Cray Wanderers came out on top in this Isthmian League Premier Division local derby as they put five past Cray Valley Paper Mills in front of a bumper crowd at Flamingo Park on Saturday.
The Wands started the game looking to press PM with the first chance falling to Lateef Adaja who had a shot saved by Harrison Chamberlain after good work by Frankie Morgan down the left.
Alex Hernandez then had a free kick saved, before they finally took the lead on 14 minutes when Adaja was brought down on the edge of the box and Hernandez curled in a free kick just under the bat for 1-0.
Tom Bonner then hit the bar from a corner, before The Wands made it 2-0 when Harry Waldock unleashed an unstoppable drive from 25 yards that gave Chamberlain no chance on 26 minutes as it sailed into the net.
After a quiet spell Remi Sutton then set up Jordy Mongoy who had a shot saved, Soul Kader fired wide from a Morgan cross and Sutton volleyed over in a late spell of pressure from the home side before the break.
The second half started in perfect fashion for The Wands as Morgan’s cross from the left fell to Kader who ghosted in at the far post to convert for 3-0 on 46 minutes, virtually killing of any chance of a comeback from The Millers.
Cray Wanderers then made it four soon after when Kader was brought down in the area by Chamberlain as he took the ball past the keeper and Hernandez converted the penalty powerfully on 53 minutes.
Adaja had a shot saved as The Wands continued to press for more goals and the fifth came just after the hour mark when a long ball up field found Mongoy who lobbed the advancing Chamberlain from the edge of the area, heading off to celebrate with the delirious home fans as the ball dropped in to the net.
Cray Valley briefly rallied from there with Rowan Liburd having a shot saved by Harry Seaden and Marvel Ekpeteta then hit the post, but their luck was out on the afternoon, and it took a superb save from Chamberlain to keep the score down to five late on, as he denied Adaja a goal The Wands’ winger’s performance deserved.
The Wands remain fifth in the table after this impressive win for Tim O’Shea’s side, while Steve McKim’s Paper Mills are in sixteenth.
Cray Wanderers: Seaden, O-Gyamera, Morgan (Keto 81), Waldock, Sutton, Bonner, Mongoy (Price 65), Raymond(Taylor 87), Hernandez (Hand 76), Adaja, Kader (Dickson 81).
Cray Valley PM: Chamberlain, Cumberbatch (Gayle 53), Tumkaya, Bowry, Ekpiteta, Beere, Liburd (Akanbi 83), Harvey, Shomotun (Adebayi 54), Moore (Waldren 72), Ajikaiye (Barrington 72).
HT 2-0 FT 5-0
Att: 1,275
Goals: Hernandez 14 & 53pen, Waldock 26, Kader 46, Mongoy 62mins.
Referee: Joe Wright