Cray Wanderers first ever visit to Potters Bar Town ended in dramatic fashion as a Joe Taylor goal five minutes into stoppage time earned a point that was merited over the 90 minutes.  In a hard fought game Potters Bar had looked to have won the game when Bradley Sach stabbed the ball into the net with five minutes to go before Joe Taylor clinically struck from Tom Carlse’s cross deep into added time.

Cray began the game brightly after a spell of sparring early on and a terrific flicked header by Joe Taylor went out to the right wing to Jerome Federico who sent over a cross which fell to Taylor but shot over the bar from the edge of the area.   This was followed by Cray coming close when Lee Lewis and Murphy combined to set up Freddie Parker who found space in a central position and was unlucky to see his shot go just past the left post.

From here though, Potters Bar had a good spell and came close when a terrific cross from out on the right from Joakim Ehui was met by a smart header from Josh Hutchinson and went just past the left post.

Shortly after there was another chance for Hutchinson when down the left, Yiannis Constantinou found Andy Lomas and his ball across towards the far post found Hutchinson who saw his effort pushed away well by Lewis Carey.  Then Hutchinson who had a good game up front for the Scholars turned on the edge of the box but shot over the bar.  This was followed by Ehui playing another decent ball into the area to Bradley Sach whose near post shot was held by Carey.

Cray were unlucky not to go in front in the 25th minute when a ball was played forward towards Murphy who beat the offside trap and as Matt Nolan advanced lifted the ball towards goal and James Budden had to turn the ball over the bar for a corner before Taylor could get there to tap in.

The game got a bit cagey before the break with Murphy testing Nolan with a low drive from the edge of the area and just on half time Taylor had the ball in the net but was ruled out for offside.

The second half became a more fractious affair with a number of stoppages and there were 10 cautions which began in the 56th minute after Federico was chopped down outside the area by Budden. 

Cray though just after the hour had the best chance of the game so far when from a throw in down the left, Barney Williams found Harry Hudson who slipped the ball to Dent who cut into the area and from close to the byline sent over a fine short cross towards Taylor who from eight yards hit the ball well but went straight to Nolan.

Potters Bar threatened to break the deadlock when down the left Constantinou’s cross was met with an attempted acrobatic volley by Hutchinson but went well off target.

Then Dent and Taylor did well to combine to put Aaron Rhule through down the right of the penalty area and was unlucky to see his well hit shot denied a goal by an excellent one handed save by Nolan and the ball was cleared.

It was beginning to look like a goalless draw but in the 85th minute and after a brief spell of possession from the home side, Potters Bar took the lead with a goal worked down the right.  The ball came to the lively Ehui who down the right of the area set himself up for a shot but was denied by a great block from Carey who deserved better than see Ehui picked up the rebound and lift the ball towards goal and from about four yards Sach was on hand to turn the ball over the line.

Potters Bar’s tails were up for a little while after this but with all the stoppages in play this led to six minutes additional time.  It looked like a defeat for Cray but in the fifth of the extra minutes, there was a sting in the tail.  The ball was worked from Tom Carlse who found Pritchard and then out to Williams down the right who passed the ball to Murphy who ran towards the edge of the area and sent over a cross to the far post that eluded the home defence and Carlse coming up unnoticed won the ball and laid the ball across to Taylor who had plenty to do but held the ball up and lashed a shot low into the bottom left corner of the net and salvage a point for Tony Russell’s men at the last gasp.

The point keeps Cray in 14th place in the Isthmian Premier table with 6 points from 5 games played.  They are next in action on Sunday 8th September in the FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round as Bedfont Sports are the visitors to Hayes Lane, 3pm ko.

Cray Wanderers: Lewis Carey, Barney Williams (Capt.), Charlie Allen (Tom Carlse, 75), Geofrey Okonkwo, Harry Hudson, Lee Lewis, Bradley Pritchard, Jerome Federico (Aaron Rhule, 57), Tom Murphy, Freddie Parker (Karl Dent, H/T), Joe Taylor:  Subs:  Charles Etumnu, Grant Hall

 

Att:  181