The curtain is brought down on Bostik South football for 2017 on Saturday as Cray Wanderers look to extend their 17 game unbeaten run against Faversham Town at Hayes Lane.

Kick off is 3pm.  Games against Faversham are always tight affairs and this promises to be no different.

Cray come into the game on the back of Boxing Day’s 7-0 home win against Shoreham.  A devastating display of attacking football saw the Wands go 3-0 up at the break despite losing Michael Power to an early injury through well crafted goals by Michael Freiter, Aaron Rhule and Freddie Parker.  In the second half early goals from Rhule and Parker gave Cray even more comfort and added two more goals in the last seven minutes through the returning Karl Dent and skipper Lea Dawson.  Cray also hit the woodwork four times so certainly put in a fine attacking performance.

The defence also had another shut out making it 12 clean sheets this season and also improved the goal difference to +41.  This makes Cray Wanderers the leading scorers in the Bostik South (57) and also have conceded the least (16) in 24 games.

I would hint though not to get carried away.  Wands fans may remember beating Horsham 8-0 in the FA Trophy on the Saturday but then drew 0-0 at Faversham a couple of days later.  That game on 10^th October was as difficult an away game as any Cray have faced against a resolute and determined Lilywhites side and although Cray had some chances second half a 0-0 draw was a just result on the night.

Another big factor has been the 3G surface at Hayes Lane which has copped a fair amount of rain in the last few days.  Certainly in the past games like Boxing Day’s and even this one would have been in serious doubt on the grass pitch following the wet weather.

Faversham come into the game on the back of two defeats over the festive season including a 3-1 defeat at Herne Bay on Boxing Day with Ashley Miller’s goal coming right at the end of the game.  Despite a slow start to the season where they won 2 of their opening 10 games following the draw with Cray results starting to improve and they sit 18^th in the league table with 29 points and very well safe from relegation.

Ray Turner’s side have won four matches on their travels this season, against VCD Athletic (5-0) on the opening day of the season, Phoenix Sports (1-0), Sittingbourne (2-1) and Thamesmead Town (3-2).  They picked up points at Chipstead, Whyteleafe and Shoreham and were beaten at Walton Casuals (3-4), Carshalton Athletic (1-2), Hythe Town (0-3), Ramsgate (2-3), Hastings United (0-1) and Herne Bay (1-3).  At home they picked up 3 points against Sittingbourne (1-0), VCD Athletic (3-1), East Grinstead Town (3-1) and South Park (2-1) and drew with Cray Wanderers and Greenwich Borough.  They lost at home to Ramsgate, Herne Bay, Corinthian Casuals, Guernsey, Horsham, Hythe Town and Walton Casuals.  Leading league scorer is Luke Griffiths with 10 goals.

In Cup competitions they reached the 2^nd Qualifying Round of the FA Cup after beating Croydon in a replay (2-1) and impressively beat Tonbridge Angels (3-1) at home before losing 0-4 at National South Wealdstone.  In the FA Trophy they were beaten at Waltham Abbey in the Preliminary Round. In the Isthmian League Cup were beaten at home by Hythe Town and in the Kent Senior Cup lost at home to Sittingbourne.