Cray Wanderers match report
match report by Rupert Cane
Kingstonian succumbed to a first home league defeat in two months in a tight Isthmian Premier League encounter at a bitterly cold Imperial Sports Ground.
K’s started well and Jacob Bancroft flashed a cross-shot across goal that Kieron Cadogan wasn’t far away from turning into the net.
Cray signalled their intent through Tom Derry, who drew a decent save out of his former K’s team-mate Rob Tolfrey, back in the league starting XI. The visitors then went ahead on 17 minutes, a spritely counter-attack ending with Dan Bassett’s pinpoint cross headed into the top corner by Sam Wood.
It proved the only goal, and in a contest lacking in quality was worth of deciding the game.
K’s moved the ball around nicely, especially in the middle third, but creating clear-cut opportunities was yet again a major struggle, with a series of half-chances comfortably dealt with by Cray before the interval.
It was the visitors who came out stronger after it, sub Sam Skeffington blasting over from a corner. Kingstonian struggled to find any rhythm until the hour mark, when Bancroft couldn’t guide a fine Michael Abnett cross on target after a misjudgement by Cray keeper Shaun Rowley.
Abnett was the supplier of another chance, this time for Declan Skura, but like Bancroft the defender headed past the post.
In the latter stages Kingstonian suffered two bad injuries, Corey Parchment and Dwight Pascal forced to exit early. Parchment in particular was in serious pain, with what appeared to be a shoulder problem. We wish him well.
The treatment required for both players led to a World Cup-esque 10 minutes of injury time, but aside from a Bancroft header wide and a fine tackle to stop sub Nodirbek Bobomurodov getting a shot off, Cray stood firm to leave south London with all the points.
Kingstonian: Rob Tolfrey, Declan Skura, Dwight Pascal, Jack Strange, Michael Abnett, Tyrese Owen, Sean Bonnett-Johnson, Lee Lewis, Kieron Cadogan, Jacob Bancroft, Corey Parchment.
Subs: Kwesi Ntim, Isaiah Jones (for Dwight Pascal, 87m), O'Shane Stewart, Nodirbek Bobomurodov (for Corey Parchment, 74m), Joshua Ogunseye (for Kieron Cadogan, 57m).
Cray Wanderers: Shaun Rowley, Jephte Tanga, Sam Wood, Jalen Jones, Dan Bassett, Ben Krauhaus, Tom Derry, Anthony Cook, Yahaya Bamba, Sinn'kaye Christie, Harrison Sodje.
Subs: Sam Skeffington (for Ben Krauhaus, HT), Nyren Clunis (for Sam Wood, 83m), Michael Ademiluyi, Cerny Ando, Omari Hibbert (for Tom Derry, 64m)
Goal scorer: Sam Wood (17m, 0-1)
Attendance: 205
