Cray Wanderers play-off hopes took a dent as Chichester City inflicted only the second away defeat of the season for the Wands who now go eight points behind Chatham Town and Billericay Town in the top five.
It was the hosts who started the brighter on a grey afternoon and took the lead in the fifth minute through a close-range Lloyd Rowlatt finish. Cray came more into the game in the second half and was against the run of play when Chichester netted a second in the 63rd minute when Joe Moore was on hand to score from seven yards from a Rowlatt flick on.
Chichester added a third five minutes from time when Ethan Prichard set up Joe Clarke to score down the right of the area. Cray pulled a goal back two minutes from time after an Alex Hernandez penalty was saved at the left post, but Frankie Morgan netted his first Wands goal from the rebound.
There was still time for a dramatic ending with Chichester reduced to nine men following dismissals for Curtis da Costa and Ryan Davidson but at this stage the match was won for City and Cray went down to defeat.
Cray came into the game unbeaten in seven games in seventh on fifty-two points, five behind Chatham Town and Billericay Town and from the side which beat Cheshunt last Saturday there was one change to the starting lineup with Adrian Owiredu-Gyamera coming in for Tom Bonner. Chichester in thirteenth on forty-three points also made one change from the side beaten at Dulwich Hamlet last Saturday with Joe Moore in for Ben Pashley. Harry Bridle who spent a loan spell with Cray earlier this year from Gillingham was on the bench for Chichester.
The Wands have through the vast majority of away games begun the games brightly but here it was the home side who came out of the traps quickest and went ahead after five minutes after a well worked move saw the ball come to Misha Djemaili down the right and his ball across fell invitingly for Lloyd Rowlatt to score ahead of Jimmy Wild for his fourth goal of the season.
Chichester certainly were on the front foot and could have gone two nil up when Djemaili was denied a goal by a fine save from Harry Seaden and following up Isaac Bello’s shot was cleared off the line by Remi Sutton. From a free kick out on the left from Rob Hutchings was going towards goal and Seaden had to push over the bar.
The Wands started to come into the game, and the best opening came in the twentieth minute when a ball over the top from Sutton came to Max Fiddes who from the left of the area sent a lob over the bar.
In the 27th minute Bello came close again with a shot which Seaden parried and did well to block from Djemaili from the rebound.
The game became scrappy, but Cray did win corners and did come close from one before half time with Alex Hernandez hooking a shot towards goal and came off Fiddes’ head with Jasper Briggs getting down to save at his left post.
HT: 1-0
The second half began with an increase in pace and Cray sought an early leveller and Hernandez set up Frankie Raymond for a volley over the bar. Then from a free kick for which Chichester Ryan Davidson was booked, Hernandez shot hit the wall and was cleared.
The Wands had to make an early change with Remi Sutton having to come off with Ralfi Hand coming on meaning Quade Taylor switched from midfield to partner Crossley Lema at the back.
Around the hour mark Cray were having their best spell of the match and Adrian Gyamera down the right broke into the area and seeking his first Wands goal saw his well struck shot pushed out well by Briggs and following up Ralfi Hand’s shot was blocked and led to a corner.
From the left-wing corner towards the far post for Hernandez the ball took a flick off a home defender for another corner out on the right. This time the corner was headed over by Curtis Da Costa for a third corner which this time was flicked on, but Ola Ogunwamide headed over the bar.
A minute later in the 63rd minute it was two nil to Chichester when from a throw in down the right the ball into the box was helped on by Rowlatt to find Joe Moore who with time fired past Seaden.
Cray looked to fight back and by this stage had introduced Lateef Adaja, Tom Derry and Shae Hutchinson in a bid get a goal back. Hand came close with a shot which was well saved by Briggs.
The Wands continued to go forward, and Hutchinson saw an effort blocked for a corner from which Tom Derry couldn’t get a connection to his header and went off target.
With five minutes to go Chichester City added a third goal which saw substitutes combine to good effect down the right with Ethan Prichard playing a pass into Joe Clarke inside the area who finished well firing into the bottom left corner.
The Wands who perhaps hadn’t been at their best did look to gain a consolation goal and were awarded a penalty for the fourth successive game after Hernandez’s attempted shot down the right was handled by Hutchings. From the spot, Hernandez saw his shot saved at his right post by Briggs but following up Frankie Morgan was on hand to score his first Cray Wanderers goal to make it 3-1.
There was time for a bit more drama in the 90th minute Hernandez was brought down on the edge of the D by Curtis Da Silva when deemed to have denied a goal scoring opportunity and was shown a red card. From the free kick Hernandez shot was on target and well turned aside by Briggs and a goal then would have been very interesting as there was still six minutes of added time to play.
Hutchings almost scored with an audacious lob from thirty-five yards which led to Seaden having to scurry to gather the ball at his right post before in the 96th minute following an altercation with Quade Taylor who was booked, Davidson was shown a second yellow meaning City were down to nine men to finish the game.
In the end there was no further time for the extra men to tell, and City saw out the seconds that remained to perhaps keep their distant playoff hopes alive but do have a couple of games in hands including at home to Canvey Island on Tuesday night. Cray at least had shown character in the second half to get back into the game but perhaps was just a rare off day this season away from home. The Wands dropped one place to eighth place with Burgess Hill Town moving up into sixth on fifty-five points ahead of Dartford in seventh and the Wands with Ramsgate a point behind in ninth and St Albans City in tenth on forty-nine points. Cray next Saturday travel to mid table Whitehawk but a side have yet to beat in seven previous league meetings.
A special mention as always to the Wands supporters who made the journey by coach, car or train and have shown great dedication to the cause this season.
Chichester City: Jasper Briggs, Zach Jeanes, Rob Hutchings (Capt.), Curtis Da Costa, Ryan Davidson, Joe Moore (Joe Clarke, 77), Emmett Dunn, Isaac Bello (Ethan Sills, 86), Misha Djemaili (Ethan Prichard, 69), Lloyd Rowlatt (Olly Munt, 89) James Wild (Harry Bridle, 77)
Scorers: Rowlatt 5, Moore 63, Clarke 85
Sent Off: Da Costa 90, Davidson 90+6 (second caution)
Booked: Bello 75
Cray Wanderers: Harry Seaden, Adrian Owiredu-Gyamera, Remi Sutton (Ralfi Hand, 51), Crossley Lema, Frankie Morgan, Frankie Raymond (Capt.), Quade Taylor, Ola Ogunwamide (Tom Derry, 70), Jordy Mongoy (Lateef Adaja, 70), Alex Hernandez, Max Fiddes (Shae Hutchinson, 54): Sub: Mitchell Chapman
Scorer: Morgan 88
Booked: Derry 90+5, Taylor 90+6
Referee: Joel Lamping
Assistants: Hassan Rajwani, Adrian Knight
Images courtesy of Natalie Stebbing