Cray Wanderers continued their fine league form as a solitary Michael Power goal was enough to clinch a first ever win in Guernsey and for a short while at least put Cray on top of the Isthmian South for the first time this season.

Cray dominated the game and had the best chances but a stubborn Guernsey side proved resolute and it was a deft header from perhaps a just onside Power after 52 minutes which broke the Green Lions resistance.  The win extended Cray’s unbeaten league run to 23 games and after Lewes’ win at Chipstead later in the afternoon meant Lewes have a one point lead over Cray on 63 points and four points ahead of third and fourth placed Greenwich Borough and Carshalton Athletic.

Cray got off to a quick start and almost scored three times in the first fifteen minutes.  The Wands had the first opportunity of the game when from a right wing corner from Karl Dent, the ball to the far post was headed wide by Mitchell Nelson in the 3rd minute.

Another Dent corner a few minutes later was flicked towards goal by Lea Dawson and Michael Power got a touch but the ball was turned round the post by keeper Callum Stanton. 

From the resulting corner, Dent put a superb ball into the box which was met by Power whose header looked to be heading for the back of the net but was blocked on the line by Ben Coulter which at first glance it seemed with his upper arm so something of a let off for the home side.

Cray had efforts go wide through Dent and Power and the Wands did have the ball in the net when Jerome Federico’s cross was knocked up in the air and as the ball came down Dawson went up with the ball with Stanton but although the ball came to Scott who fired home but the referee disallowed the goal for Dawson’s challenge.

A Cray goal was on the cards and it came in the 52nd minute when the ball was worked out to Federico down the right who took on defender Jamie Dodd and laid the ball to the impressive Ben Mundele who then swung a ball into the box which perhaps just beat the offside trap was met by the head of Power who turned the ball into the net from 4 yards.

In the 62nd minute Cray thought they had scored a second when Scott who did look offside when he received the ball but wasn’t flagged down the left put a ball across which went past Stanton to Federico who tapped the ball in but the flag was now up.

Then Power turned the ball over the bar and Charlie MacDonald sent a back header and a shot just past the post.

Cray had to be very patient against opponents happy to play it safe and stop Cray from playing but despite intermittent pressure from the home side Cray keeper Nick Blue never had to make a save.

The Wands could go top on Wednesday evening with a win or draw against Ashford United before the crunch meeting with Lewes at Hayes Lane next Saturday.

Cray Wanderers: Nick Blue, Ben Mundele, Barney Williams, Jay Leader, Mitchell Nelson, Lea Dawson (Capt.), Dean Carpenter, Karl Dent (Michael Freiter, 89), Michael Power (Charlie MacDonald, 74), Jerome Federico, Brandon Scott (Ralique Lawrence, 89): Subs:  Zak Henry, Marcus Evans

Att:  607