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F A TROPHY 1st ROUND QUALIFYING REPLAY—WEDNESDAY 24 OCTOBER 2007
MATCH REPORTER: JERRY DOWLEN
Cray were two goals up after 18 minutes, but it was ET who went home victorious on a frustrating night for Cray and their supporters.
After eight minutes of unproductive play from both sides it was Cray who took the lead from their first proper attack. Michael Power fastened on to a pass that Aaron Day sent in from the right, and his shot found its way past Gore to trickle into the net.
The Rocks nearly levelled the score immediately, but Harris directed a free header wide of the target.
It was then the Wands’ turn to go close with a free header, George Fenwick putting the ball over the bar after a splendid jump to connect with the first corner-kick of the game.
Power’s full-blooded shot was pushed out by Gore and unluckily for Cray the rebound didn’t go to an amber shirt.
Not to worry though, or so we thought, because on 18 minutes Power was tormenting the Rocks defence again, cutting in from the left and dancing past two tackles before rolling an inch-perfect pass for Fenwick to prod the ball into the net.
A clever long-range lob by Fenwick gave Gore an anxious moment but the ball landed wide of the net as Cray continued to ask questions of the visitors’ defence.
Unfortunately it was suddenly 2-2 as Cray conceded two soft goals in the 24th and 29th minutes.
West netted from the penalty-spot after a clumsy and unnecessary trip on a Rocks’ forward who wasn’t in a shooting position, and then after losing possession in the centre circle the Wands were punished as the ball was quickly fed through to the dangerous Edusei who made no mistake with his shot.
West missed a good chance for the Rocks just after that, but the visitors had a let-off at the other end when Power skilfully carved out another shooting opportunity but saw his effort strike the post.
Power brought another half-save from Gore soon after the restart, with the loose ball again falling kindly for the visitors.
In a repeat of last Saturday, the early second half proved to be the Rocks’ best spell of the game.
In the ultimate analysis, the fleet-footed Edusei was perhaps the telling difference between the two closely-matched sides. Whenever he received the ball the Wands’ defence were stretched to contain him, and in the 55th minute he fatally gained enough time and space to make inroads from the left and set up Harris for a far post tap-in.
The Wands left their response till late, mounting a frantic assault on the Rocks’ goal in the last ten minutes.
The non-stop pressure produced a series of heartbreaking near misses for Cray, with Ryan Royston heading narrowly wide off Colin Luckett’s cross, Gore making a reflex save when the ball seemed certain to fly past him, and then the woodwork denying Power for the second time in the game.
There was plentiful time added on and at the death Cray forced a last corner-kick that led to a ferocious scrimmage in the goalmouth. The ball eventually came to Jamie Kempster on the edge of the box but he dragged his shot wide.
Bad luck, Cray – a first-ever home defeat in the FA Trophy and one that was barely deserved on the run of play. However, the visitors can’t be blamed for taking the chances that were offered to them by some slack Cray defending.
Cray Wanderers: Skillman, Day, Luckett, Chapman, Willy, Royston, Fenwick, Kempster, Curnow (Sterling, 77). Power, Amena (L Wood 74). Subs not used: Matthews, Hall, Baker.
Supporters’ MOM: Michael Power
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