Wands knocked out

Cray Wanderers 1-2 Burgess Hill Town
The FA Carlsberg Trophy
First Round Qualifying
3pm, Sunday 18 October 2009
Hayes Lane, Bromley FC

Burgess Hill Town, seventh in the Isthmian Division One South, beat the team currently 18th in the Premier Division in yesterday’s FA Trophy tie at Hayes Lane. The Sussex side deserved the win for some enterprising attacking play in the second half after a goalless first period.

Cray were on top at the start, with Lewis Wood and Leigh Bremner buzzing around the Burgess Hill goal and left-winger Jamie Wood supplying some astute passes into the danger area. But the visitors had two huge centre-backs in Danny Gainsford and Matt Hurley, who were both well over six foot, and they proved to be an almost impenetrable barrier.

For all their possession in that first half Cray produced just one serious chance, Hillians ‘keeper smothering Lewis Wood’s low shot and grabbing the loose ball amongst some flailing boots. At the other end, in rare forays, Lloyd Skinner hit two left-footers wide of the far post and Jon Lansdale’s venomous free-kick shaved a post after being dropped by Jack Smelt.

Immediately in the second half, Burgess Hill looked more confident going forward and they scored after just four minutes. Lloyd Cotton struck firmly from 20 yards and the ball deflected off a defender before looping into the air and dropping gently into the far corner of the net. The Wands hit back with as much force as they could muster, with Bremner and substitute George Porter always at the sharp end, but the visitors defended in numbers and with great tenacity.

It looked bleak for Cray as Burgess Hill made it 2-0 on 82 minutes. They had left gaps at the back, particularly on the flanks, and Danny Curd moved in unchallenged from the left and steadied himself before firing past Smelt. Cray didn’t give up and finally got their reward in the second minute of five minutes’ stoppage time. A throw-in was cleared to substitute Tyrone Sterling inside the box and his half-volley whistled into the net. But there were no further scares for Hillians as they advanced to the Second Round Qualifying.

Attendance: 149