Cray Wanderers 1-2 Woking - Jenkins pleased with pre-season preparation

Wednesday 15th July 2009

CRAY WANDERERS 1-2 WOKING

Pre-Season Friendly

Wednesday 15th July 2009

Stephen McCartney reports from Hayes Lane

CRAY WANDERERS boss Ian Jenkins says he expects Simon Osborn to return in pristine condition ahead of the club’s Ryman Premier League campaign.

The 37-year-old midfielder goes on holiday on Friday and Jenkins, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk after his side’s third warm-up game tonight, wants the former Crystal Palace star to return in good condition.

“He was here tonight, I don’t know if you saw him, he goes away on Friday and when he comes back he will let me know what he’s going to do, he‘s interested.” explained Jenkins.

“He’s the sort of bloke who knows his body and he doesn’t need to do a pre-season.

“He’ll get himself fit if he wants to come and play. Hopefully we’ll get him back.”

And it was Osborn’s stunning free-kick winner against the Metropolitan Police that gives Jenkins’ men the chance to play the likes of Aveley and Tonbridge Angels during the first week of their first ever Ryman Premier League campaign, which kick’s off on 15th August.

“It just shows you what sort of league it is,” said Jenkins. “You’re playing against a team that got promoted last year, which is going to be really tough and then you get Tonbridge on a Tuesday.

“I’ve looked at (our fixtures) and it’s surprising how they’ve paired us with Dartford, that’s great how they’ve done that Bank Holiday.”

He added: “We should get some decent crowds down here (this) year.”

Jenkins’ men played their third pre-season friendly at Hayes Lane tonight. They began with a 3-1 win over Beckenham Town and drew 2-2 at Erith & Belvedere at Park View Road last night.

He was without goalkeeper Glen Knight (work-related injury), midfielder Jamie Kempster (knee) and striker Leigh Bremner (ankle) for tonight’s warm-up.

And defensive trio Aaron Day, Mark Willy and Steve Aris were still abroad enjoying their summer holidays.

Woking arrived at Hayes Lane with a side full of trialists, who enjoy full-time training at the Blue Square South club.

But it was the home part-timers that broke the deadlock, with just seven minutes on the clock, through a well-worked set-piece.

Jamie Wood’s out-swinging corner from the right was met by a powerful header from trialist Steve King, and the central defender floated the ball over the goalkeeper and into the far corner.

Woking responded and attacked the Wands down the flanks, with left-winger Craig Barrett impressive, although the Surrey side failed to test home goalkeeper Pat Brennan.

And King went close to doubling the Kent side’s lead after 28 minutes, following yet another Jamie Wood corner, but this time his bullet header was tipped onto the crossbar by the alert Adrian Thorpe.

Despite creating many openings, Woking’s finishing was woeful, that was until they equalised after 43 minutes - their first shot on target.

Winger Hassain Sulomain must take credit as he unselfishly decided to play the ball across Brennan towards the far post and Jake Reid side-footed the ball into the empty net from just two yards out.

Sadly, the second half wasn’t as attack minded as the first, although Cray Wanderers striker, Michael Power had a couple of chances, the second, an angled drive that was beaten away by the Woking goalkeeper.

Woking will need to get back onto the training ground, as they failed to test Brennan with three free-kicks just outside the penalty area as the half wore on.

Dean Standen, who switched from a holding midfield position to play in the heart of Cray’s defence during the second half, blotted his copybook in the 80th minute, when referee Mr Tony Mason asked Jenkins to substitute him, instead of issuing the player with a red card, for swearing.

And Jenkins said: “The referee pulled me before the game and said no-one gets out of hand (and that he was) going to ask for a sub.

“That’s exactly what he (Mason) did. I think he (Standen) swore at him and the ref done the right thing by getting the next sub on.”

But Cray Wanderers’ tasted their first defeat of the season when Woking substitute James Davis latched onto a defensive splitting pass and after rounding the advancing Brennan, rolled the ball into an empty net.

Having used 20 players at Park View Road last night, Jenkins said he is happy with his side’s pre-season programme.

“We played last night as well, so we’ve had a lot of players that have had over ninety minutes over the two games,” he said.

“I’ve got everything out the game I wanted, apart from the result obviously, but that doesn’t really matter.

“It was better than it was last night. I made wholesale changes last night, nine changes at half-time and it does die then, but tonight I thought we continued (playing) second half with four or five changes.

“I thought we done alright, the players that came on done well and done themselves no harm.

“We’re looking good this time of the season.”

Jenkins felt playing against an athletic young full-time side is a good way to prepare for the season ahead.

He said: “Jimmy (Dack, Woking’s assistant manager) told us they will bring a trialists’ team here and they were good enough, they gave us a game didn’t they? They beat us!

“I don’t really mind who we play, they’re fit and athletic. We’re going to get a lot more out of it than playing against a Kent League side who haven’t done any training.

“We worked hard and got a lot out of the game fitness wise. There’s a lot of players that have shone big time tonight.”

The Wands continue their pre-season campaign with a game against Kent League side Holmesdale on Saturday, before returning to Hayes Lane to lock horns with landlords Bromley, in an away game, next Tuesday.

“I’m looking forward to Holmesdale,” said Jenkins. “It will be nice to play on a dodgy old pitch over in Beckenham, so hopefully we can carry on passing the way we have done here tonight and last night and get a few goals, which will be great.”

He added: “It’s about time we played Bromley again in a friendly. We haven’t played them for a couple of years . We are down here as tenants and it will be nice to play them every year.”

Cray Wanderers: Pat Brennan, Andrew Callaghan (Callum O‘Shea 60), Colin Luckett (Tyrone Sterling 46), Rob Quinn, Tommy Osborne (Scott Kinch 46), Steve King (Stanley Muguo 46), Ross Lover, Dean Standen (Francis Gabedan 80), Michael Power, Tommy Tyne (Richmond Kissi 83), Jamie Wood (Lewis Wood 46).

Goal: Steve King 7

Woking: Adrian Thorpe (Matt Pederler 60), Akki Assane, Anson Cousins (James Davis 46), Tom Nutter (Billy Hussey 46), Liam Parrington, Craig Reed, Hassain Sulomain (Ben Rayner 46), Jack McLeod (Justin Clayton 46), Jake Reid (Lee Hall 46), Danny Purnell (Tasi Mini 46), Craig Barrett.

Goals: Jake Reid 43, James Davis 89

Attendance:
Referee: Mr Tony Mason (Sidcup)
Assistants: Mr Roger Wells (Coulsdon, Surrey) & Mr Ron Albert (Catford)