Cray Wanderers breezed into the 1st Qualifying Round of the FA Trophy with a record victory in the competition crushing Horsham 8-0 at Hayes Lane.

Cray made if five wins in a row in league and cups with their second win against Horsham in successive weeks and first half goals from Aaron Rhule, Jerome Federico, Marcus Evans and a brace from Michael Power gave the Wands a 5-0 lead at half time.  Cray carried on in the same vein in the second half with Freddie Parker grabbing a hat-trick to put Cray into a 1st Qualifying Round tie at home to Grays Athletic on 28th October. 

The Wands took only six minutes to go in front when Karl Dent’s short corner was played to Rhule who curled home an excellent shot from the right of the penalty area.

Cray continued to pile on the pressure and went two nil up in the 22nd minute when another Dent corner to the far post was nodded across by Jay Leader and helped onto to Federico who fired in a first time shot from the edge of the area.

More goals seemed a certainty and in the 28th minute, Cray made it 3-0 when Dent’ s right wing free kick was played to the far post where Marcus Evans got in front of a defender to hit a sweet finish for his third goal of the season.

Michael Power has been in a rich vein of form with seven in his previous four games and took that tally to nine with two goals before half time.   Firstly in the 32nd minute a slick passing move ended with Rhule’s left wing cross picking out Power who got to the ball before goalkeeper Michael Hunter to tuck the ball away with style.

Then in the 39th minute he was in the right place at the right time to follow up Federico’s shot which was pushed out by Hunter and Power gleefully tapped in.

Power was replaced at half time by Freddie Parker who gave a fine performance as he helped himself to a hat-trick.  The sixth goal came on the hour from the penalty spot after Scott Kirkwood handled Federico’s cross and Parker slotted home the penalty.

The seventh goal arrived in the 73rd minute when Parker was on the end of Federico’s fine run and cross to turn the ball in.

The scoring was completed in the 78th minute when Parker was played through the middle of the Horsham defence and calmly placed the ball past Hunter to cap a remarkable afternoon for Cray.

The Wands next match will be on Tuesday evening when they travel to Faversham Town for an Isthmian South match looking to keep up their excellent form.

Cray Wanderers: Nick Blue, Barney Williams, Dean Carpenter, Jay Leader, Marcus Evans, Lea Dawson (Capt,) (Mitchell Nelson, 63), Zak Henry, Karl Dent (Michael Frieter, 50), Michael Power (Freddie Parker, HT), Aaron Rhule, Jerome Federico:  Subs:  Kyron Lightfoot, Ken Charles

Att: 124