Cray Wanderers and Herne Bay meet for the first of two matches in three days as Sunday football returns to Hayes Lane, weather permitting.  Kick off at Hayes Lane is at 3pm.  The two teams meet again at Winch’s Field on Wednesday, 1^st February.

It seems a long time ago now since that gritty point was gained at Corinthian Casuals on 14^th January but the recent cold spell has meant the postponement of the two league matches since against Tooting & Mitcham United and Corinthian Casuals due to a frozen pitch.  Despite this Cray boss Tony Russell has seen positives in that he has been able to freshen things up in regards to training and also the re-signing of Leigh Bremner (a former Herne Bay player) gives him an experienced and classy option up front.  With Danny Haynes suspended we are likely to see Luke Medley play possibly alongside Bremner.  Lee Prescott will also be missing from the midfield area due to suspension.  Karl Dent with three goals in four games has been in a rich vein of form whilst Lea Dawson has been playing extremely well and helps keep things ticking over and defensively particularly at Hastings and at Corinthian Casuals the whole defence was disciplined and resolute.  The feeling around the club despite the postponements is positive and that the club can kick on with their playoff push for the remainder of the season with the emphasis on improving consistency as this would be a great time to put a good run of points together.

 

Cray are currently in ninth place, eight points behind fifth placed Carshalton Athletic but with plenty of games to come including matches against teams in the top half of the table, many of them at home there is still plenty of room for optimism.

Sam Denly’s Herne Bay come into the game in 17^th place in the league table having consolidated after a slow start to the season left them in the bottom three but a four game winning run in the autumn moved them up the table.  Since the December 6^th contest between the sides was abandoned due to fog, two wins over Christmas at Ramsgate and at home to Chatham gave them breathing space away from the relegation places and they won impressively 4-3 at high flying Dorking Wanderers on 7^th January to continue the momentum.  Since then they have lost their last two league games both against Lewes but they haven’t played a game since January 16^th when they were knocked out of the Kent Senior Cup by Dover, 0-1 at Winch’s Field.  Since we travelled to Herne Bay they have signed veteran marksman, Ian Pulman formerly of Margate, Ramsgate and Whitstable Town who is a proven goalscorer.   Leading scorers are Mark Lovell and Danny Williams each with eight goals.

With a meeting so quickly following Sunday we should get to know each other quite well.  Games at Hayes Lane are rarely dull and Kent derbies are extremely competitive and could be a real cracker to warm the supporters on what could be a chilly Sunday afternoon.