Cray Wanderers playoff hopes took a knock as they went down to a second straight defeat as third placed Carshalton Athletic came back from a goal down to claim three points against a ten man Wands side. 

Cray were reduced to ten men in the 22nd minute when midfielder Lee Prescott was sent off.  Despite this, Cray took the lead eight minutes before the break with Lea Dawson’s sixth goal of the season but a long second half beckoned trying to hold on to the lead.  Two goals in three minutes just after the hour from Omar Folkes, and Bobby Price turned the game on its head and the Robins saw out the game with the man advantage.

On a mild and sunny February afternoon, Cray started well and Jay Leader came close with a header from a Jey Siva free kick.  The lively Danny Haynes was unlucky when Brandon Scott’s cross was met by a firm shot which was blocked by Paris Hamilton-Downes.

Carshalton came closest to scoring in the 20th minute when Omar Folkes hit a shot from twenty five yards which hit the post.  Two minutes later though, Cray were reduced to ten men when Prescott was sent off for a foul on Sekou Kaba on the halfway line.

The Wands though were the better side for the remainder of the first half and went ahead in the 37th minute.  A free kick was floated into the area and the ball was nudged on by a Carshalton defender to Dawson who turned and hooked home a superb shot which gave the keeper Joe Tupper no chance.

The second half though saw Carshalton raise their game and pushed the Wands back with Paul Lorraine and Leader outstanding for Cray.

Chances started to come and Nick Blue did well to deny Mikel Miller with a smart effort at his near post and then had to push behind a shot from Ryan Gondoh as the pressure increased. 

A goal was coming and did so in the 61st minute.  The Wands perhaps were caught a bit off guard with a short corner and Gondoh’s shot was pushed out by Blue but only as far as Folkes who turned the ball in from five yards.

Two minutes later and the home side went ahead when the ball was worked down the right to Bobby Price who from a tight angle crashed a shot into the net to complete the comeback.

The Robins created one or two more chances to add to their lead and saw out the game to remain in third place in the league table.  Cray’s second straight defeat leaves them in 9th place and seven points off the playoff places.  They face leaders Tooting & Mitcham United on Wednesday evening at Hayes Lane.   

Cray:   Nick Blue, Ben Mundele, Jey Siva, Jay Leader, Paul Lorraine, Lea Dawson, Sean Roberts (Jai McKinlay, 77),  Lee Prescott, Danny Haynes, Karl Dent (Luke Medley, 74) Brandon Scott (Leigh Bremner, 54):  Subs:  Grant Basey, Dane Luchford

Att:  251