If ever there was a match affected by a referees decision this was it.
2-1 down and pushing strongly for an equaliser, the game was thrown on its head by a double sending off in circumstances that leave a lot to be desired. It will be appealed but it won't change the result.

We started off well enough and kept Cray Valley down to long range pot shots whilst pressing well ourselves.  We weren't helped when Dwayne Patrice went off injured at right back after 10 minutes, and it was from that side of the pitch that the first goal came, as our back four were too spread out, allowing a Cray forward too much time and space to finish off a driven cross.  However, we came back strongly and a long ball out of defence found Billy Jackson in space, and an impudent bit of skill, knocking the ball over the defender and then calmly slotting home meant we went in at half-time on level terms. 

H-T 1-1.

The second half saw a disastrous start.  Cray scoring straight from the kick-off as we failed to close them down all through the side.  However, the next 5 minutes or so saw us starting to press and we created a couple of half chances which should have been finished off, before disaster struck and we were reduced to 9 men.  Given the appeal I won't comment too much, but suffice to say it was not justified.  Reverting to a 3-4-1 formation, we continued to battle well but the Cray Valley numbers eventually proved too much and they scored 3 times in the last 15 minutes to put a gloss to a scoreline that wasn't deserved.  One to chalk down to experience.

Coney Hall 1 v 5 Cray Valley (PM)

Team: Daniel Coles, Dwayne Patrice (Dean Davenport), Ashley McLean-Elliot, Anton Johnson, Jason Lincoln, Mark Cecil, Jason Coates (John Fowler), Jamie Baker, Billy Jackson, Peter Allen, Luke Jenner (Jermaine Adan).

Goalscorer; Billy Jackson