Cray Wanderers moved to within a point of Isthmian South league leaders Lewes after a come from behind victory saw Cray emerge 4-2 winners after a dramatic second half against VCD Athletic.  This made it 21 games unbeaten in the league stretching back to September.

The game saw the debut of new signing Charlie MacDonald who brings a wealth of experience to the side who arrived at Cray from Greenwich Borough.

There was little indication in the first half of the excitement to follow after a goalless first 45 minutes but it wasn’t for the want of trying.

Cray came close through MacDonald and Karl Dent early on and then Brandon Scott was denied a goal by an excellent save from Joe Mant.  The VCD keeper did well to turn around a near post shot from Jerome Federicio and Jay Leader headed wide from a corner.

VCD had a couple of moments themselves and firstly Kemo Garboe drove wide from a right wing corner and similarly just before half time Jeffrey Imudia fired just past the right post through a ruck of players.

The second half exploded into life straight away and Scott made a great run from his own half all the way into the penalty area and his shot was pushed onto the post by Mant and following up Federico’s effort was cleared off the line by Imudia.

VCD never cleared their lines and in the 48th minute Cray went in front when he ball came back to Barney Williams who fed Dent down the left of the penalty area and with space fired a low shot across the keeper into the bottom right corner of the net.

However, in the 52nd minute VCD levelled with their first real shot on target.  The ball was played across by Imudia from the right and the ball wasn’t cut out and finding space Siao Blackwood strode forward and hit a fine shot which gave Nick Blue no chance to save nestling in the bottom right corner of the net.

VCD then grew in confidence and went in front in the 61st minute following the award of a penalty kick when Aymun El-Moyhalbel worked his way into the area and went down in the area following a push from Leader which the referee deemed to be a penalty.   From the penalty spot Warren Mfula confidently stroked home the kick.

There were chances for both sides after that when Mfula’s near post shot was pushed behind by Blue.  For Cray Lea Dawson hit a shot which just brushed against the left post and then Leader saw a header saved on the line by Mant.

Cray were then unlucky not to score when Ben Mundele exchanged passes with Federico and inside the area first saw his shot parried by Mant and from the follow up saw the keeper somehow push the ball onto the post and MacDonald looking to turn the ball in saw Smith clear off the line.

A goal for Cray was coming and did so in the 79th minute when Dawson found Mundele who from the right edge of the penalty area put over a fine ball which MacDonald latched onto and hooked into the net from the edge of the six yard box for a debut goal.

Two minutes later Cray went back in front with a stunning strike from the increasingly influential Mundele.  The ball was worked down the left and VCD gave the ball away to Dean Carpenter in the centre and played the ball to Mundele who from just shy of 25 yards hit a terrific strike which gave Mant no chance to save hitting the top left corner of the net.

Cray then added a fourth goal in the 88th minute when Ralique Lawrence down the left took on two challenges to get to the byline and prodded the ball across where the predatory MacDonald was on hand to fire into the back of the net to complete the comeback and make it 4-2. 

The Wands are now on 59 points after 28 games and with an excellent goal difference of +45.  They are next in action on Saturday when they travel to Guernsey for a 2pm kick off.

Cray Wanderers: Nick Blue, Ben Mundele, Barney Williams, Jay Leader, Mitchell Nelson, Lea Dawson (Capt.), Zak Henry (Dean Carpenter, 65) Karl Dent (Michael Freiter, 84), Charlie MacDonald, Jerome Federico, Brandon Scott (Ralique Lawrence, 84): Subs:  Michael Power, Marcus Evans

Att: 130