Cray Wanderers 3-2 Wingate & Finchley - There won't be a better game in Europe tonight - Jenkins

CRAY WANDERERS 3-2  WINGATE & FINCHLEY
Ryman Premier League
Tuesday 13^th September 2011
Stephen McCartney reports from Hayes Lane

CRAY WANDERERS manager Ian Jenkins claimed his side’s high quality, five-goal thriller against Wingate & Finchley was the best game in Europe tonight.

Jenkins’ victorious players sang Oasis’ anthem Champagne Supernova at the top of their voices inside a jubilant home dressing room at Hayes Lane in Bromley after the final whistle, following a champagne performance from two sides that played sublime attacking football, which would have graced the European stage.

“It was a good performance.  We sing it every game we’ve won in the last five.  It’s our song,” said Jenkins, as he emerged from a noisy home dressing room.

He added: “It’s what it’s all about if you’re winning games, you’ve got to enjoy them ain’t you?!

“We’ve got belief, some spirit in the club.  It’s what it’s all about.  That’s only made by performances like that – and wins!”

Both sides went into this Ryman Premier League encounter with four wins and a draw from their first six games, but Cray Wanderers claimed a vital three points to extend their run to five straight wins and unbeaten in their last six.

Wingate & Finchley, who achieved the treble of clinching promotion via the Ryman League Division One North play-off’s and won the Ryman League Cup and London Senior Cup last season, played their part in a cracking game of football.

In Leon Smith, 26, the north Londoners have a striker with electrifying pace and ability and he twice punished Cray Wanderers with two breakaway goals to take his tally to six for the season.  Sources said after the game that Smith is under contract with the Summers Lane club.

Chris Saunders capped his impressive performance with Cray’s thirteenth minute equaliser, five minutes after Smith punished Cray on the counter attack, before Smith produced a similar finish to hand Wingate & Finchley the initiative just two minutes before half-time.

The Wands restored parity of an end-to-end thriller just four minutes into the second half through left-back Alex Bentley and the game was always going to be settled by a fifth-goal, which was supplied by Cray Wanderers striker Tommy Whitnell, who was pulled back by Bobby Aisien inside the box, who was red-carded for a professional foul, before Whitnell stepped up and showed composure to fire the match winning penalty into the bottom corner at the end of an exciting contest.

Jenkins said: “We played well.  They’re a good side.  It could’ve gone either way tonight.  Probably a fair result would’ve been a four-all draw, or five-all draw, but we showed great character to go at the end there and Tommy chasing down a lost cause and he got the penalty and got up and showed the bottle to take it and score.”

Jenkins, who was without leading goalscorer Leigh Bremner (ankle ligaments), lost influential skipper Mark Willy at the break, twisting his ankle following an eleventh minute tussle with David Laird.  The central defender battled on until half-time but he was substituted by Tony Dolby, who partnered Tyrone Sterling at the heart of defence.

Wingate & Finchley caught Cray Wanderers on the counter attack as they grabbed the lead inside the opening eight minutes.

They cut out a slick passing move from the home side inside their half and Laird played the ball over the top of Sterling and Willy to release Smith through on goal, who slotted the ball past Andy Walker with his right-foot.

“We had them watched on Saturday and their main threat was the nine – his pace,” said Jenkins.

“I was disappointed how we defended him first half, he got into us.  Great finish, good player, a really good player.  I wouldn’t mind him in my side.

“Second half we stuck Tyrone on to him and I think Tyrone done a job.  Tyrone should’ve done it first half.  He got himself lost a little bit but second half he stuck to his cause and done a job on him.”

But Cray Wanderers levelled just five minutes later, with one of many slick attacking moves.

Whitnell and Danny Phillips combined down the right and the ball was played to right-back Sam Long, who played the ball inside to Aaron Day, who clipped an intelligent ball into the penalty box for Jamie Humphries to chase a lost cause and he cut the ball back and defender Aisien failed to clear and Saunders pounced on to the loose ball and smashed the ball into the roof of the net with his right-foot with visiting keeper Bobby Smith rooted to the spot.

“Fantastic!  Great goal! Great finish from Chris!  He could’ve had man-of-the-match every match this season, that’s how he’s been playing, that’s no different tonight!” said Jenkins.

“He’s been absolutely outstanding the kid!   He’s a different class player and he’s just stepping up to the mantle.  He’s playing really well.”

Cray then enjoyed a lengthy spell of dominance and keeper Smith was called into action when he made a smart near post block to deny Jack Clark from six-yards after Whitnell was played in behind the defence on the right hand side of the Wingate & Finchley penalty area.

Saunders’ right-footed snap-shot was comfortably saved by visiting goalkeeper Bobby Smith, before Leon Smith’s right-footed chip from 25-yards was never going to trouble Walker in the other goal.

Danny Phillips, playing on the right flank, intercepted the ball for the home side, which resulted in Whitnell teeing up Clark, whose low left-footed drive was turned around the near post by the visiting keeper.

Just past the half-hour mark, another chance fell Cray Wanderers’ way when Saunders cracked a curler which bent just agonisingly over the crossbar after Clark ran into a blue wall on the very edge of the Wingate & Finchley penalty area.

Wingate & Finchley drew a fine save out of Walker in the 35^th minute when Lewis Jones played the ball in from the right and Laird’s left-footed shot on the turn was parried by Walker, who was diving to his left, and the former Maidstone United stopper smothered the ball at the second attempt.

But Wingate & Finchley grabbed a 43^rd minute lead, courtesy of an almost copycat of their first goal.

Cray were caught on the break again and Laird once again released Smith, who ghosted past three Cray defenders before caressing the ball across Walker to find the bottom far corner.

“Another great finish,” said Jenkins.  “He got left on his own, he had a bit to do but we gave the ball away deep in their half and then they broke on us but fair enough we was warned about that.  That’s the disappointing thing.  If you go to watch teams, let’s listen to what we’re saying and let’s nullify that!”

Smith squandered his hat-trick chance inside stoppage time after he was released by Murat Karagul, but his shot rolled past Walker, but also just past the foot of the far post.

Jenkins sent his troops out with the clear instruction to keep Smith quiet and Sterling did a better job in the second half than he did during the first, when he was ran ragged.

When asked what he said to his players during the half-time interval, Jenkins replied, “Watch the nine and carry on playing the way you’ve been playing because we were creating chances and we was looking really good as well but watch their threats because they really were a threat.  They’re a good side and that’s what we done second half.”

A crisp Cray passing move saw them issue an early second half warning when Long played a delightful diagonal pass from right-back to Clark down the left flank and he whipped in a precise low centre but Whitnell shot straight at Bobby Smith.

But Cray Wanderers’ deservedly equalised just 187 seconds into the second half, following some more quality passing which resulted in Phillips playing in Bentley, who cut into the penalty area and sliding a right-footed shot across the visiting keeper, the ball caressing off the foot of the far post before nestling into the back of the net.

Reflecting on the goal, Jenkins said: “Great goal!  Brilliant by Danny Phillips on the edge of the box.  The geeza is s a magician.  He sets them up and Alex comes inside and his hit one with his right foot.  He’s well capable of that.  Great goal!”

Cray Wanderers confirmed that Crystal Palace had sent a scout to watch the game (with Bentley identified by the home club as the player the Eagles’ are interested in).

When asked who he thought the scout had come to watch, Jenkins said: “Everyone!  Them as well because we were two good footballing sides, so why not come and watch the game?!  Good shout by the scouts, I think it wasn’t a bad move coming here tonight and watching a game of football.  He’s got to watch someone!”

Cray Wanderers were tearing their visitors apart for the first fifteen minutes of the second half and another chance soon went begging.

Saunders played in Whitnell down the left and his low cross was crying out to be tucked away but striker Jamie Humphries steered his shot agonisingly wide of the far post.

Clark then produced another quality cross from the left and Whitnell suffered the same fate as his strike partner, steering his shot across goal, but Bobby Smith made a comfortable save low to his left to prevent the ball nestling into the bottom corner.

Jenkins added: “It was end-to-end.  I’ve just said in there.  It probably won’t be a better game in Europe tonight!

“I think both teams passed the ball well in tight areas as well.  It was good to see.  We do it all the time, you should watch our training sessions.  I’m involved as well, so is Joe (Francis) and Blado (Paul Blade).  It rubs off what we do!”

Leon Smith almost produced a brilliant solo goal to turn the tide in the 58^th minute when he pounced on some poor defending from Sterling and Bentley on the halfway line, before cutting in from the left with electrifying pace and only had Walker to beat – the ball ricochet off Walker’s body and the ball trickled towards goal, but Bentley showed desire to get back to clear the ball away before it rolled over the line.

Phillips cracked a left-footed shot which only just cleared the crossbar in the 63^rd minute, before the visitors got back into the game and started to go for the kill.

Jones’ dink released Smith, who was forced wide by Sterling, but the number nine played the ball inside to Jones, who cracked a right-footed drive from 30-yards, which was beaten away by the diving Walker at the half-way point of the second half and the home keeper was relieved to see Karagul blast the rebound high over the crossbar.

Smith, however, almost scored with his head in the 71^st minute, meeting Marc Weatherstone’s cross with a downward header, which forced Walker into making a desperate save to his right.

It was evident that the game would be settled by a fifth goal.

Jenkins said: “We was thinking the same over in the dug outs, they probably were as well, but we weren’t going to say who it was going to go to.  It was one of those games.  Walks has pulled off a couple of good saves towards the end there, their bloke has pulled off a couple.  We’ve missed a couple really gilt-edged chances, Tommy and Jamie Humphries have missed a couple of ones that normally they would put away, but great character from Tommy at the end to take the penalty.”

Saunders’ penetrating run straight through the spine of the Wingate & Finchley team should have been put away by Whitnell, instead the right-footed shot sailed over.

Wingate & Finchley thought they had snatched victory inside the final three minutes when they went route one again.  A long kick straight down the middle by their goalkeeper was flicked on by Smith and Karagul flashed a left-footed shot across Walker and also past the far post.

Cray Wanderers deserved to claim the points and Whitnell takes credit for chasing a lost cause inside stoppage time.

As Bobby Smith advanced off his line, Aisien did his team-mate no favours by nodding the ball beyond the goalkeeper and as Whitnell sprinted after the loose ball, Aisien pulled him back inside the box and referee Mr Mark Tweed pointed to the spot and brandished a straight red card to the central defender.

Whitnell held his nerve and clinically drove a right-footed penalty into the bottom left hand corner to put Cray Wanderers just one point adrift of surprise leaders Hendon.
Jenkins added: “He hasn’t really had a good night in front of goal but he’s work rate’s been really good.  It hasn’t really happened for him tonight but to take that with 93 minutes on the clock, brilliant!  I watched it but I couldn’t bare it to be honest with you.  It’s great and it keeps the run going.”

After guiding his side to ninth place last term – missing out on the play-off’s by only four points – Jenkins has the players in his camp that can mount a serious challenge for the title.

“I’m surprised we weren’t amongst the good odds at the beginning of the season,” said Jenkins.

“We’ve played seven games and we’re in and amongst it at the minute.  My squad, what I’ve got and how I know my team and how we work, we should be there or there abouts at the end of the season.  If we ain’t then I’ve failed to be honest with you, it’s a disappointing season for us.

“What we’ve got, if we can keep everyone fit, we’ve got a few injuries now, we’ve got some key players Leigh Bremner and Mark Willy out, key players, really key players.  How we deal with that has got to do with the players we bring in and the substitutes that come on and things like that – it’s all about character.”

Cray Wanderers: Andy Walker, Sam Long, Alex Bentley, Aaron Day, Mark Willy (Tony Dolby 46), Tyrone Sterling, Tommy Whitnell, Chris Saunders, Jamie Humphries (Luke Coleman 75), Danny Phillips, Jack Clark.
Subs: Chris Barnett, Enoch Akosah, Grant Hall.

Goals: Chris Saunders 13, Alex Bentley 49, Tommy Whitnell 90 (pen)

Booked: Mark Willy 11

Wingate & Finchley: Bobby Smith, Marc Weatherstone (Ola Williams 76), Paul Wright, Jordan Fowler, Daniel Nielson, Bobby Aisien, Lewis Jones, Ross Parmenter, Leon Smith, David Laird (Marc Henry 83), Murat Karagul.
Subs: Milton Elenge, Miles Mitchell-Coop, Ryan Mattos

Goals: Leon Smith 8, 43

Booked: David Laird 61

Sent Off: Bobby Aisien 90

Attendance: 148
Referee: Mr Mark Tweed (Kilburn, London NW6)
Assistants: Mr Andrew Hickman (Northolt, Middlesex) & Mr Sebastian Podsadny (Northolt, Middlesex)