Cray Wanderers return to league action tonight after a three week break for cup ties with Chatham Town the visitors to Flamingo Park for the first of three successive home league matches. Kick off 7.45 pm.
Cray will come into the game looking to move off the bottom of the table but at this stage have only played 7 league matches with four points but with 35 games still to play there is plenty of time to attain consistency and move up the table.
On Saturday, Cray exited the FA Cup at the 4th Qualifying Round stage despite a valiant effort and performance against Tonbridge Angels and in the last fifteen minutes came close through Anthony Cook, David Smith, Tom Bonner and others to forcing what would have been a merited replay.
For the game with Tonbridge the performance of the back four with Darion Dowrich, Quade Taylor, Tom Bonner and Ike Orji was exceptional and the only goal came when Taylor was requiring treatment off the pitch and the team down to ten men. Also there were positive impacts off the bench with David Smith, Anthony Cook, Imran Kayani and new signing Calvin Ekpiteta coming on and the Wands ended the game well and on the front foot.
With Cray now out of the FA Cup and FA Trophy, the attention now turns to the league and looking to get a consistent run of results going and moving up the table.
However, Chatham Town will provide tough opposition and last season’s beaten Isthmian Premier playoff finalists will also be looking to push themselves up the table. Kevin Hake’s side are 18th in the table with eight points but have only played eight matches. Like Cray, Chatham had a good FA Cup run, losing in the 3rd Qualifying Round at home to Slough Town after beating Westfield and Welling United.
Their last league match was a 2-3 defeat at Hastings United on 1st October with Chatham scoring twice in added on time when 0-3 down through Rowan Liburd and Stuart O’Keefe. They did advance in the FA Trophy after a 1-0 home win vs Wingate & Finchley on 5th October with a first half goal from Jordy Mongoy. Chatham travel to Bowers & Pitsea in the 1st Round on 26th October.
In the league away from home Chatham have won at Bowers & Pitsea (2-0) but were beaten at Lewes (0-2), Dartford (1-3) and Hastings United (2-3). At home Chatham beat Dulwich Hamlet (3-1) and drew with Billericay Town (1-1) and Hendon (2-2) and were beaten by Canvey Island (1-3).
The teams did meet as recently as 24th September in the Kent Senior Cup at Chatham Town which Cray won 2-1 with goals from Smith and Cook with Mongoy scoring for Chatham but both teams will have a different look to that night and much more full strength.
Last season’s encounters saw Cray produce one of the performances of the season to win 5-1 at Chatham on 9th September, 2023 with goals from Frankie Raymond (2), Cameron Thompson, Nyren Clunis and Jamie Mascoll scoring with Jack Munns scoring for Chatham, The two sides met at Hayes Lane on Good Friday and finished in a 2-2 draw with Jack Holland and Alfie Evans scoring for Cray and Harvey Bradbury and Francis Mampolo on target for Chatham.
This should be a great game finishing under the lights and with the first real touch of chill you would feel as the Wands play their first home league game since 7th September.
Admission £12 adults, £6 concessions/U16’s-13s on gate or online at www.cray-wanderers.com/tickets/ with printed match programme, £3, golden goals, merchandise + hot food/drinks/bars available.