Play offs begin with a thriller
Lottery comes down to the final kick
With the weeks running out in the 2022/23 season it was into the play-offs on Wednesday evening and a trip to Essex. Last year Neil Smith’s Cray Wanderers survived on the final day of the season to stay in the Isthmian League Premier Division.
Fast forward 12 months and Smudger led his team to the end of season lottery for the first time in the club’s history and with it a trip to much fancied Hornchurch.
After missing out on the title having looked favourites a couple of months ago, the Urchins were going to have to try the harder route once again having been beaten in the play off final by Cheshunt last year.
Right from the kick off neither side looked as if they were going to settle for a testing for each other out or sparring a little, attack and attack looked very much the name of the game.
The home side however opened the scoring on 14 minutes, the prolific Sam Higgins on the end of a flick on and Hornchurch a goal to the good. Despite both sides want to attack at will, both defences deserve credit for repelling what was coming their way, chances became a little more difficult as the half wore on.
With neither side adding to the scoreline, the home side went into the interval a goal to the good, but Cray certainly not out of it but needed to find a creative spark from somewhere.
However, within four minutes of the restart Hornchurch had doubled their lead, Liam Nash latching onto a long clearance from Urchins keeper Joe Wright, firing past Shaun Rowley and seemingly the home side in complete control.
The Wands remained patient though and got their just rewards, the excellent on the night David Ijaha with a superb volley got the visitors back into the tie and reminded the home side the game wasn’t over yet.
The Urchins certainly sat back a fair bit and invited Cray onto them, having already brought on Yahaya Bamba to inject some pace into proceedings, Smith introduced two more changes up top Dajon Golding and Destiny Oladipo to try and force an equaliser.
Opportunities and half chances did come Cray’s way but it took until the 89th minute for a goal to arrive, just as it looked like the play off run was over for the visitors.
Golding beat his full back not for the first time and crossed for Nyron Clunis to volley home from a few yards out to keep Cray in the game and force extra time.
Not long had everyone settled in for a further 30 minutes than Hornchurch were back in front, Higgins firing past Rowley for his second of the game and Cray needing to respond again.
And respond they did in the second period of extra time, a peach of a strike from Sam Wood gave Wright no chance with the keeper rooted to the spot and the scores level again.
The visitors certainly looked the more likely to score in the remaining seven minutes but couldn’t find a way past Wright again and the tie went to penalties after a breath-taking 120 minutes.
With Cray missing two spot kicks it was left to former Wand Chris Dickson to score the winning penalty and send the Urchins into Monday’s final, heartbreak for the visitors after getting back into the game more than once, but coming up just short.
A very competitive well-played game by both sides, exciting and both sides giving their all, great support for both teams as well and very encouraging to see so many youngsters behind the home side, the lifeblood of any club is getting kids woven into the fabric of the club and becoming the next generation of supporters.
An excellent year for Neil Smith, Tim O’Shea and the team, they wanted to be at the right end of the table and a huge transformation as mentioned already, no doubt they will be looking to improve even further next season and hopefully go one better next time around.