A hat trick on Adrian Stone’s return to the starting line up helped Cray to victory in the London Senior Cup against a determined and skilful Tower Hamlets side at the Mile End Stadium.

There were several changes to the side that played at Waltham Abbey with debuts for Brian Lockett, Adam Akinremi and Baris Boyzigit. Danny Lye, Steve Springett and Tom O’Connor were back after a few weeks out injured.

After a fairly undistinguished first quarter of an hour the Wands took the lead with a piece of genuine class from Stone. Isa’s through ball caught out the Hamlets offside trap and Stone deceived the keeper with a deft chip and then ran through to tap the ball into an empty net.

This however acted as a spur for the home side who got back into the match with a good ten minutes after the goal. The lively Randell Williams and Nasser Bello were unlucky with good shots which went just over the top. Yusuf Ali also shot just over the top as Tower Hamlets continued to threaten down the right.

Tower Hamlets got the goal they had been threatening on 32 minutes when Ashley Thomas’s jinking run took him into the area and he hit a great finish into the top corner of the net.

Cray almost took the lead again straight away when Steve Springett found his way into the box and his shot was blocked by Tope Okeamu and Stone knocked the rebound over the top. Hamlets had the ball in the net disallowed for offside as they ended the half on top.

Half Time: 1-1

The introduction of Ian Daly at half time helped to give Cray a bit more of a foothold in the match but Tower Hamlets had the best chance of the early part of the half when another jinking run from Thomas saw him shoot just wide. Thomas also tested Nick Taylor with a shot from 25 yards.

In the last twenty minutes Cray started to take control with Daly being a major factor. First he was unlucky when his shot towards goal was turned over the bar by Kobie Ambrose. Then Kery Kedze tested Okeamu with a shot on goal before Daly sent two identical shots just wide of the goal. Max Fitzgerald had a header on goal from a corner as Hamlets were starting to tire.

In the 81st minute Cray retook the lead when Hussein Isa’s corner was flicked on by Daly to Stone to score with a simple finish.

Tower Hamlets were reduced to ten men going into the last five minutes when Albert Zuquelli was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Any hopes for the home side were finished off in the last minute of the game when Stone completed his hat trick with an explosive finish from just outside the area.

As a result of this victory Cray will now be away to Wingate and Finchley in the second round.

Cray: Nick Taylor, Brian Lockett, Steve Springett, CJ Williams, Max Fitzgerald, Danny Lye, Tom O’Connor (Kery Kedze, H/T), Hussein Isa, Adrian Stone, Adam Akinremi (Ian
Daly H/T), Baris Boyzigit: Subs: Gary Beckett, C. Ives

Booked: Kedze

Tower Hamlets: Tope Okeamu, Kobie Ambrose, Raymer Cedras, Limanu Mohammed (Adam Barhibe, 55), Albert Zuquelli, Ishanta Hamilton-Williams (Abraha Uboja), Yusuf Ali, F. Ndeo Mohammed, Ashley Thomas, Nasser Bello (Anthony Ikemwe, 55), Randell Williams

Sent Off: Zuquelli 86
Booked: Hamilton-Williams

Referee: Ryan Whitaker
Assistants: Mauricio Puentes, Hossain Tavaakoli

Att. 83