After the drama and tension of the FA Cup in midweek, Cray Wanderers return to league action on Saturday with a trip to North London to face Haringey Borough at Coles Park.
The match pits two sides still with FA Cup ambitions and two of three sides from the Isthmian Premier to make it to the 4th Qualifying Round along with Bishop’s Stortford. Cray will travel to Isthmian North Canvey Island next Saturday while Haringey Borough face a tough tie at Maldon & Tiptree in a bit to reach the 1st Round for the second time in three seasons.
The drama came in bucket loads on Tuesday night down in Bristol with the Wands drawing 3-3 with Bristol Manor Farm before prevailing over the Southern League Division One South side on penalties.
Ben Mundele’s first goal of the season had given Cray an early lead and two Freddie Parker goals taking his tally to the season to seven had Cray leading 3-1 at the break.
However, Mundele was perhaps unfortunate to be sent off on half time and also a worrying situation for Rhys Murrell-Williamson led to the winger going off and being taken to hospital.
The West Country side pulled the game back to 3-3 but Cray finished the game strongly and held their nerve to reach the 4th Qualifying Round for only the second time after the gutwrenching tension of the penalties.
The win at Bristol helped Cray bounce back after only a short rest period between losing at home for the first time since Boxing Day against Bishop’s Stortford last Sunday where Parker scored again before the visitors scored three in the second half to win.
Despite that defeat Cray are still well placed in the table, currently eighth on 9 points after the midweek games and have a couple of midweek home league matches to follow.
Tom Loizou’s Haringey Borough have made a terrific start to the season and are fourth with 12 points and so far have beaten Corinthian Casuals 2-1 away on the opening day of the season then beat Bognor Regis Town 2-1 at home before falling to their only defeat so far, 0-1 at home to Leatherhead. Then bounced back in the league with a 3-1 home win against East Thurrock United before winning 3-0 at Brightlingsea Regent last Saturday.
In the FA Cup so far, Haringey like Cray have scored 12 goals to get to the 4th Qualifying Round beating Tunbridge Wells 5-1 at home, then beat Chertsey 2-0 also at home and completed a hat-trick of home wins by beating Bracknell Town 5-1 on Tuesday with Rakim Richards, Alfie Bawling, Georgios Aresti, Djassi-Sambu and Daniel Akindayini scoring.
After a bright start to last season, Haringey were 15th when the season ended but knocked Cray out of the FA Cup in the 3rd Qualifying Round 1-0 at home on 5th October before losing to Yeovil Town in the final qualifying round.
The only league game took place at Hayes Lane on 14th September, 2019 finishing in a 1-1 draw with Joe Taylor converting a penalty for Cray. The corresponding league game set for 4th April never took place with the season ending early in March.
This promises to be a tough but exciting game on the 3G surface at Haringey but with Cray still nicely placed in the admittedly early league season can be confident of making it another exciting match.
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