Cray Wanderers progressed through to the 1st Round of the FA Trophy and a home tie with Bedfont Sports after victory against Kings Langley in an enjoyable tie at Hayes Lane in what was the first ever game between the sides.

There was a bright opening from the visitors but Cray were the first to show their teeth and in the 9th minute won a penalty when good work by Richard Afrane-Kesey down the left saw the ball come to Chris Dickson who broke into the area and laid the ball across to Anthony Cook who was brought down by Will Hall and a penalty kick was awarded.  Cook stepped up to score and in doing so set a landmark for the 10,000th in the club’s history.

The game then settled for ten minutes before Cray continued to press with the impressive Afrane-Kesey making another strong run down the left and jinked into the area but his goalbound shot was deflected behind possibly by the foot of goalkeeper Alfie Marriott for a corner. Then after a slick passing move Andy Drury found Cook down the right and he played a terrific ball into the area and Afrane-Kesey on the stretch just couldn’t get a strong enough connection to divert the ball into the net.

Kings Langley though were very much in the tie and came close when Roddy Collins set up Harry Crawford just outside the area and his well struck shot brought out a fine one handed save from Jack Turner.

Cray then had a good spell Afrane-Kesey and Cameron Brodie shot wide and then from a left wing corner, Drury’s cross was met by the head of Dean Beckwith but Marriott made a save on the line.

In the 33rd minute, Kings Langley drew level when from a free kick down the right, Alfie Williams who had a great game floated a cross into the area which went all the way through and into the net. 

The second half began perfectly for Cray and two minutes in were back in front when a corner from the right by Drury into the heart of the area fell to Dean Beckwith who through a crowd drove a shot into the net for his second goal of the season.

Despite Cray having the ascendancy and lead the game was never comfortable and Kings Langley came close to drawing level for a second time following the award of a free kick 20 yards out down the right.  From the free kick, Williams curled a shot over the wall and Turner did brilliantly to push the ball over for a corner.

Then Kings Langley again were denied by Turner who after a fine passing move by Kings Langley saw the ball come to Roddy Collins down the right who seemed certain to score but Turner made a great block and the ball came to Jamie Jellis whose cross-shot went across goal.

The game was still delicately poised going into the final minutes and in the last minute, Cray finally had a degree of comfort when after good set up play by Drury and Jamie Yila the ball came to Dickson who from close to 25 yards let fly with a crashing shot which was unstoppable and flew into the top right hand corner.

Three minutes into injury time Daniel Uchechi who barely three minutes after coming on and with one of his first touches picked up a loose ball outside the area and seeing the keeper off his line proceeded to lob the ball over Marriott and into the net to set the seal on the win and move Cray into the 1st Round of the FA Trophy for the second straight season to face Bedfont Sports on 13th November.  

Cray Wanderers:       Jack Turner, Kasim Aidoo, Marvin McCoy, Dean Beckwith,  Richie Danquah, Cameron Brodie, Andy Drury, Anthony Cook, Jai Reason (Adam Coombes, 81), Richard Afrane-Kesey (Jamie Yila, 62), Chris Dickson (Daniel Uchechi, 90+1): Subs: Jack Hanson, Freddy Barton

Att: 185