Cray Wanderers 2-1 Worthing - It was important to beat the land of the giants, admits Kempster

Lewis Wood’s chest gave them an excellent start, as Cray Wanderers broke the deadlock after just 49 seconds, as the tiny striker scored his fourth goal in only his fourth game, having returned to the club earlier in the month.

But a stunning free-kick from winger Michael Demetriou levelled for Worthing, but Cray deservedly bagged all three points in the last ten minutes, through a thunderous shot from Leigh Bremner - his sixth goal for the Wands since returning from Carshalton Athletic.

Worthing went into this game in second place one point and one place above the Wands and proved that they’re a bunch of bully boys as the west Sussex side finished the game with ten men as full-back Matt Simpson was sent off for two yellow cards.

Considering he was booked in the 86^th minute, Simpson was shown his second yellow card by Shrewsbury referee Andy Davies, who refereed his first game in Kent, inside stoppage time.

The physical Worthing side, who went 21 games unbeaten before losing 1-0 at home to Sittingbourne last weekend, caused two melees at the death, Cray substitute Jamie Wood was flattened by Ross Treleaven as the final whistle blew and as Worthing disappeared down the players tunnel with their heads down, Cray Wanderers players and management were celebrating a vital victory.

Boss Ian Jenkins made just one change that sealed another crucial victory at Ashford Town seven days earlier, with Steve Aris coming in for Dean Morris.

And as the boisterous sizeable Worthing supporters were walking down in front of the main stand at Hayes Lane to take their places behind Glen Knight’s goal at the benches end of the ground, Cray Wanderers took the lead inside the first minute.

Colin Luckett floated a deep free kick from the right where man-of-the-match Mark Willy, with a well timed late run into the Worthing penalty area, headed back across goal for striker Lewis Wood to chest the ball into the roof of the net from three yards.

But Worthing levelled, with a peach of a free-kick from winger Demetriou, with just nine minutes on the clock, an excellent piece of skill that left Knight rooted to the spot.

Cray midfielder Dean Standen was penalised for fouling long-serving Worthing defender Andy Alexander and Demetriou stepped up to crack a left-footed free-kick from 26-yards, which curled around the wall to fly into the top left hand corner.

A giant Worthing side called Knight into action seven minutes later when Cray failed to clear Alexander’s free-kick from half-way and Worthing skipper Ben Andrews’ left-footed drive took a deflection before the former Dover Athletic stopper made a comfortable low save to his right.

But Cray should have took the lead just four minutes later, through experienced skipper Jamie Kempster.

Luckett started the move as his dink forward released Lewis Wood, whose tracks were stopped before the striker cut the ball back to Luckett, who cut the ball onto his right-foot and his near post cross was met by Kempster, who ghosted through the Worthing back-line to flick the ball over goalkeeper Alan Mansfield, but his right-footed effort dropped agonisingly over.

Cray should have scored from their third corner of the game, with 38 minutes on the clock.

Standen swung the ball in from the left and striker Bremner flicked his header over from six-yards out at the near post.

Alexander was booked in the 47^th minute for an off-the-ball incident on Bremner and from the resulting free-kick from Luckett, Lewis Wood lashed his right-footed drive over the near post.

Worthing appeared to get back into the game, but Karl Akehurst’s right-footed 22-yard drive flashed wide, following a move involving Andrews and Paul Kennett.

But their best chance arrived just before the hour-mark when Demetriou’s corner from the right was met by the unmarked Kennett, but he powered his header wide.

Cray Wanderers, meanwhile, were by far the better footballing side and Standen squandered an excellent chance in the 63^rd minute.

Luckett’s corner from the right fell nicely to the former Margate midfielder, but his right-footed effort from fourteen yards sailed over Mansfield’s crossbar, when it seemed easier to test the goalkeeper.

Worthing handed deaf striker Lee Farrell his debut and he failed to impress, but his one and only contribution to the game arrived in the 69^th minute when he stabbed Demetriou’s cross into Jamie Brotherton and his glancing header set up Akehurst, who drilled a right-footed shot from the edge of the box, which brought comfortable low save from Knight.

Route-one football from the home side should have resulted in a goal, but Knight’s kick released the ever-so hard-working Bremner, who slipped the ball to Lewis Wood, but he blazed over with his angled right-foot drive from twelve yards.

And after Akehurst was flattened, Demetriou’s third free-kick of the game, from 25-yards, dipped just over Knight’s crossbar at the car park end.

But as the game appeared to be petering out into an unwanted draw, Bremner proved to be the match-winner for the second successive Saturday.

The striker was released through the heart of the Worthing defence and once inside their penalty area, he lashed an unstoppable drive, which gave Mansfield no chance as the ball rocketed into the top near corner.

Bremner and substitute Scott Kinch could have added to Cray’s goal-tally and Worthing lived up to their reputation when Simpson was sent-off, for lashing out on Lewis Wood by the corner flag, but it was the Kent side that join leaders Kingstonian on 57 points.

Jenkins was obviously happy with his side’s performance as he walked down the players tunnel and speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“We deserved to win to be honest with you,” he said. “We set our stall out, not to let them bombard balls into the box to us, although they did, but we defended it quite well.

“I think Knighty (Glen Knight) was dominant in the air for us in goal, Mark Willy was exceptional again at centre half. We limited them to half chances and we dominated the game and could have gone in three or four more.”

This game definitely lived up to its expectations and the long-serving Jenkins agreed, saying, “You could tell that both teams were up for it, with so much at stake and on the day we performed as we have been in the last four or five (games).

“I was well confident before the game that we were going to get something out of it and three points (are) brilliant.”

Jenkins praised his match winners, Lewis Wood and Bremner.

“Lewis’ goal was outstanding, a chested goal from three or four yards out, from a bloke whose only five foot ten, five foot four.

“For him to be dominating in the box that close to goal without a challenge is fantastic for us.”

Jenkins added, “Leigh’s like that, you don’t know whether he’s going to side-foot one in or smash one in.

“He was one-on-one with the keeper and you’re thinking well five out of ten might go in but it’s a great finish from him.

“He’s deserved it, he’s worked so hard. He’s been a great signing, to get him back. He’s a bit of what we’re all about, work-rate and he’s got a lot of passion there.”

Skipper Kempster, playing on the right of midfield, criticised Worthing for their heavy-handed tactics but the 35-year-old Millwall supporter was pleased his side’s football won the day.

“I think we do try and play a bit of football, and no disrespect to Worthing, but I think we tried to play a bit more football than them today,” Kempster, who won the FA Vase for Deal Town at the old Wembley Stadium in 2000, told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“We went down there earlier in the season and got a bit of a battering and they did bully us and we ended up losing the game (by four goals to one).

“We didn’t want that to happen again today, I mean, we had a great start with the biggest chest in football, old Lewis Wood, but we just matched them.

“They can bully teams because you look at them, they are like the land of the giants, they’re all massive and they can bully teams and we didn’t allow them to do that to us and then we matched them with that and I thought we were the better footballing side anyway.”

And after denting Kent rivals Ashford Town’s promotion hopes last weekend, Kempster admitted it was important to do the same to Worthing.

“We’re well pleased coming off the back of last week’s good result down at Ashford, and then you could come here today and throw it all away really, throw away all the good work that we did last week,” said Kempster.

“The thing is we’re playing teams in and around you now, what you don’t want to do is probably lose the game, but we’re well pleased with the win.”

Cray Wanderers: Glen Knight, Aaron Day, Colin Luckett, Danny Chapman, Mark Willy, Steve Aris, Dean Standen, Jamie Kempster (Scott Kinch 82), Lewis Wood, Leigh Bremner, Tyrone Sterling (Jamie Wood 59).
Subs: Simon Osborn, Tommy Whitnell, Ian Jenkins.

Goals: Lewis Wood 1, Leigh Bremner 80

Booked: Jamie Kempster 73

Worthing: Alan Mansfield, Matt Simpson, Glen Woodburn (Stuart Axten 42), Karl Akehurst, Ben Andrews, Andy Alexander, Jamie Brotherton, Paul Kennett, Ross Treleaven, Lee Farrell (Scott Kirkwood 70), Michael Demetriou.
Subs: Thomas Benn, Chris O’Flaherty, Ollie Barton.

Goal: Michael Demetriou 9

Booked: Andy Alexander 47, Karl Akehurst 72, Matt Simpson 86

Sent off: Matt Simpson 90

Attendance: 198
Referee: Mr Andy Davies (Shrewsbury, Shropshire)
Assistants: Mr David Richardson (Balham, London SW12) & Mr Gareth Mays (Epsom, Surrey)