Cray Wanderers 3-1 Aveley - There's a good feeling around the club, says Cray Wanderers boss Tony Russell

Cray Wanderers 3 – 1 Aveley
Location	Hayes Lane, Bromley, Kent BR2 9EF
Kickoff	08/09/2015 19:45

CRAY WANDERERS  3-1  AVELEY
Ryman League Division One North
Tuesday 8th September 2015
Stephen McCartney reports from Hayes Lane

CRAY WANDERERS manager Tony Russell says he is carrying the baton to continue the good vibe at the club after Tommy Warrilow’s successful climax to last season.

 

The Wands climbed up a place in to fifth-place in the Ryman League Division One North table with 16 points from 7 games after comfortably seeing off seventh-placed Aveley at Hayes Lane.

Captain Lea Dawson’s early header gave Russell’s side an early lead, before Karl Dent drilled home a second as Cray Wanderers raced into a 2-0 lead inside 26 minutes.

Aveley pulled a goal back with five minutes remaining through a header from central defender Steve Willis, before Andre McCollin rolled in his seventh-goal of the season to give the game a truer reflection on Cray Wanderers’ eye-catching attacking play.

“A strange game, a very strange game against dangerous opponents,” said Russell, 36.

“I was speaking to Justin (Gardner) before the game and it’s one of the better Aveley teams that I’ve played against in the last three years.  I watched them on Friday against Hornchurch and they were unlucky to lose that. They missed a lot of chances so I knew that they would be difficult.

“The bottom line is there’s a lot in-between but I’m delighted to get three points.

“If we took half our chances we could’ve scored 20 tonight. All my mates who I speak to and people in football they always say ‘how you getting on?’ and I say we’ve missed so many chances and they must think I’m lying, but at least you were here today and you can confirm it!”

Aveley, who were playing what can be best described as a rotating diamond formation, created the first chance of the game after only 164 seconds.

Joe Pearman swung in a free-kick from just outside the left-hand corner of the penalty area towards the far post, which was met by Willis’ glancing header, which sailed around the far post.

Russell said: “It was strange because the warm-up was a bit flat as well. You know as a manger when the warm-up’s flat you generally know how you’re going to start.

“I was trying to get them up in the dressing room but we came out a little bit flat. Even when we were moving the ball, it was a little bit too slow.  Once we got into our stride, it could’ve been anything.”

Dean Carpenter, who was deployed as an emergency left-back for Cray Wanderers, hit a long ball over the top of the Aveley defence and Leigh Bremner chased the ball, cut inside, turned and curled his rising shot harmlessly around the top of the far post.

But Cray Wanderers got the ball rolling by taking the lead with 10 minutes and 53 seconds on the clock.

Dent was going to take a left-wing corner, but Grant Basey, who was deployed beside Nick Reeves at the heart of Cray Wanderers’ defence, swung in a quality corner and Dawson guided his header past James Marrable’s right shoulder to score from two-yards.

Russell said: “Basey’s playing centre half at the moment, he’s usually left-back for us but Ben Payne’s suspended for the last three games, it’s his last game thankfully.

“Daws is Daws. He’s our captain; he’s brilliant with what he does.  It’s a great header. I think it’s the first time we’ve scored from a corner or a set-piece all season. I’ve been moaning about that as well.”

Aveley’s left wing-back Abs Seymour whipped in a cross into the home side’s penalty area, but four driven shots were blocked in an almighty scramble on the edge of the Wands’ six-yard box, including a goal-line headed clearance from Dawson.

Despite that let-off, Cray Wanderers went on to create – and miss –a number of decent chances.

Dent played a sublime diagonal to put McCollin through on goal but Spencer Harrison made a delightful penalty box tackle to poke the ball behind for a corner as the former Aldershot Town hit-man was just about to pull the trigger.

Dent then played a dinked pass to release Leigh Bremner through on goal but Marrable came off his line to block the striker’s chip before gobbling up the spinning ball before it bounced over the line.

Cray Wanderers’ midfielder Sean Roberts went on a 30-yard run with the ball before feeding Dent inside the penalty area, who cut the ball back to McCollin and his driven shot was cleared away by Harrison.

Russell was delighted when his side doubled their lead with 26 minutes on the clock.

The Wands played the ball around the back before right-back Adetayo Osifuwa hit a long ball to release McCollin charging down the right.  His ball in was cleared out to Dent, who unleashed a first-time right-footed angled drive from 15-yards, which flashed across the keeper and nestled into the bottom far corner of the net.

Russell said: “The second goal, I enjoyed because it came from the back and that’s our way of doing it. We open them up literally, they didn’t touch the ball and I think 12 passes later the balls in the back of the net!

“He’s just starting to score now, Denty. We’ve set him a target of 20 from midfield. I think he can do that! He got 19 last time we played at this level for VCD. I think he’s a better player now he had a year in the Prem.  I think that’s his third one of the season, so 17 to go.”

Aveley went agonisingly close to pulling a goal back in the 34^th minute.

Pearman played a short free-kick into Seymour, who strode forward before curling his left-footed curler sailing agonisingly past the post from 30-yards.

Carpenter hit another long ball out of defence to send Bremner working the channels, who cut the ball back to McCollin, who took a touch before speeding past Aveley right-wing-back Paul Preston to sprint into the penalty area.  He centred low towards the near post for Bremner to poke his shot just past the foot of the near post from six-yards.

Former Cray Wanderers defender Junior Baker picked the ball up on the half-way line and produced a mazy run towards the edge of the penalty area before he played the ball inside to Liam Nash, who sliced his left-footed shot past the left-hand post from 20-yards.

But Marrable kept Aveley in the game when he dived swiftly low to his right to push Malik Ouani’s left-footed angled drive from 30-yards around his near post as the winger’s pacy 30-yard run down the left created the chance.

Russell was disappointed that Bremner failed to convert the last chance of the first half.

McCollin floated in a cross from the left into the Aveley penalty area where an unmarked Bremner swept his volley across goal and past the far post from 12-yards.

“He wasn’t there Saturday, he went to a wedding.  It’s the story of our season again,” complained Russell.

“The only time we’ve had a full side to pick from was Sudbury away and even Saturday there is going to be no Duckers (James Duckworth, who split open his leg during Saturday’s 2-0 win at Soham Town Rangers) and Tuesday against Phoenix there will be no Dawson because he’s going away and next Saturday Bluey’s away.  It’s frustrating the life out of me if I’m honest!

“He came in today, I would’ve liked to have sat him on the bench because I wanted to teach him a lesson.”

When asked his thoughts at the break, Russell replied: “Even at 2-0, they were sitting back, they didn’t want to come and press us. It was like they didn’t want to get smashed!

“It was hard. What do you do? Do you shut up shop after 30 minutes and just pass the ball round the back for the rest of the game or just keep going?  I was torn between the two if I’m honest whether to rein them in or tell them to keep pushing on and we went for the latter.”

Cray Wanderers were to be denied a third goal with only 92 seconds into the second half, following a decent low save from Marrable.

Dent and McCollin linked up and played the ball into Ouani, who cracked a left-footed drive towards the bottom left-hand corner from 22-yards, the keeper diving low to his right to parry before grabbing hold of the loose ball.

Russell said: “I thought he was probably their best player on the pitch.  I thought he made a couple saves in the second half and in the first half when we flowed we were carving them open and it looked like it would be how many at one stage? For 70 minutes it was going to be how many are we going to get?

“Malik’s been nice and patient. He’s been on the bench and got his chance, started his first game on Saturday because Brems was away and he scored the first goal and I think he done well today. 

“He tired at the end because he hasn’t had enough minutes but he’s a good young player and someone with a lovely left foot, which is quite rare. He’s still learning, we’re still working with him. There’s still stuff that he still don’t do but there’s plenty to work with.

“I think if we had got three early, we would’ve gone and got five or six.  They would’ve thrown the towel in and we would’ve come at them even more.”

Roberts, Dent and Ouani linked up well down the left and Dent whipped in a cross but McCollin directed his looping header over at the near post.

Roberts then picked the ball up in midfield and swept the ball out wide to Dent down the left. He fed Ouani on an overlapping run, the winger whipped in a cross and Bremner planted his near post header over the bar from eight-yards.

Russell said: “He missed two contenders for miss of the season, both of them, a  volley from four yards out and then the header.  I went a bit mad pretty too much and I apologised to him after but that’s his bread and butter the heading one.  It was a beautiful cross and it’s right on his head and he has to score!”

Another chance went begging for Cray Wanderers as the game approached the hour-mark.

Reeves played the ball up to Ouani, who found Dent, who fed McCollin, who dragged his left-footed drive well wide of the right-hand post from 20-yards.

Basey swung in a quality free-kick with his left-foot from the right channel towards the far post but an unmarked Reeves looped his header over from six-yards.

Aveley offered very little in the final third but Seymour played a reverse pass into substitute winger Marcus Elliott, who powered his drive past the near post and into the seating behind the goal.

Russell added: “They huffed and puffed, they didn’t really have much. They didn’t open us up. They were just pumping balls into our box.

“We got into that mode where the worst thing was you attack, we attack and let the game get stretched and we didn’t need to do that at 2-0 up!

“Sometimes when you’re 2-0 up, you’re cruising and you get dragged into let’s all charge forward and let’s all charge back because it suited them all of a sudden it brought them into the game. The only time they looked dangerous was when we were bombing forward.”

A fine through ball by McCollin put Bremner through on goal but he didn’t hit the ball cleanly with his right-foot and Marrable made a comfortable save in the end.

Aveley created their best chance with little more than 15 minutes remaining when Elliott played the ball inside to otherwise quiet Petrit Elbi, who was given time and space to drill a right-footed drive towards goal from 25-yards, forcing Nick Blue to dive to his right to parry the ball towards safety.

Russell said: “If that goes in you’re disappointed! I think Bluey would be as well. It was a decent save. I’ll be disappointed if that had gone in!”

This gave The Millers confidence going forward and Preston penetrated the right channel before whipping in a superb cross which flashed across the face of goal and Seymour’s driven shot was blocked by the outstanding Reeves.

But Willis’ first goal of the campaign made the final exchanges interesting, as Aveley pulled a goal back with 39:29 on the clock.

Cray Wanderers failed to clear their lines following a corner from Peagram and the ball came out to Deen on the right-hand corner of the box.  He floated in his cross for Willis to glance his header over Blue’s right-shoulder into the back of the net from eight-yards out to give Aveley hope.

“It’s a long throw, it’s gone out for a corner and we’re still set up for a corner! I’m screaming get up and the throw-on’s gone back and they’re still not moving.  They’re camped in our box. Everyone knows in football if the ball goes backwards you press with the ball and the moment he’s set that’s when you set as a defender but we stayed in. The ball’s comes out and it’s a mass scramble and the geezer’s flicked the ball in.

“I thought Aveley are a good side, that was the one way they were going to score today. They weren’t ever going to carve us open. It was naivety, but a good learning curve.”

But before Cray Wanderers could throw it away, they finished the game on the front foot.

Substitute Dane Moore sprinted down the right with the ball before cutting the ball back for McCollin to drill his right-footed shot over the bar from 20-yards.

Roberts then played the ball into Ouani, who was given time and space to drill a left-footed drive from 30-yards, which forced Marrable to dive high to push the ball over the bar with his outstretched right-hand.

Russell said: “No I wasn’t worried. I was angry and I was frustrated because we should’ve been out of sight!

“Sudbury, we scored six and we could’ve scored 16 – it was just crazy!

“We should put teams to bed. People will look at this result and think it was quite a close game. If we took half of our chances we could’ve scored 10 and that’s no exception.”  

But Cray Wanderers wrapped up a deserved victory – although it should have been by more – with 44:53 on the clock.

A short corner by Moore was played to fellow substitute Helge Orome, who teed-up McCollin, who thumped a left-footed drive crashing against the crossbar from 30-yards.

However, the move didn’t die and Roberts picked up the loose ball down the right and cut down the right before centering low for McCollin to roll his shot into the bottom right-hand corner from six-yards.

Russell said: “He’s good, Andre he’s good. It’s the first time I’ve not played with a big man and you have the two off him so it’s somebody different for me. He could’ve scored more than 7 this year but he’s a good player, he’s a very good player, an intelligent player.

“I think it’s all about learning curves, especially with myself and Razor (Ray Powell, assistant manager).  The one thing we said when we played in the Ryman Premier last year at VCD, we dominated a lot of games and found ourselves bottom of the league and we couldn’t work it out.

“We swore to ourselves we want to go into a league without a goalscorer in our ranks and that’s the first thing I done. We went and got him straight away. We signed him a week after the season finished. He was one we wanted. We want a goalscorer. I believe he will score 30 goals if he stays fit and you put a team around him to give him chances he will score.”

Orome, who was keen to impress during his late cameo role, went close to increasing Cray Wanderers’ lead, drilling his right-footed angled drive towards the bottom corner, which was tipped around the post by Marrable, diving low to his left at the foot of his near post.

Blue made a save low to his right at the death to prevent Peagram steering his shot into the goal. It was a good night’s work from Russell’s men.

Russell admitted he is not looking at league tables tonight.

“I have no idea. I don’t look at the league table. It’s not something I’m worried about if I’m honest. I’m more delighted in six games unbeaten, won five out of six, that’s what I’m worried about. Consistency, performance, where we’re at.”

Warrilow guided Cray Wanderers to a club record ten wins on the spin at the end of last season’s exciting end to the campaign.

“It’s also important to continue the good work that Tommy and OB (Alex O’Brien) done. They’ve done some amazing work here, really turned the club around and also give the club a lift.

“Me and razor has just carried on the baton. There’s a good feeling around the club. The chairman (Gary Hillman) sent me a really nice text on Sunday and just said a couple of fans and committee have spoken to him and said ‘look how good the vibe is and just keep going so everyone seems to be encouraging us what we’re doing, I think they quite like the football we’re playing so long may it continue.”

Cray Wanderers: Nick Blue, Adetayo Osifuwa, Grant Basey, Nick Reeves, Dean Carpenter, Lea Dawson, Sean Roberts, Karl Dent (Dane Moore 76), Leigh Bremner (Helge Orome 81), Andre McCollin, Malik Ouani (Jack Lodge 90).
Subs: Reece Deakin, Ray Powell

Goals: Lea Dawson 11, Karl Dent 26, Andre McCollin 90

Aveley: James Marrable, Paul Preston, Ahmed Deen, Junior Baker, Spencer Harrison, Steve Willis, Liam Nash (Marcus Elliott 54), Billy Holland (Adrian Retkoceri 67), Petrit Elbi, Joe Pearman (James Peagram 54), Abs Seymour.
Sub: Luke Stanley, Perry Dunny

Goal: Steve Willis 85

Attendance: 140
Referee: Mr Stuart Butler (Maidstone)
Assistants: Mr Ronald Albert (Catford, London SE6) & Mr Manny Nketiah (Thamesmead, London SE28)