WITHAM TOWN 1 CRAY WANDERERS 2

Ryman League division north

Witham Town showed they can match the top teams in Ryman League division north but ended up losing a tight match 2-1 against leaders Cray Wanderers.

There wasn’t much between the two sides at the Village Glass Stadium and Witham had plenty of attacking intent but they were made to pay for two first-half lapses.

The visitors arrived with a five-point cushion at the summit of the division north and the last thing Witham would have wanted was to concede an early goal.

Unfortunately for the hosts, that was exactly what happened with just five minutes on the clock.

A cross from left by Grant Basey was played into the middle of the Town box and as Simon Glover tried to head it clear, the ball glanced off him and was deflected past Lewis Down in the home goal.

It was a setback, but Witham responded well to it and they pressed Cray back with Nathan Korentang, Michael Osei and Ryan Charles all looking to run at the visitors’ defence.

They couldn’t create much in the way of clear-cut chances, though, and it was Cray who went further ahead in the 23rd minute.

With Witham appealing for offside, the ball was turned in by Wanderers’ Ben Hunt to open a two-goal advantage for the visitors, but just as they did to the first goal, Witham responded well again.

Lance Akins headed the ball against the crossbar from a corner in the 27th minute and Osei tried his luck from distance, with Cray keeper Nick Blue only just holding on to the swerving and dipping ball.

It preserved his team’s lead but Witham got their reward before the break.

In the 41st minute, a Ryan Charles free-kick from the right was met by a back heel from Lee Townrow and the ball looped over Blue and into the goal to halve the deficit at the break.

It was boost for Witham and their endeavour continued in the second half when Charles raced forward and fired in an effort that Blue had to save with his feet and they kept pressing in search of an equaliser as incessant rain kept falling.

However, Cray also maintained a serious threat and it took a great save from Down to keep out a free-kick by Basey in the 70th minute.

Down was also required to keep his side in touch with six minutes remaining as he made a great save to deny Hunt a second goal of the day and Artan Tajbakhsh could only lift the loose ball over the bar from the rebound.

Witham did press as the game neared the close but an equaliser just wouldn’t come and they were unable to gain the point that much of their play deserved.