Jenkins: We had enough chances to score seven

Ryman Division One

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CRAY and their supporters will be wondering how they lost this game after having so many chances to score, writes Jerry Dowlen.

But having struck top spot in the table and holding it for several weeks, Ramsgate certainly have a durable quality and this was the second time this season they have proved too strong for the Wands.

This exciting game would have had more goals but for great goalkeeping by Steve Northwood and Jurgen Wild with the Cray stopper saving point-blank from Ed Vahid in the very first minute.

Two strong tackles by Ian Rawlings stopped further dangerous raids as Rams were quickly into their stride.

Michael Yianni missed a golden chance when shooting wide and Shaun Welford was also wasteful when several opportunities came his way.

Northwood saved splendidly from Welford but by this time Leigh Bremner's snap-shot had produced Wild's first save.

Midway through the first half the Wands struck a more positive note in midfield and up front and suddenly the top-of-the-table side were on the ropes and struggling.

It needed two one-handed saves by Wild to deny Bremner and a point-blank save to thwart Power to keep Rams in the game.

Power's toe-poke went past the post and Bremner shot wide after Wild did not reach a free-kick floated in from the left.

A corner-count of eight to three in Cray's favour illustrated the first half run of play but it was Rams who took the early initiative after the restart.

Stuart Vahid twice looked certain to score after bursting through on the right but Rawlings tackled him and then Northwood made another one-on-one save.

Bremner worried the Rams defence into presenting Hall with an opening but his delayed shot went wide.

Welford was to have a frustrating day when it came to finishing but on 56 minutes he did the next best thing when his pass put Stuart Vahid away on the right again and this time the Rams winger hit the net.

No one thought it would be the only goal of the game especially as Cray were soon in top gear again and pushing hard for the equaliser.

Wild made a blinding save from Hall's ferocious shot and Bremner's follow-up was headed off the line via the crossbar.

Gradually Cray's pressure petered out although Power's curling free-kick went close.

At the other end Welford and former Dartford favourite Ian Pulman was denied by Northwood's heroics.

Cray are now 12th in the table, four points off the play-offs but the teams around them have games in hand.

Boss Ian Jenkins said: "We had enough chances to score six or seven goals and both keepers were probably the man of the match.

"Unfortunately we lost but I am not too gutted as we played well."

He added: "We've got seven games left and need to win them all.

"There is no point giving up just yet and if we can win the six-pointers against teams above us we could be in with a shout of the play-offs."

He said: "We always try to play positive football with six forward-thinking players on the pitch.

"We get the ball wide and into the box and we're always going to score goals.

"It is just a question of defending better."

MATCH FACTS: CRAY: Northwood; Hall; Rawlings; Gray; Morris (Baker, 86); Taylor (Kempster, 60); Lovell; Young (Wood, 69); Abbott; Bremner; Power.

SUBS NOT USED: Khan; Whelan.

ATT: 167.