It’s not often you get the chance for Sunday football in non-league unless your side are ground-sharing although normally they’re kept apart on opposite weekends when the fixtures come out.
Quite often this season Cray Wanderers have played the opposite day of the weekend after landlords Bromley and I guess the chance for a slightly inflated gate.
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Having taken a week off from watching games before filling the final two weeks of the season with as many as I can find another new ground for Gareth Spinks was on the cards and more support for Wands boss Neil Smith as he attempts to keep the club in the Pitching In Isthmian League Premier Division.
It’s certainly been a baptism of fire for Smudger since he stepped in with six games to go, just a day and a half to bring in new players before the deadline shut the door and with clubs hanging on to who they had not many arrived at Hayes Lane.
Hornchurch were the visitors, Mark Stimson guiding the Urchins to a play-off place but not quite guaranteed yet and looking for another three points to cement their place in the four behind champions Worthing and further dent Cray’s chances of staying up.
On another sunny afternoon in Kent the home side set off as the side ready to take the game by the scruff of the neck and open the scoring. The early possession belonged to the home side but despite some good endeavour they didn’t create any chances to trouble Joe Wright in the visitors goal.
Against the run of play it was Hornchurch who took the lead on 14 minutes, Liam Nash with an unchallenged run to the penalty area and he crossed for Ola Ogunwamide to slot home for the opening goal.
The goal certainly opened up the game as both sides began to create chances, Kyel Reid shooting over and Tobi Joseph putting the ball the wrong side of the post when he should really have doubled the Urchins lead.
Cray had chances of their own, Anthony Cook in first half stoppage time saw his effort deflected over and Chris Dickson was close on a couple of occasions, the home side still very much in the game at the interval.
Wands needed to come out in the second half with more fire and they should have been level four minutes in, Dickson latching onto Jamie Yila’s through ball, rounding Wright but unable to get a good shot off and Mickey Parcell was on the line to stop the home side equalising. Cook then stung the palms of Wright as Wands extended the pressure on the visitors goal.
Sam Wood was next to try his luck but Wright was equal to his shot and Cook again was close but didn’t hit the target this time around. Just before the hour mark Dickson’s overhead kick was blocked while Jedd Smith tested Wright from distance, the keeper holding his shot comfortably.
As the adage is though you’ve got to take your chances when on top and Hornchurch made the hosts pay on 66 minutes, Ogunwamide strode away down the right hand side giving Liam Nash an easy finish past Max Huxter doubling the lead, a well worked goal deserved the ball ending up in the net.
Cray thought they were back in the game ten minutes later, Richie Danquah netting a rebound from a free kick but rightly judged offside and the mountain still a big one to climb with time running out.
The Urchins made sure the points were going home to Essex with four minutes to play, substitute Ellis Brown finishing from inside the six yard box. Further punishment came the way of the Wands as the visitors scored twice more in those last four minutes and stoppage time, firstly Charlie Ruff finished off another cross from the right hand side and then Tobi Joseph added the fifth, a fine finish on the turn to complete a miserable afternoon for the home side and their supporters, the scoreline looking lopsided by the final whistle.
Games are running out fast for the Wands to keep their place in the division with only three games left and two of those against sides either in the play-off places or still in contention.
When your keeper injuries himself in the warm up a good sign it’s not going to be your afternoon! It certainly wasn’t a 5-0 game, but it’s been a struggle all season long for Cray at the back and when the chances won’t go in at the other end it’s the reason they are where they are.
Will they survive? They’re going to be reliant on others if they can’t get anything from the two play-off chasing sides, a huge final home game awaits them next Wednesday against East Thurrock, a win there might just be enough but a lot to rest upon.
As always good to see Wands duo Sam Wright and Gary Hillman afterwards and of course catching up with Smudger whilst nice to meet fellow Twitter guys Colin Head and Machel St Patrick Hewitt, people you chat to a lot but not always easy to be in the same place as!
Game 49 completed for the season and plenty more still to come, lots left to happen in the final couple of weeks and then the play-off’s, watch out for those twists and turns………………..
