Cray Wanderers 2-0 Kingstonian

Cray Wanderers leapfrogged Kingstonian in the league table courtesy of a 2-0 win at Hayes Lane with goals from Chris Saunders and John Guest.

Cray started the brighter with good passing football on a heavy surface which actually played better than it looked. After seven minutes the lively Cray No 9, Hamici, fired off a strong shot which bounced awkwardly in front of Tolfrey and rebounded off his chest and broke for Chris Saunders who finished from close range.

Kingstonian gradually started to get to grips with the game and in the sixteenth minute, following good work by Bird down the left, Gray fired in a fierce shot which struck the hand of Cray's Aaron Day inside the area. The referee waived away the claims for the penalty, probably adjudging it as a 'ball to hand' incident. If there was room for interpretation on this handball, there seemed little doubt two minutes later as an awkwardly bouncing ball clearly struck the arm of Sterling. It appeared the referee was unsighted as Cray rode their luck.

Whilst Cray continued to pass the ball well, it was Kingstonian who created the better and more numerous chances. Huckle went close with two shots before the Cray keeper King, did well to claw away a header from his own defender. From the resulting corner a Thompson header hit the post via a deflection off Sterling.

Just before half time tempers boiled over as a number of Cray players objected to a firm Bird tackle on Hamici, although a free kick was awarded to the K's. The referee booked both players involved in the original incident before still finding time to book first Huckle and then Gray in quick succession for dissent.

The second half saw Kingstonian come out of the traps much the faster of the two teams as they started to build pressure and create more chances. In the 50th minute Tait beat King to a Gray cross only to see his flicked header pass just past the post. With Dowson deciding to move to a more attacking formation Jinadu was replaced by Clayton. Kingstonian came close again in the 57th minute as a Gray cross caused mayhem in the area before the ball was scrambled off the line.

Having dominated the opening exchanges in the second half, Kingstonian fell further behind in the 61st minute. The defence stood still as a deep corner founded an unmarked John Guest at the back post who side-footed home from close range.

In the 71st minute Dowson made a double change replacing Tait with Ivailo Dimitrov and debutant Reece Jones with Lee Hall. Kingstonian continued to dominate the half and create a number of chances, but the damage had already been done as Cray were content to sit back and rarely commit players forward on the counter attack. Despite a number of goal mouth scrambles and good shots from Clayton and Hall, it was clearly not meant to be, as the game ended with Kingstonian goalless.