Non-League and Academy football writer

On Sunday afternoon at Bromley’s Hayes Lane ground, I watched an Isthmian League Premier Division match between the home side Cray Wanderers, and Concord Rangers. Cray Wanderers started the match in 17th place in the Isthmian League Premier Division, with 32 points from 27 matches played. The away team, Concord Rangers, started the match in the relegation zone, in 21st place. However, the club from Essex started the match on Sunday, with six games still in hand over next placed Haringey Borough, in the league. The game finished 1-1, with the second half being more eventful than the first half of the game. During the early stages of the game, Cray Wanderers managed to create the first real chance. After David Ijaha had taken the ball down the right hand side of the Concord Rangers penalty area, he hit a powerful effort on goal, which was well saved and gathered at his near post, by goalkeeper Mason Terry. Shortly afterwards, a low cross from Concord Rangers player Matas Skarna found Amine Sassi inside the home team’s box, but the Concord Rangers player had his resulting low effort on goal saved by Shaun Rowley.

There weren’t a lot of chances during the opening stages of the game. However, as the first half progressed, chances became more frequent. After Matas Skarna had an effort from the edge of the Cray Wanderers box saved by Rowley, Tom Beere hit a fine and powerful dipping effort from distance, which went just over the Concord Rangers goal. A couple of minutes later, Gary Lockyer managed to get on the ball inside the Concord Rangers half. He spotted the Concord Rangers goalkeeper off his line, and he tried his luck with an effort on goal. However, it was comfortably saved and gathered by Mason Terry. After Ellis Brown had surged into the Concord Rangers box (on the right hand side), his resulting low effort across goal went just wide. Tom Beere then had a low effort saved from inside the Concord Rangers penalty area, before Simo Mbonkwi headed an effort wide of Shaun Rowley’s goal from a cross, at the opposite end of the pitch. Late on in the first half, a low cross into the Cray Wanderers box was deflected off of a defender and towards the goal, with Shaun Rowley making a fine reflex save to keep the ball out of the goal. 

After Cray Wanderers had won a free-kick on the edge of the Concord Rangers penalty area early on in the second half, Gary Lockyer hit a good free-kick effort on the goal. However, it was well kept out by Mason Terry. Alfie Evans then headed just over Mason Terry’s goal from a free-kick into the penalty area, with Evans having an effort saved by Terry shortly after. Ellis Brown then hit a low effort just wide of Mason Terry’s goal, from the left side of the Concord Rangers penalty area. However, shortly after Gary Lockyer had an effort saved by Terry (with the outside of his boot) from inside the Concord Rangers box, the away team took the lead on 66 minutes, agains the run of play. A fine whipped cross by Max Hudson, from the left flank, saw him find captain Ricky Modeste at the back post of the Cray Wanderers goal. The experienced Concord Rangers player headed the ball into the ground, with it then bouncing up and into the roof of the net, 0-1. Concord Rangers were doing well, up until they conceded a penalty-kick just over ten minutes later, after Joe Halsey had fouled substitute Anthony Cook, just inside the Concord Rangers penalty area. The 34 year old stepped-up to find the bottom left hand corner of the goal, from the penalty spot, 1-1.

The end of the game was played at a good intensity. After Harrison Day had hit an effort wide of the Cray Wanderers goal on the bounce, a long ball over the Concord Rangers defence, eventually found Gary Lockyer inside the Concord Rangers box. Lockyer took the ball around Mason Terry before hitting the side-netting of the goal. The home side saw another effort hit the side-netting before the end of the match. This was a really competitive game of football, but in my opinion, and despite a strong second half from the visiting team, it was Cray Wanderers who were the better team, and they will probably be disappointed not to have won the game. 31 year old Cray Wanderers centre-forward Gary Lockyer showed his class on the ball throughout the match, and even though he didn’t score a goal, he was my player of the match on Sunday afternoon.