Cray Wanderers entertain Heybridge Swifts in the Ryman League Division One North at Hayes Lane on Saturday looking to try and turn round a recent poor run of form which has seen them slip from first to third in the table and be engulfed by the play off pack nearly all of whom have games in hand on them.

Heybridge make the trip down from rural Essex looking for points to ease their relegation worries sitting one place above the drop zone with 21 points from 31 games, 40 points less than The Black and Ambers have accrued from the same amount of matches.

The Swifts picked up a point in their local derby with Witham Town last Saturday drawing 2-2 having lost their previous four league games and they beat Aveley 3-2 in the semi final of the Essex Senior Cup on Tuesday and will be looking to take that momentum into this game.

Having drawn one and lost the three of the last four league games Cray boss Tony Russell has been very critical of his players in the press, conceding the title race after the defeat to Brightlingsea and promising personnel changes in the squad.

Joe Vines (Chatham Town) and Andre McCollin (Kingstonian) left before this game while Nathan Fox has been picked up by Brentford’s Development squad. Uche Ibemere will be out for some time with a double leg break, but The Wands have recruited centre back Jay Leader from Grays to add some strength to the back line with more additions expected.   

There was no positive response as they suffered another loss this time to strugglers Waltham Abbey 2-1 last Saturday.

With both sides in need if a win at opposite ends of the table this should be another keenly contested match with a lot at stake as the season shapes up into the final quarter.