Three Bridges 0 Cray Wanderers 2: Bridges out of League Cup

But they played a lot of good football during the evening and were denied by a mixture of good defending and sloppy finishing.

Since sacking their manager two weeks ago, Cray have virtually put together a new side both on and off the field.

Bridges’ keeper Martin Grant had to make the first save of the night though when he pushed away Helge Orome’s fourth minute effort, and Grant soon had to make another great save to deny Joshua Kennedy.

In between Samson Djimah shot just over, and then it was the turn of Elliott Romain, whose great 20th minute shot was somehow deflected for a corner.

England Under-18s international Charlie Grainger, who is on loan from Leyton Orient, then made a good low save to keep out another Romain effort following a neat lay-back by Abu Touray, and it obviously wasn’t going to be Romain’s day when Grainger managed to deflect another solid effort away.

Charlie Leach somehow missed a golden chance and a minute into added time at the end of the first half a great cross by Aaron Day found Alex Stavrinou unmarked at the far post, and he guided his header perfectly over a helpless Grant.

Grainger pushed away a long range effort from Adrian Todd, who made an impressive full debut, but then two players somehow failed to connect with Lee Carney’s low cross.

Williams Peauroux had a volley well held, Romain shot wide from a lovely Marcus Elliott cross,

Carney had a volley held and also hit the top of the crossbar, and three minutes into added time his free-kick went just over the bar. Hopes of a penalty shoot out had already disappeared before substitute Jordan Clarke showed good movement and an equally polished finish to double Cray’s tally in the dying seconds and send their loyal followers home happy.

Bridges: M.Grant, S.Djimah, C.Leach (G.Pritchard, 67), M.Maxwell, L.Forsdick (J.Phillips, h-t), A.Todd (H.Nourse, 77), W.Peauroux, L.Carney, E.Romain, A.Touray, M.Elliott. Unused Subs. - M.Casselman, J.Aibangbee.

Aerotron Man of the Match: Samson Djimah