The curtain was brought down on another league season as Cray Wanderers picked up a point from a lively encounter at Faversham Town.

This was Cray’s third game in five days and had played against Three Bridges as recently as Thursday night.  The Wands carried on where they left off in that game and dominated the first half, playing good football and led through a Danny Haynes strike after 17 minutes.  Six minutes later, Haynes had a chance to increase the lead but saw his penalty saved by Will Godman. 

The second half was a different game and Faversham levelled in the 52nd minute through a close range strike from Liam King.  Just after the hour, Cray were reduced to ten men with the dismissal of Haynes for a second bookable offence.  Cray though went back in front in the 76th minute with an excellent Karl Dent strike before Faversham tied the game again with a penalty of their own despatched by George Monger eight minutes from time.

On a sunny afternoon, Faversham came close early when Matt Bourne headed over the bar but Cray almost scored too when Antonio Lazzari headed wide from a Lee Prescott corner.

The Wands were unlucky just after the quarter of an hour mark when Prescott and Haynes were both denied by home keeper Godmon.  Thirty seconds later though, Cray took the lead. Brandon Scott found Dent out on the right by the touchline who put over a tremendous cross which was latched onto by Haynes who expertly with one touch brought the ball under control and lashed home an emphatic finish from nine yards.

The Wands tails were now well and truly up and in the 22nd minute were awarded a penalty when Scott’s cross went across goal to Haynes who turned and seemingly going away from goal set up Prescott who was checked inside the area by George Monger and the referee pointed to the spot.

Up stepped Haynes to take the kick which was well hit but down the middle of the goal and Godmon made a fine stop but as Haynes followed appeared to be tripped again by the keepers outstretched leg but the referee deemed this to be a dive and booked the Wands striker which was terribly harsh.

Cray led 1-0 at the break but the second half saw a Faversham revival and scored seven minutes after the restart when after a good strong run down the left by Kyron Lightfoot to the by line and he played the ball into Liam King who steered the ball into the net from six yards.

The Wands task was made harder when Haynes was sent off for what appeared to be dissent aimed at the referee after the award of a free kick for Faversham. 

Despite being a man down iIn the 76th minute, Cray went back in front with another excellent goal.  Good work down the right by Luke Medley saw him charge to the edge of the area and lay the ball into Dent who turned and found space to place a fine shot wide of Godmon and into the bottom left corner.

With eight minutes to go Faversham were awarded a penalty of their own when the ball was worked down the right and the ball was played into Lightfoot who inside the area was brought down by Paul Lorraine and a spot kick was given.  The penalty was despatched confidently by Monger to make it 2-2.

Faversham came closest to winning the game when they were awarded a free kick in a central position just outside the area.  From the free kick, Lightfoot curled the ball over the wall and seemingly into the top left corner but Blue with an excellent one handed save pushed the ball over the bar.

In the end a draw was probably about right and saw Tony Russell’s Cray side finish in 11th place with 68 points and unbeaten in three games and looking forward to starting all over again in August.

Cray:   Nick Blue, Ben Mundele, Timi Osidobu, Antonio Lazzari, Paul Lorraine, Lea Dawson (Capt.), Sean Roberts, Lee Prescott, Danny Haynes, Karl Dent (Anthony Adesite, 85), Brandon Scott (Luke Medley, 66):  Subs:  Tyrone Guthrie, Sean Law, Jai McKinlay

Att: 220