Cray Wanderers 4-1 Chichester City United - We must Ty Sterling to a contract, says Jenkins

Chichester City United, a side in the bottom five in the top flight of Sussex County League football, were by far the better side during the first 25 minutes.

However, nineteen-year-old left-winger Tyrone Sterling grabbed the Kent side the lead, through their first shot on goal, after 26 minutes.

Danny Chapman thumped home a header, from their second attempt eleven minutes later, before Jamie Kempster and Scott Kinch netted on the stroke of half-time.

Chichester deserved to pull a goal back at the death through substitute Lee Bedden, but the damage had already been done during a clinical 45 minutes.

Chichester, with one win from their opening three league games, kept their hosts quiet during the opening 25 minutes and appeared to have enough about them to cause a potential upset.

Left-sided midfielder Adrian Brockway had three attempts on goal inside the opening three minutes, without really troubling Jack Bradshaw in the Cray Wanderers goal.

Wands’ assistant manager Joe Francis was heard to shout out “how hard are we working, how hard are we working, come on boys,” from the home dug-out as the hosts were struggling.

Despite forcing three successive corners, taken by Colin Luckett, they failed miserably to call visiting goalkeeper Matt Short into action.

But Short was cursing his luck after 26 minutes when the Ryman League Division One South side grabbed the lead, totally against the run of play - their first shot on goal.

Sterling, who deserved his man-of-the-match award, started and finished off the move.

The former Thamesmead Town winger hooked the ball over a defender’s head, whilst hugging the left touch-line and exchanged a one-two with striker Tommy Whitnell.

Sterling raced through the defence and cut into the penalty area and with a left-footed shot, on the angle from twelve yards, the ball rolled into the bottom far corner.

Chichester striker Mark Cooper then had a couple of shots on goal, one rolling into Bradshaw’s arms and the next flying over from thirty-yards.

Cray Wanderers, at the time, scored a flattering second, from only their second chance.

Luckett’s far-post corner was met by a thumping header by Chapman, which flew past Short, giving the goalkeeper little chance.

But two goals on the stroke of half-time ensured the second half was a non-event.

Another Luckett far-post header was met by a downward header from Shawn Beveney, which was bravely headed off the line from underneath the crossbar by Tom Foster and the ball dropped nicely for Kempster to send a right-footed volley crashing into the net from just inside the penalty area.

Then, a move down the left, involving Luckett and Sterling saw Chapman passing to Whitnell, whose left-footed drilled shot from 20-yards rolled agonisingly against the foot of the far post.

However, Kinch was following up, and the tough-tacking midfielder drove his shot into the back of the net to join Sterling and Chapman on one goal for the season.

As the grey storm clouds covered a very muggy Hayes Lane, Cray knew that they had done the hard work during the first half, but chances were still created.

Beveney, who was forced off later with a twisted knee, spun past three defenders on the half-way line and sprinted through on goal and after riding a desperate challenge from Chichester skipper Darren Hickman, his shot was blocked before a grounded Short plucked the ball out of the air.

Cray Wanderers had now changed their formation from 4-4-2 to 3-5-2 and defender Steve Aris played a superb long diagonal ball for Sterling down the left.

Sterling’s deep hanging cross was met at the far post by substitute Tony Atkins, who headed the ball back in the direction that it came, but Kinch sent his overhead kick over.

Another substitute Tony Dolby, who switched from left-back to partner Atkins, drilled a left-footed shot from thirty-yards, after cutting inside George Hotston, but Short made a comfortable low save.

Hotston then headed away another cross from the impressive Sterling, but Dolby, lurking on the edge of the box, brought the ball under control with his chest before lifting the ball over.

Chichester’s midfielder Dale Field cracked a wayward shot with his right-foot at the halfway point of the second half.

Atkins then left Hickman in his wake and raced into the area but his initial shot was hacked clear but had an immediate chance, which was beaten out by Short at the near post, with a couple of defenders for company.

Substitute Ryan Royston met an 85^th minute Dolby corner, but his header was headed off the far post by Bedden.

But an offside flag denied Kempster his second of the game, only for Chichester City United to break clear to score a deserved consolation.

Dolby’s corner sailed over Royston’s head, who retrieved the ball before sliding the ball for Aris, behind the visiting side’s defence.

The former Tonbridge Angels defender whipped in a low cross from the right and Kempster turned the ball into the bottom far corner, but the flag went up.

With Cray Wanderers protesting, the ball was in the back of their net, just 24 seconds later.

Chichester striker Billy Huntley got in behind the back of Cray’s defence and reached the by-line before cutting the ball back to the far post and Bedden drove the ball past Bradshaw to give them a goal that their play during the opening 25 minutes deserved.

Cray Wanderers’ manager Ian Jenkins admitted afterwards that he wasn’t pleased with his side’s start.

“I thought the first 25 minutes we got battered, to be honest with you,” Jenkins told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“After we scored a couple of goals we relaxed a little bit but I feel sorry for them. I thought they were by far the better side for the first 25 (minutes) and to go 2-0 down after that I feel sorry for them.

“But once we got in front, I think, the senior players in our side stepped up onto the mantle and we controlled the game.”

Jenkins wants the club to slap Sterling on a contract to ensure the former Thamesmead Town star doesn’t follow in the same footsteps of Sam Wood and John Main, who both left the club for nothing.

“Last year we sort of nurtured him a little bit, using him every now and then but the last three games he’s been outstanding,” praised Jenkins.

“He’s been our main man, he’s got man-of-the-match three times. He’s got that about him, he’s only nineteen.

“Hopefully the chairman might put him on a contract now because there’s a lot of clubs sniffing about - he’s a quality player.”

Jenkins was disappointed with the late goal that they conceded, but admitted his side were awful early on.

“Shocking, the way we started. We just weren’t at the races to be honest with you,” said Jenkins.

“We were well below par but fair play to them, they put us under pressure. They were putting us right up the pitch and pressuring us but once we got the first (goal), we settled down a bit and (after) the second (goal) there was only one team from there on in.”

Cray Wanderers: Jack Bradshaw, Dean Morris, Colin Luckett (Tony Dolby 56), Danny Chapman, Aaron Day, Steve Aris, Scott Kinch, Jamie Kempster, Shawn Beveney (Ryan Royston 62), Tommy Whitnell (Tony Atkins 45), Tyrone Sterling.
Subs: Mark Hammond, Jamie Wood, Glen Knight.

Goals: Tyrone Sterling 26, Danny Chapman 37, Jamie Kempster 44, Scott Kinch 45

Booked: Scott Kinch 78

Chichester City United: Matt Short, Tom Foster (Danny Walker 56), Belal Miah, Darren Hickman, James Hider (George Hotson 51), Gary Oliver, Dale Field, Russell Hardwell, Billy Huntley, Mark Cooper, Adrian Brockway (Lee Bedden 45).
Subs: Rob Sanderson, Josh Maddison.

Goal: Lee Bedden 88

Booked: Danny Walker 74, George Hotson 76, Darren Hickman 77

Attendance: 134
Referee: Mr Shaun Scott (Guildford, Surrey)
Assistants: Mr Gavin Collins (Ash, Hampshire) & Mr Andy Connor (Badshot Lea, Surrey)