Cray Wanderers got back to winning ways after seven straight defeats with a fine, gutsy win at a very good Carshalton Athletic side on a rain lashed afternoon. Danny Kedwell's side bounced back perfectly from the 5-3 defeat to Wingate & Finchley with a resolute and sharp performance.

The rain was pretty unrelenting all afternoon and there was pretty incessant early pressure from the Robins and lively Lewis White fired an early shot just wide of the right post and then Paris Hamilton-Downes saw a shot deflected through to Jack Turner.

Down the left Jordan Cheadle put over a cross which was only half cleared out to White who lashed a shot over the angle of left post and crossbar.  This was followed by a fine run from Dan Hector which ended with a shot being blocked on the edge of the area.

Carshalton continued to press and following a good break, Hector’s pass found White who broke through down the right and was denied by a fine save by the legs of Turner.  Then Dan Bennett found White again down the right who went round Turner but his goalbound shot was cleared off the line by Dean Beckwith.

A minute later on 25 minutes Cray went in front after Anthony Cook’s speculative shot was deflected behind for a corner, from the right wing kick into the box the ball was met impressively by the head of Marvin McCoy and into the back of the net.

Cray were defending well and looking to break but Carshalton had a good chance to level when a fine ball was played through to Danny Bassett but from the right of the area pulled his shot wide of the left post.

On 36 minutes, Carshalton were awarded perhaps a rather harsh penalty when a cross from the right by Bassett was adjudged to have been handled by Andy Drury. However, from the spot, Bassett’s kick to the right was well saved on the line by Turner.

Still the rain fell in the second half and five minutes into the second half, Cray went two nil up following the award of a free kick down the left.  From the kick, Cook’s cross into the six yard box was prodded goalwards by Coombes and Beckwith stuck out a leg and although Thomas got a good hand to keep the ball out the ball did appear to have crossed the line and a goal was given after confirmation from the linesman.

Carshalton though pulled a goal back two minutes later when Jordan Cheadle’s cross from the left to far post was headed into the net by Dan Bennett.

This provoked another spell of pressure from Carshalton and after a cross was put behind by Beckwith for a corner, the ball came to Bennett whose low near post shot was well saved by Turner’s legs. 

Still though Carshalton pressed and a good move between Harry Ottaway and Tommy Blackburn saw the ball come to White who was denied by Turner who parried the shot away.  Then a corner from the right by Bennett to the far post was glanced goalwards by Jalen Jones but was cleared away by Tom Hanfrey for another corner.

Cray though were managing the game well and from a breakaway Jamie Yila tested Thomas with a shot following a run from his own half.

Then on 72 minutes, Cray restored their two goal advantage with a fine goal as Cook and Coombes combined through the middle and the ball was played to Andy Drury down the right of the area who crashed home a superb angled shot into the bottom left corner to make it 3-1.

As the game neared the end Carshalton had a late flurry and Hector shot over the top and then Bennett curled an effort just over the bar.  The last opening came to Cray from a free kick down the left from which Cook curled a shot wide of the right post.

This was a huge result for Cray Wanderers who had suffered a difficult September with injuries, bad luck and defeats but this could be the kick start to the season. Cray are next in action on Saturday at Haringey Borough.

Cray Wanderers:  Jack Turner, Kasim Aidoo (Freddy Barton, 73), Marvin McCoy, Dean Beckwith, Tom Hanfrey, Andy Drury (Jack Hanson, 80), Richard Afrane-Kesey, Cameron Brodie, Anthony Cook, Jamie Yila, Adam Coombes (Quaine Bartley, 73): Subs: Fjord Rogers, Freddie Cray

Att: 296