Cray Wanderers produced another outstanding performance on their travels as three first half goals from Sean Roberts and two from Joe Taylor and a strong defensive display saw Cray remain 13 points clear at the top of the Isthmian South-East after victory at a wet and soggy Whyteleafe.

The Wands were looking to build on the momentum of the 6-0 win against Herne Bay on Saturday and took the game to Whyteleafe from the start and went in front on 5 minutes courtesy of Sean Roberts’ header from a Jerome Federico cross.  Cray continued to pour forward and on 21 minutes doubled their lead when Joe Taylor converted from Roberts’s superb pass.  The Wands dominance of the first half continued up to the break and on 41 minutes Taylor scored his second when he netted from close range from Tom Phipp’s layoff. 

The second half couldn’t quite live up to the thrills of the first but there was still much to admire about the Cray performance and they managed the game expertly until the dying moments of stoppage time when Bradley Wilson scored a consolation goal from the penalty spot.

Cray had already threatened home keeper Tyler McCarthy twice early on when on 5 minutes the Wands went ahead when Jerome Federico who was in superb form in the first half sent over a cross into the area to the back post where Sean Roberts met the ball with a firm header which went in off the right post for his second goal of the season. 

A second goal was looking increasingly likely for Cray and it duly arrived on 21 minutes when finding space down the left Roberts’ played a terrific ball into the box to Joe Taylor who applied a clinical finish sweeping the ball into the bottom left corner.

The rest of the half saw a number of other chances with Taylor seeing a shot blocked on the line and then he and Archie Johnson saw shots pushed behind by McCarthy and a Bradley Pritchard left wing corner was deflected on to the far post by a home defender.

In the 41st minute Cray scored a third when from a short corner Pritchard found Federico who cut into the area, played the ball across to the edge of the six yard box to Tom Phipp who found Taylor who turned the ball in from four yards to cap off a perfect first half for Cray.

The second half saw Cray produce a solid defensive display but still had the occasional chance with Taylor denied by McCarthy's feet and the keeper also did well to save from Daniel Uchechi's snap shot.

With the game done and dusted Whyteleafe pulled a goal back with the last kick of the game from the penalty spot after a foul on Kelvin Ogboe and Bradley Wilson stroked home the kick but it was the ultimate consolation goal.

Cray remain 13 points clear at the top of the table on 61 points and have won 19 of their 24 matches.  They are next in action on Saturday in a 2pm kick off at Hayes Lane when Guernsey are the visitors in what will be another tough game.

Cray Wanderers: Nick Blue, Ben Mundele, Archie Johnson, Jay Leader, Mitchell Nelson,  Sean Roberts, Tom Phipp (Karl Dent, 69), Bradley Pritchard, Joe Taylor (Freddie Parker, 79), Junior Dadson (Daniel Uchechi, 60):  Subs: Marcus Evans, Joe Vines 

Att: 185