Cray Wanderers return to Isthmian League Premier Division action on Saturday afternoon when they entertain Brightlingsea Regent at Hayes Lane.

Having won their first two league matches, Danny Kedwell’s side have had a difficult run of form lately losing five consecutive games, including an exit from the FA Cup to Sutton Common Rovers, which certainly has not been helped by injuries to key players.

The Wands lost 4-0 away to Corinthian Casuals in their last league outing and have slipped to eighteenth place in the table with 6 points from 6 matches.

After going without a fixture last weekend The Wands played Bromley’s Under 23 side on Wednesday night in a friendly drawing 1-1, with Jack Hanson scoring the Cray equaliser in the second half, the young midfielder’s first appearance since being injured in pre-season and the manager used the game as an opportunity to look at some potential new faces.

Brightlingsea Regent make the trip down from the Essex coast sitting in sixteenth place with 7 points from 7 games, having lost their last two matches 4-1 to Bishop Stortford and 4-0 to Lewes.

Having risen up from the Essex Senior League and Division One North, The Regent are in their fourth season at this level, with Tom Austin having taken over as new manager in the summer.

Lewis Byrne-Hewitt has notched 3 league goals so far for the Essex side, while Cray’s top scorer is Anthony Cook also with 3.  

This is a game both sides really need to win to kick start their campaigns and put some space between themselves and the relegation zone as we head into Autumn and the table starts to take some significant shape.  

Entrance for the game is £10 for adults and £5 for concessions, plus the excellent programme at £2.  

Iamges courtesy of: Jon Hilliger / HilligerPix)