Cray Valley (PM) 1-1 Lancing - To score in The FA Cup is magic, says history maker Lewis Wood

CRAY VALLEY (PAPER MILLS)  1-1  LANCING
The FA Cup with Budweiser Extra Preliminary Round
Saturday 17^th August 2013
Stephen McCartney reports from Middle Park Avenue

LEWIS WOOD says he feels proud after going down in Cray Valley folklore by scoring their first ever goal in The FA Cup.

Wood, 31, a diminutive striker who won the Kent League double with promoted champions Erith & Belvedere last season, gave the Eltham-based side the lead with 40:51 on the clock in this Extra Preliminary Round tie, but the Southern Counties East Football League side were profligate in front of goal and let their Sussex opponents back into the game.

Lancing earned a Tuesday night replay when central defender Conor Sidwell headed home an equaliser with eighteen minutes remaining, much to the frustration of Cray Valley manager Steve Chapman who felt his side should have won the game.

“I’m a bit disappointed,” said Chapman, 50, after the game.

“I thought we should’ve won the game and put it to bed in the first half. We missed too many chances and then we could’ve gone 2-0 up early in the second half and Lewis Wood’s missed one from under the bar and to be fair they came back and played very well in the second half.

“I don’t think it’s a fair result. I thought we should’ve won the game. They hit the bar with speculative shots a few times but I still think we had the better of the chances and looked the better team.”

Chapman revealed his side must work on their finishing.

He said: “That’s maybe one of the areas where we do need to improve because we are creating chances and creating a lot of chances. We’ve got a lot of offensive minded players in the squad but we’re just not hitting the target as much as we should be.”

Cray Valley, who went into the game sitting in third-place in the table after winning 3-0 away to Holmesdale and being held to a 1-1 home draw by Tunbridge Wells in midweek despite having two men sent-off, should have had the game.

They created their first opening with only 53 seconds on the clock when Lewis Wood cut the ball back to Laurent Hamici, who stroked a right-footed angled drive from 25-yards, which bounced into James Shaw gloves.

Shaw saved low to his left to deny Hamici, who cut inside right-back George Fenton before his right-footed drive took a deflection off Sidwell.

Chapman hopes the former Cray Wanderers striker starts banging in the goals in Tuesday night’s replay.

“Laurent just needs to find his scoring boots at the moment,” he said.

“I think he’s a bit nervous and a bit low on confidence in not scoring and he is a goalscorer and I’m sure when the first one goes in many more will follow.”

There was to be a six minute delay when Shaw was helped off the pitch after dislocating his shoulder after going down low to his left to try to prevent Hamici scoring from a tight angle.

Substitute goalkeeper Dan Neale was introduced to the game in the fifteenth-minute.

Lancing forced a free-kick down the right hand side and Ollie Hartley swung in the ball, which wasn’t dealt with by Cray Valley keeper Bobby Strugeon and the ball dropped to Sidwell, who stabbed his shot across the keeper and the ball was blocked by his team-mate Ollie Davis on the deck.

Halfway through the first half, Millers’ central midfielder Paul Springett played the ball forward to Jamie Wood, whose speculative 30-yard drive sailed high over the bar.

The Millers’ struck the woodwork in the 28^th minute when left-back Adam Gross drilled in a left-footed corner from the right, which bounced off the near post and he was penalised by referee Dane Johnston – who was making his FA Cup debut too – for touching the ball illegally as he whipped in the rebound.

However, Lancing created their best chance in the 32^nd minute when slick one-touch passing in midfield from Conor Wilkins, Dominic Shephard and Johnathon Melia saw the ball played up field to Hartley, who brought the ball under control before stroking his left-footed drive across Sturgeon and just past the foot of the far post from 22-yards.

Millers’ debutant Harry Morgan, who slotted in at right-back after Allan Matthews was forced to miss the game through family commitments, hurled a long throw into the penalty area, which was flicked on by Joe Matthews but Lewis Wood steered his effort wide of the near post from close range.

But Cray Valley opened the scoring, following their third corner off the game.

Adam Marsh signalled his intentions to his team-mates before he swung in the corner from the left which sailed out of the penalty area.  Matthews picked up the loose ball and played the ball inside to Lewis Wood, who cracked a right-footed deflected drive from 25-yards, which sailed into the far corner of the Lancing net leaving Neale rooted to the spot.

Chapman said: “It was a good corner. It looked like it was going to die and Joe Matthews did well to pick it up on the edge of the box and good awareness that Lewis Wood was there and a nice little weighted ball and a great deflected shot. I’d take that any day!”

When asked what he told his troops during the interval, Chapman said he was pleased with his side’s first half performance.

He said: “That’s why I’m a bit disappointed because we dominated the play and only to come away at half-time 1-0.

“I didn’t say too much really, just carry on playing the way that we’ve been playing.

“I spoke to Laurent because he looked like he was a little bit edgy at times. He wanted to impress basically.

“We were playing very well, playing good football and we just needed to take a few chances.”

Cray Valley started the second half as they did the first and could have doubled their lead.

Morgan looped a long throw towards the near post and central defender Matthews made space for himself before glancing his free header past the far post.

But the turning point came within the opening four minutes when Lewis Wood missed a sitter.

Strugeon’s clearance straight down the middle of the pitch was flicked on by Hamici, which released Marsh through on goal. The former Corinthian winger decided to cut the ball across to the unmarked striker, who looped his right-footed shot over the bar.

“Lew knows, he’s put his hands up, he should’ve scored,” admitted Chapman.

“He’s a proven goalscorer, just so very disappointing but at the end of the day he’s a good goalscorer and he’ll bounce back on Tuesday.”

Lancing, who went into the game in third-place in the Sussex County League top flight with four points from two games, sensed that they could claw themselves back into the game.

Wilkins cracked a right-footed drive free-kick towards goal from 35-yards, which Sturgeon caught to the left of his body, before Lancing hit the woodwork just 59 seconds later.

Hartley swung in a corner, which was punched away by Sturgeon and the ball dropped on to the unmarked Wilkins, who hooked a right-footed volley onto the top of the crossbar from 30-yards.

Lancing skipper Ollie Davis then crashed a right-footed half-volley screaming narrowly wide of the near post from 25-yards, in what was a good spell from Lancing.

However, the introduction of substitute Alex Howell gave the visitors’ much more purpose going forward and his strength gave Cray Valley problems.

The Millers’ goalscorer, Lewis Wood, expects to see more of Howell on Tuesday night.

He said: “Good player!  He surprised me when he came on how good he was pinning the centre halves and spinning. He had a good pace about him, good strength. Obviously he’s going to start Tuesday? They’ll be silly not to start him! I don’t know the reason why they didn’t start him today, but we’ve got to watch him Tuesday because he was their main man.”

Lancing linked up well when Davis threaded the ball to winger Owen Callaghan, who played the ball inside to Howell, whose right-footed swept shot was blocked by Sturgeon’s legs, the keeper advancing off his line to make a smart block.

Chapman was pleased with his stand-in keeper, who was drafted in because of Matt Bailey being away.

He said: “Our regular goalkeeper Matt Bailey is on holiday.  Bobby Sturgeon has stepped forward and this is his only third game today. He done exceptionally well and he’s pulled off some really good saves towards the end of the second half.”

Chapman admitted he wasn’t pleased in the manner that Lancing deservedly equalised with eighteen minutes left.

Wilkins whipped in a quality free-kick with his right-foot which sailed over the Cray Valley defence and into the corridor of uncertainty.

The Cray Valley defence left Sidwell completely unmarked at the far post to plant his downward header to the right of the stranded goalkeeper to score from eight-yards.

“We pride ourselves on defending and being touch tight in the box,” said Chapman.

“It was not just a player that didn’t pick up it was our organisation. We should’ve been organised and it was a really soft goal to give away from our point of view.”

Cray Valley continued to be wasteful in front of goal and squandered a number of chances to prevent a replay.

Substitute Tunde Aderonmu worked hard inside the penalty area to win the ball back before he centred towards the near post where a marked Lewis Wood flicked the ball back across goal for his older brother Jamie to blast over with his right-foot from six-yards.

Lewis Wood then freed Hamici down the right-hand side and he cut the ball along the face of goal and Jamie Wood’s left-footed shot on the turn was tipped over by Neale, high above his head, from eight-yards.

Lancing almost grabbed the victory when Wilkins looped a speculative right-footed free-kick onto the crossbar from 40-yards, with the Cray Valley keeper rooted to the spot.

But Sturgeon made amends for that blip in concentration when he kept his club in The FA Cup when he got down low to block Howell’s shot and did well to recover to gather the loose ball, after the Lancing substitute was played in through on goal in the final nine minutes.

Chapman added: “Although we’re disappointed that we didn’t go through, we could’ve been out if he put that chance away. It was a very brave save from Bobby.”

Lancing received a slice of luck when a back-pass from central defender Dave Sharman rolled past Neale and bounced off the foot of the near post as the keeper tried to get back to push the ball away at the last second.

Cray Valley called Neale into making his second save when Morgan’s free-kick was flicked on by Steve Springett and Hamici stroked his right-footed shot across the keeper, who got down low to make the save.

Chapman said: “We had the chances late on. We knew it was a chance to win it today, so I didn’t go out for a draw at the end. I made the substitutions so we could win it today.

“We did have the chances, a bit disappointing especially when they hit their own post - that summed up our luck today I think!”

Chapman is looking forward to finishing off the job on Tuesday night.

He said: “At the moment I’m checking the players and only one player is unavailable (through work commitments) so all the other players seem to be available, which is good. With my big squad we’ll have strength-in-depth so we’ll have a few fresh legs on Tuesday night.”

Chapman admitted he was disappointed that only 101 people braved the blustery showers to watch their FA Cup debut today.

“I’d like to have thought it would’ve been a little bit more to be honest. The weather wasn’t very kind again to us, but I was hoping for a few more than 101, he said.

Lewis Wood, meanwhile, said afterwards that his famous goal was special to him.

“To be fair, it’s a dream to me to go down in a bit of history,” he said.

“I suppose my name will be about the club when I’m long gone.  It’s a new club for me anyway, a new season down here. It’s good. I’m proud of it.

“I’m gutted that we didn’t win the game. If I score my chance early in the second half, we go on and win four or five nil!

“Now we’ve got a long trip Tuesday night down there, which I think we’re more than comfortable getting a win.  We’re in the draw anyhow, which is a good thing.”

The winners will be at home to Ryman League Division One South new boys Redhill in two weeks’ time and the winners of that tie will travel to Ryman Premier League side Thamesmead Town in the First Qualifying Round.

The winners on Tuesday night will bank £1,500 in prize money and that is something that Wood is aware off.

He said: “We want to get through a couple of rounds to get a bit of money back for the club and see how it goes really.”

When asked what The FA Cup meant to him, the Millwall supporter replied: “It’s the biggest Cup in England!  If you can get to the first round you might get your name on the TV box. We know we’re not going to do much in the FA Cup. We’re only a little non-league side. If you can go as far as you can, bring the money back into the club, it’s good. 

“To score in the FA Cup is magic really.”

Cray Valley (Paper Mills): Bobby Sturgeon, Harry Morgan, Adam Gross, Joe Matthews, Steve Springett, Paul Springett, Adam Marsh (Tunde Aderonmu 71), Jamie Wood, Laurent Hamici, Lewis Wood (Stephen Ita 81), Michael McKenna (Dan Gunner 69).
Subs: Kiran Dingri, Adrian Deane

Goal: Lewis Wood 41

Booked: Adam Marsh 39

Lancing: James Shaw (Dan Neale 15), George Fenton, Bradley Bent, Ollie Davis, Dave Sharman, Conor Sidwell, Ollie Hartley (Alex Howell 65), Conor Wilkins, Dominic Shephard, Johnathon Melia, Owen Callaghan.
Subs: Owen Hill, Jack Phillips, Declan Lunn, Shaun Skipper, Ashley Bailey

Goal: Conor Sidwell 72

Attendance: 101
Referee: Mr Dane Johnston (Coulsdon, Surrey)
Assistants: Mr Barrie Gale (Sutton, Surrey) & Mr Roger Wells (Coulsdon, Surrey)