Cray Wanderers make it back to back 1-0 wins with victory against Chichester City

Cray Wanderers moved up into 16th place in the Isthmian Premier after a second successive 1-0 win against Chichester City at Flamingo Park on Tuesday 10th December in a game where both teams were reduced to ten men with Nathan Jeche’s goal thirteen minutes from time proving decisive

On a very cold night under the lights and the last midweek home game of 2024, Cray were looking to build on Saturday’s 1-0 win at Bowers & Pitsea and there was one change to the starting lineup with Quade Taylor coming in for Remi Sutton.  Chichester made three changes to the team who lost to Hastings United on Saturday and into the team came

Chichester began the game positively and Joe Moore found Ethan Prichard down the right and his cross was cleared away from the six yard box.  Then in the 5th minute Mo Jammeh set up top scorer Jimmy Wild for a shot from just outside the box held by Shaun Rowley.

Cray began to exert pressure and in the tenth minute were unlucky not to score when Darion Dowrich found Lateef Adaja who cut inside from the left and curled a shot which looked to be heading for the top right corner but Kieran McGee did superbly to push the ball right handed over the bar.

Then from a corner down the left Nyren Clunis’ ball to the far post was headed over by Tom Bonner.  This was followed by a free kick from Ike Orji down the right, falling to Clunis whose shot was blocked.

Cray continued to press and in the 25th minute, Nathan Jeche saw a volley go just past the right post and then a minute later down the left saw his skidding shot just tipped or deflected round the right post.

However, this was followed by Cray being reduced to ten men when Taylor was shown a straight red card after for what was deemed a high boot to the chest of Wild to leave the Wands with some reorganising to do.

With Adaja filling in at times at the back along with Bonner, Dowrich and Orji, the Wands had to defend well in the last fifteen plus minutes of the half.

Chichester threatened when Prichard managed to turn down the right into the box but his shot at the near post was held by Rowley.

A minute before half time Prichard was played through by a pass from Wild down the left of the area but blazed his shot over the bar.

Then in stoppage time a cross from Joe Moore down the right was headed wide by Joe Clarke.

There was in total eleven minutes injury time as there was lengthy treatment following an injury to Chichester’s Finlay Chadwick who was replaced by Lloyd Rowlatt.

The second half was only three minutes old when Chichester also went down to ten when Ryan Davidson who was booked in the first half was sent off for hauling down Nathan Jeche.

Chichester almost went in front in the 51st minute when Isaac Bello down the left showed pace to cut inside and curl a shot just over the bar.

For Cray, a corner came to Frankie Raymond whose shot was charged down and led to a period of Wands pressure.

In the 57th minute, the Wands were unlucky when Josh Williams left wing cross to the far post came to Clunis whose volley was headed off the line by Rob Hutchings.  Then the ball switched to the other end where Jeche shot just wide of the right post.

The match then went through something of a lull with chances at a premium and looked to be heading for a draw with maybe Chichester closest when Jammeh set up Bello for a shot that went well over the top.

In the 77th minute, Cray took the lead when after initially good work down the left by substitute Toby King, the ball came to Frankie Raymond whose ball into the area was half punched away by Magee and after a shot was blocked the ball bobbled around the six yard box and came to Jeche who fired into the net.

Cray now had to be on their mettle and defended superbly helped capably by Williams, King and Jeche who worked extremely hard and helped get the ball up the field.

The Wands almost scored a second when Clunis set up King for a shot just past the left post and then Clunis saw an effort blocked.

In the end after another few minutes of stoppage time Cray saw out the remaining moments to pick up the second home win of the season but more importantly go six points clear of the bottom four ahead of games against the top two, Dover Athletic and Billericay Town.

Cray had to battle hard against a solid and accomplished Chichester side but over the ninety minutes merited the three points and made it three games undefeated in the league but unusually against ten men in each match and another clean sheet for Shaun Rowley.

The Wands now head to Dover Athletic on Saturday 14th December in good heart and without any inferiority complex.

Cray Wanderers: Shaun Rowley, Ike Orji, Quade Taylor, Tom Bonner, Darion Dowrich, Frankie Raymond, Charlie Edwards (Toby King, 72), Lateef Adaja, Nyren Clunis, Josh Williams, Nathan Jeche (Kenny Coker, 90+1):  Subs: Bobby Parkes, Freddie Warwick, Josh Shonibare