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Cray bounce back

Cray Wanderers 2-0 Hoddesdon Town
London Senior Cup First Round
Wednesday 1 October 2003
by Stephen McCartney www.kentishfootball.co.uk


Cray Wanderers bounced back from their 1-0 FA Cup defeat at Ryman League Premier Division side Basingstoke Town, to progress into the second round of the London Senior Cup with a 2-0 victory over eighth placed Minerva Spartan South Midlands League side Hoddesdon Town at the Clive Christian Stadium in Hayes Lane.

Cray travel to Barking & East Ham United at the next stage and Cray manager Ian Jenkins said: "It's not a nice place over there and I don't know much about them.  We just want to go as far as we can in the cup and hopefully play holders Bromley sooner than later."

Cray have now kept eight clean sheets in eleven league and cup matches this season, and goalkeeper Micky Simmons denied Ryan Redford whose right footed shot skidded off the wet, lush Hayes Lane turf after fifteen minutes.

Cray's Jamie Kempster's header clipped the right post from close range before Hoddesdon, with Pablo Ardiles captaining the side, shot from long range through Danny O'Sullivan.

Matt Woolf and Phil Turner were off target for Cray just before the break.

Hoddesdon who played neat football without hurting the Cray defence, went close from Redford (twice) and Michael Southam.

Cray midfielder Adam Heaslewood began the home side's charge with a cracking right footed shot that flew wide of the left upright  from distance before Hoddesdon goalkeeper Adam Hart was equal to Woolf's long range effort on goal.

Hoddesdon fell behind to Kempster's 73rd minute shot that found the bottom left hand corner of the net.

Simmons juggled the ball from substitute Jospeh O'Driscoll's shot before his opposite number pulled off a terrific save from Jamie Wood, diving full stretch to his left to push the goalbound shot around the post.

But Hart was beaten two minutes before the end of the game from Heaslewood, who scored directly from his whipped in corner kick from the right hand side.

Ricky Bennett was denied by another smart save from Hart at the death as Cray bounce back from their FA Cup defeat at Basingstoke Town.

Cray Wanderers manager, Ian Jenkins, speaking after the game, expressed why he made four changes to their team that lost 1-0 at Basingstoke. 

Jenkins said: "I've had five blokes sitting on the bench for two or three games.  It's all about the squad really.  I need these players at the end of the season so I've just put them all in the team tonight.  I've explained the situation and told a few of the players they will drop out tonight.  It was nothing about how they played at Basingstoke on Saturday, I've just wanted to give the substitutes a run out."

Jenkins wants to progress as far as he can in this season's London Senior Cup, and wants to play against London Senior Cup holders and landlords Bromley.

Jenkins admiited he asked his players to watch Craig McAlister, Basingstoke's prolific hit-man.  Cray's hearts were broken when McAllister's 47th minute strike knocked the Wands out of the FA Cup at the Camrose last Saturday.

Jenkins said: "People at the game will tell you Cray were by far the better side.  Basingstoke's manager came up to me and said Cray out did them.  Their centre half was their man of the match, and that just sums up how the game went!  Craig McAllister is a good player,  I watched them play against Carshalton Athletic and he was their main man.  I told our players if they let him have a chance he will finish it - and he did!

"I was gutted that we lost, we dominated the game, Basingstoke had one chance and scored the winning goal, we had three or four good chances but we just couldn't score!"

Cray are now without a game until their trip to Deal Town on Saturday 18 October in the FA Vase First Round.

Jenkins is planning to arrange a friendly match before the game and is expecting a tough encounter against a side who won the FA Vase at Wembley Stadium in 2000.  Deal were managed by Tommy Sampson when they tasted success in the competition but are currently in a transition period.

Jenkins said: "Deal have history in the competition and are previous winners.  I know they haven't got the same players that won the competition, but they might do well and raise their game against us - it's a favourable draw for us."


Cray Wanderers: Micky Simmons, Andy Silk (Danny Evans 35, Paul Dimmock 68), Ian Rawlings, John Mayall, Sam Wood, Phil Turner (Capt), Adam Heaslewood, Jamie Kempster, Matt Woolf (Jamie Wood 83), Ricky Bennett, Ross Lover.  Subs: James Taylor, Joe Francis

Hoddesdon Town: Adam Hart, James Eastwood, Neil Conner, James Barry, Robert Moules, Danny O'Sullivan, Pablo Ardiles (Capt), Daryl Mitchell, Michael Southam (Joseph O'Driscoll 80), Ryan Redford, Michael Cooper (Scott O'Donoghue 56)

Referee: Mr J Vallance
Assistants: Mr G Marley and Mr R Williams