Cray Wanderers 0-1 Welling United - I'm pleased to get through to the next round, says Jamie Day

Sunday 11th November 2012

CRAY WANDERERS 0-1 WELLING UNITED
The FA Carlsberg Trophy Third Qualifying Round
Sunday 11^th November 2012
Stephen McCartney reports from Hayes Lane

WELLING UNITED player-manager Jamie Day says he was pleased to get past Ryman Premier League side Cray Wanderers at the first attempt to book their place in tomorrow’s FA Carlsberg Trophy First Round draw.

The Blue Square Bet (Conference) South visitors’ found Ian Jenkins’ side in resilient mood until the final nineteen minutes when former Millwall and Sutton United right-back Connor McLaren, 19, scored his first goal for the Wings in only his second game for the club to seal Welling United’s progress.

“I felt we were comfortable in the game,” said central midfielder Jamie Day after the game, which saw his club pocket £4,000 in FA prize money.

“I thought Cray played some nice football without causing too many problems. I think Motty had one save in 90 minutes but I’m pleased to get through and get into the next round.”

Cray Wanderers’ assistant manager, Joe Francis, who played for Welling United for three seasons during his playing career, felt his side had done enough to earn a second chance.

“We’re absolutely gutted,” he said. “I thought we did enough to get something out of the game.

“It was a very tough game. Not a lot in it. We’ve just come off with the wrong side of the result.”

Welling United were without former Wands central midfielder Scott Kinch and eight-goal striker Ross Lafayette through suspension and central midfielder Lee Clarke was ruled out with a foot injury.

After scoring a couple of goals during their 5-2 away defeat to Ryman League Division One North side Thamesmead Town in the London Senior Cup in midweek, Jon Main, 31, was given an hour against one of his former clubs but his only contribution was to force Cray Wanderers skipper Mark Willy off the pitch with a nasty gash to his right knee following a challenge at the end of the first half.

Cray Wanderers were without central defender Joe Vines, who sprained his ankle during their 3-0 home defeat to Wealdstone eight days’ ago.

This was a game off very few clear cut chances, but Cray Wanderers created an opening inside the opening ten minutes when the hard-working Leigh Bremner jumped on Fraser Franks’ back and the ball fell to Paul Vines down the inside left channel and he played the ball inside to Bremner, whose near post flick rolled into Sam Mott’s gloves.

But three quality dead-ball deliveries from Jamie Day gave the Wings three decent goalscoring opportunities during the first half.

Main won Welling a seventeenth-minute corner, which Day swung in from the left with his right foot and Anthony Acheampong’s bullet header from inside the six-yard box was comfortable for keeper Andy Walker, who palmed the ball up and away.

Another chance from Day’s corner came just 56 seconds later. He swung in another corner towards the near post but Franks glanced his header wide of the near post from close range.

Welling United came agonisingly close to taking a deserved lead in the 23^rd minute after Jack Clark fouled Kurtis Guthrie just outside the corner of the penalty box.

Faced with a three-man wall, Day decided not to try his luck from 20-yards, but clipped his free-kick into the penalty area where Guthrie peeled away from his marker to head against the left-hand post from 12-yards.

Jamie Day was pleased with the nineteen-year-old striker’s performance today.

He said: “I thought Kurtis played well today. He hasn’t played for two or three weeks but his movement was good and his hold up play was good. He created a couple of opportunities and he hit the post in the first half and I thought he had a couple of opportunities in the second half, so I’m pleased with his performance today.

“There’s still more to come from him. I think he can get fitter as well so I’m looking forward to working with him.”

Reflecting on his side’s first half chances, Day said: “We had a couple of good opportunities in the first half Kurtis hit the post and Anthony’s had a good header saved so if they go in it probably kills the game off sooner.

“It was a really good game of football, a bit scrappy at times. Both teams tried to play, I feel. I thought we had enough, done enough to win the game.”

Francis revealed he wanted his players to up their game for the second half.

He said: “We said at half-time we had to be more intense and play a bit quicker and work harder, but I thought we did that second half. We created two really good opportunities. The goalkeeper has pulled off a magnificent save from Chris (Saunders) and Leigh’s hit the post.”

Willy threw his captain’s armband to Aaron Day and looked in pain after Main’s challenge on the half-way line and hobbled off the pitch after the home club’s physio slapped a dark plaster on the defender’s right knee.

Aaron Day slotted in beside Tyrone Sterling at the heart of the Wands defence and substitute Chris Saunders came off the bench at the interval and moved into the middle of the park.

Francis added: “We had to make a big adjustment with our skipper going off. Aaron Day, who can play anywhere, he just went back there and was brilliant! I thought Tyrone was man-of-the-match. I thought he was brilliant, absolutely brilliant!

“Mark had a nasty gash and he’s gone to the hospital to have some stiches so we’ll get on the blower on the way home.”

When asked what the Wings’ boss said to his players’ at the break, Jamie Day said: “I thought the first half was difficult because of the sun. It was difficult to asses the ball and we were playing into the sun. I think it made it a little bit harder and it was just one of them. We needed to keep going and make sure we stayed in the game and kept playing at the right times and hit the right areas when required.

“I felt we done that in the second half and when we got an opportunity we needed to take it – and we did!”

Main was withdrawn after the hour-mark and Day was satisfied with the 31-year-old striker’s performance.

He said: “Jon done ok. He done really well on Tuesday night, which is why he got a start today, I was impressed with his movement (against Thamesmead).

“It was a difficult first half for him. I feel a little bit sorry for him at times because when he’s started we really haven’t played great but he worked hard. He didn’t really get an opportunity today but you know he can score goals so he’ll get another game again.”

The next chance to break the stalemate, however, came Cray Wanderers’ way in the 61^st minute.

Left-back Jack Clark pumped a free-kick into the Welling penalty area and the blue shirted defenders failed to clear the bell away and the ball fell at Saunders’ feet and the former Welling player was denied by a smart save from Mott, who dived low to his right to block the low left-footed drive from inside a crowded penalty box.

Speaking about Saunders’ chance, Francis said: “He did well. He was so unlucky. It didn’t fall for us today. I thought it was a great save, he’s a good keeper.”

Cray midfielder Alex Stavrinou failed to stop Guthrie’s run and the former Bath City striker had time to unleash a low right-footed drive which just flashed past the foot of the left-hand post from 25-yards.

Welling United were denied at the half-way point of the half when Jamie Day floated over a cross from the left towards the far post and Guthrie’s towering bullet header screamed across Walker but the keeper stuck out his right hand to make a fine block.

But a mistake coupled by a quality finish ensured Welling United came through this tie unscathed.

Guthrie’s ball across the face of the Cray penalty area was stabbed away by Aaron Day, who stuck out his leg and the ball was played to Danny Phillips, who inexplicably gifted the ball to Theo Fairweather-Johnson, who released McLaren down the right and he took a touch and drove an excellent low right-footed angled drive across Walker to find the bottom far corner from 25-yards.

Jamie Day said: “Great finish for a defender as well! I thought he played excellent today. He’s done well since he’s come in so it’s nice for him to cap it off with a good goal.”

Francis, who is employed by Charlton Athletic, added: “We’ve made a mistake for their goal, two really. We played a short corner when we’re not ready set, they’ve broke and then we’ve got the ball back at the edge of our box and unfortunately one of our players has misplaced a pass but players’ make mistakes.

“I thought we were two even sides. I thought the finish from Connor was a really good finish. I know Connor from his time at Millwall. I thought he was exceptional today. I thought he had a good game. It’s the one player we didn’t want it to fall to because he hits a true strike. It was a good finish, a good goal!”

Francis, however, refused to blame Phillips (who was forced to wear a clowns outfit afterwards) for the only goal of the game.

He said: “Players’ make mistakes. There’s not a player who’s ever played the game who hasn’t made a mistake. There’s no criticism of Danny for that – it’s just unfortunate.”

However, Cray Wanderers came agonisingly close to forcing a replay within a minute of falling behind, when the hardworking Bremner was denied his ninth-goal of the season.

The striker picked the ball up and cut in and across the penalty area before turning and stroking a left-footed shot from 20-yards, which flew past Mott’s despairing dive and the ball bounced off the right-hand post.

Francis said: “It was a great move as well! I thought Leigh worked. Every game he works so hard. He’s great to have him in your team because you can use him as an example that endeavour and hard work and chasing things down can get you rewards at this level.”

Jamie Day added: “It’s difficult when you score, you probably lack a little bit of concentration for five minutes after that and probably did that and Leigh’s had a good shot against the post. It’s probably only the real opportunity that they’ve had.”

Bremner then clipped a fine diagonal cross to pick out Clark just inside the Welling penalty area but the left-back screwed his left-footed shot wide from sixteen-yards.

Cay Wanderers’ final chance, however, arrived in the final five minutes when the game opened up, but Clark managed to get the ball over the wall, a free-kick from 35-yards, but the ball bounced comfortably into Mott’s gloves.

Jamie Day added: “They were chasing the game so they obviously needed to push a few people forward so it opened it up for us. If our final pass was there today I felt we could’ve got a few more goals, but we’ve done enough to win the game and I’m pleased that we’ve got through.”

Jamie Day was also pleased that his side managed to keep a clean sheet.

He said: “It’s another clean sheet, which is a bonus for us. I’m pleased with today’s performance and we move onto the next round now and see what happens.

“I thought the back four was excellent against Havant and again today. We’re not always going to score loads of goals so we need to make sure we get as many clean sheets as possible and they’ve done that today so I’m pleased with them. They’ve been working hard in training on that and it showed today.

“We’ve got enough players to score goals. The more clean sheets we keep the more games that we’ll possibly win.”

When asked about tomorrow’s First Round Draw, Jamie Day replied, “If we can play to the best of our abilities, it doesn’t matter who we get. We just need to be more consistent. You either go for one of the bigger clubs that attract a decent crowd, or you try to progress and look to get a lower club if you can, but for us it’s a good opportunity to get through a few rounds if you can and that’s what we’re looking to do.

“Obviously the final’s at Wembley and I think everyone wants to play at Wembley in their careers so there’s a little carrot for the players, so we’ll just look forward to who we get on Monday and put in a performance. It doesn’t matter who we get.”

Francis, though, was disappointed with his side’s second Cup exit to Conference South opposition, after losing to Chelmsford City in the FA Cup.

“I don’t think anybody could argue that we probably deserved a draw out of the game,” he said.

“I’m so disappointed because I love The Trophy, it’s such a great competition. I think it gives you the opportunity to play against sides that are above you. It’s always an interesting challenge and an opportunity to get away from here!”

Cray Wanderers: Andy Walker, Billy Burgess, Jack Clark, Aaron Day, Mark Willy (Chris Saunders 46), Tyrone Sterling, Paul Vines, Alex Stavrinou, Leigh Bremner, Danny Phillips (James Fray 77), Michael Power (Laurent Hamici 77).
Subs: Williams Pearoux, Dan Parkinson

Booked: Leigh Bremner 41

Welling United: Sam Mott, Connor McLaren, Jack Obersteller, Jamie Day, Fraser Franks, Anthony Acheampong, Theo Fairweather-Johnson, Jake Gallagher, Kurtis Guthrie, Jon Main (Kiernan Hughes-Mason 60), Joe Healy.
Subs: Loui Fazakerley, Jamie Turner, Ben Martin, Malik Ouani

Goal: Connor McLaren 71

Booked: Kurtis Guthrie 62, Joe Healy 86, Connor McLaren 89, Jamie Day 90

Attendance: 262
Referee: Mr Adam Crysell (Braintree, Essex)
Assistants: Mr Stephen Moore (Brentwood, Essex) & Mr David Tregaskes (Chelmsford, Essex)