January seems to have flown by very quickly and Saturday sees the final game of the month for Cray Wanderers as they travel to Faversham Town in what is always a difficult game.  Kick off at Salters Lane is 3pm.

Cray come into the game in very good form and on a five game winning run since the solitary defeat at Horsham on 15^th December.  Those five games were all very tricky games and closely fought encounters including last Saturday’s 3-1 home win against VCD Athletic.  This was a very good three points for Cray against a side which has won since and two superb strikes from Freddie Parker and Ben Mundele broke put Cray in command until the visitors got back into with a penalty.  Cray had to play the last half hour with ten men following Archie Johnson’s dismissal but the Wands got through and via Tom Phipp’s last minute penalty, Cray picked up another three points.

Since then, Johnson’s sending off has been rescinded which means no suspension this weekend.  There were some very good performances throughout the side on Saturday with Parker and Mundele in particular standing out and there was another solid defensive display.

Cray’s lead at the top remains ten points but no-one is getting carried away and there is so much football to be played as we head for the final three months of the season, feet are still very much firmly on the ground although it has to be said these are exciting times.

Faversham Town always provide stern opposition for Cray at Salters Lane and they come into the game on the back of a win in an East Kent Derby at Whitstable Town last Saturday.  Faversham came from a goal down to win 2-1 with goals from joint top league scorer Ashley Miller and David Cook.  This moved them up to 16^th in the league table with 19 points.

When the two sides met at Hayes Lane on 9^th October, Cray were in great form and won 7-2 with Parker scoring a hat-trick alongside goals from Barney Williams, Junior Dadson (2) and Mundele.  Goals from Miller and Michael Jenner were consolations goals that afternoon.  Since then, Faversham have come a new management duo of Phil Miles and a man Wands supporters remember with great affection, Danny Chapman who was a key member of the side which won promotion to the Bostik Premier in 2008-09.

Faversham’s home form has seen wins against Guernsey (2-1). Sevenoaks Town (3-1) and Sittingbourne (3-1) and picked up draws against East Grinstead Town (1-1), Hastings United (2-2), and Herne Bay (1-1). They were beaten at home but Ashford United (0-4), Haywards Heath Town (2-4), Horsham (0-2) and Whitstable Town (1-2).  Their win at Whitstable last week was their second on the road after winning at Three Bridges (4-2). They drew at Phoenix and lost their remaining matches at Ashford United, Cray Wanderers, Greenwich Borough, Hythe Town, Ramsgate, Sevenoaks Town, VCD Athletic and Whyteleafe.  Their joint leading league scorers are Ashley Miller and Harry Goodger with 7 goals.

Last season Faversham Town finished 19^th in the Bostik South and the last time the two sides met at Faversham was in October 2017 and the game finished in a 0-0 draw on a Tuesday night match.

Despite what has been a difficult season at times Faversham are always tough opponents and Cray will have to be at their very best and most focused to come away with another three points.