but again it’s Cup football. You have moments and chances, they didn’t take it. We hope we could capitalise on it but we didn’t and on hindsight, he’s won the game.”

Hanwell Town kept knocking on the door, however, and substitute left-winger Daniel Carr cracked a speculative right-footed drive from 35-yards, which was comfortably gathered by Seaden, stepping to his left and gathering at the second attempt from within an empty penalty area.

However, Hanwell Town broke Cray Wanderers’ hearts by scoring the only goal of the game with 45:54 on the clock, with holding midfielder Cooper involved in the move.

Clayton dinked a left-footed pass from the left towards English, who cut inside and onto his left-foot to drill his shot across the keeper to find the bottom far (left) corner.

“He done what we should’ve done an awful lot more, come inside and just let it go and hoped it would end up the way it did,” said George.

“I can recall at least six or seven chances where we’ve done the exact same but we’ve looked to pass instead of maybe shoot.

“The surface lends itself to a zippy fast paced shot but we didn’t utilise that and they did and they won the tie on it. We learn, it’s Cup football.”

When asked what was missing from his players tonight, George replied: “I think our squad, if I’m totally honest!

“Any team in the world that can take four of their starting 11 out, it will affect them.

“You take any side in the world and lose six or seven of their starting players, that doesn’t mean we didn’t do bad in terms of who was on the pitch but I think if we had a full-strength squad, it probably would’ve been more, more, I wouldn’t say we’d win it but it would be more threatening.”

Cray Wanderers have banked £750 from The Football Association and share the gate receipts (after expenses) from their two games against Hanwell Town.

When asked whether O’Shea can add to his 16 man squad, George admitted: “Hands are tied, well and truly tied, so it’s just about getting the best out of what we’ve got.

“Ally (Maloney) is an amazing physio, she does brilliantly, she’s a very busy lady at the moment. We were talking last night. It’s all hands on deck for her. She’s working overtime, bless here. It’s such sheer hard luck at the minute, we’re having with this amount of injuries.”

Hanwell Town now host top-four Isthmian League South Central Division side Bedfont Sports Club here in the next round – a missed opportunity for a Cray Wanderers side that reached the Fourth Qualifying Round last season under Neil Smith, losing 1-0 at home to National League South side Tonbridge Angels.

“A missed opportunity, yes, but you can’t take away what Hanwell did home and away. They stayed in the game against us. We had more than enough win that game on Saturday, more than enough and they were buzzing to get it here.

“After the game you could see it in them. I thought credit to us. We turned up (here), we were lively. It took some people three hours to get here and I don’t think we sort of done bad. It was just they were obviously better on the day and took their chances.”

O’Shea returns to an old club on Saturday, as Cray Wanderers travel to Lewes in the Isthmian League Premier Division.

Lewes are in fourth-place in the table, having picked up four wins from their opening five outings, while Cray Wanderers sit in eighth-place with three wins and a draw from their opening five.

“It’s going to be an entertaining game. Whenever you go to Lewes, it’s going to be fun. They’ve got a great, great pitch, lovely pitch, lovely facilities.

“They’ve got some good signings. Ian Gayle at the back is a good addition for them, so hoping to go and get three points.

“We go into every game to get three points but we’re going to Lewes, which is always a tough venue for us, so we’re looking to see what we’ve got Thursday playing wise and then we’ll adjust it and go again on Saturday.

“The Cray Massive are brilliant, thank you (for travelling to West London on a showery Tuesday night).  They have a big support for us home and away but away they’re very vocal and drives us forward and we just want them to stick by us and keep coming to these games because it does give us an extra ten percent.”

Hanwell Town: Samuel Beasant, Joseph Wilson (Daniel Carr 77), Roberto Nditi, Harry Seabrook, Callum Woodcock, Harry Hoath, Jordy Mongoy (Addison Garnett 90), Ade Shokumbi (Edward Cooper 46), Alfie Pendlebury (Kameron English 77), Bradley Clayton (Seth Patrick 90), Taylor Miles.
Sub: Trent Carter Rogers

Goal: Kameron English 90

Booked: Joseph Wilson 36, Jordy Mongoy 51

Cray Wanderers: Harry Seaden, Prosper Keton, Adrian Owuredu-Giamera, Quade Taylor, Jamie Watson, Marc-Anthony Okoye, Ashley Nzala (Chris Dickson 71), George Brooke (Tom Jackson 87), Alex Hernandez, Nodirbek Bobomurodov, Lateef Adaja.
Subs: Eduard Mare, Michael Iheidi, Victor Damyanov

Booked: Alex Hernandez 53, Nodirbek Bobomurodov 90

Attendance: 269
Referee:  Mr Derrick Laing
Assistants: Mr Marc Rister & Mr Adel Abdel Rasoul