After a tremendous season for Cray and after one of the clubs greatest ever weeks the Wands set off for Harlow Town in their biggest match for years in the Ryman North Playoff Semi Final.

If we think back to this time last year when Cray put together a 10 game winning run to avoid relegation back to the Southern Counties East League, to where we are now, two knockout games away from a return to the Ryman Premier after a two season absence. This goes to show what a remarkable twelve months this has been for our great and distinguished club.

To reach the playoffs is a difficult task and each season, four teams vie for one additional promotion place to join the champions of the division and the race for the playoffs adds excitement and keeps possibilities open right up to the end of the season.

Tony Russell’s side clinched a playoff place back on the 5th April and are feeling in confident mood having won their last five away games to end the season with a flourish.

Harlow however will be tough opponents tomorrow and Danny Chapman’s side have worked their way through the league after a slow start to the season and finished in third place and finished their league campaign with a 1-0 win at champions AFC Sudbury on Saturday.

Playoff games/Semi-Finals tend generally to be very tense affairs with the thought of a mistake or a costly miss becoming crucial. There is also the possibility of the game going the distance either in extra time or going to penalties and the nerve shredding excitement that brings.

Whatever happens, this has been a fine season for Tony’s team and despite setbacks during the season have maintained a sense of fair play and always looked to play football the right way with the emphasis on attack. Harlow play on a 3G pitch and are a very pacey side but Cray overall have played well on 3G and the two teams played out an entertaining 1-1 draw at the Harlow Arena in November.

For many Wands fans the playoffs bring back memories of previous league campaigns that ended with a shot at promotion and this will be the fourth occasion since promotion to the Ryman League the Wands have been involved in the playoffs.

The first time was in Cray’s first season in the Ryman League Division One, as it was then back in 2004-05 (the last season, Cray met Bromley, winning 5-2 at home in league action) and finished sixth. The Wands were beaten 1-3 at Horsham in the semi-final with Ross Lover on target that evening.

Then in 2007-08 after finishing third in the Ryman Division One South, the Wands defeated Metropolitan Police, 2-0 at Hayes Lane in the semi-final with goals by Jamie Wood and Lover once again. Cray would eventually lose 0-1 at Tooting and Mitcham in the final.

The following season, 2008-09 Cray would not be denied and after coming second in the Ryman South defeated Worthing 1-0 at Hayes Lane in the semi-final courtesy of another Jamie Wood goal. They then gained promotion to the Ryman Premier for the first time via Simon Osborn’s goal to beat the Met Police at home in the final.

Harlow meanwhile have now reached the Ryman North playoffs for the last three seasons having reached the final, in 2013-14 beating Heybridge Swifts in the semi-final before losing 3-0 at Witham Town in the final. Then last season having come second in the league, were beaten 4-3 at home by Thurrock in an exciting semi-final after extra-time.

This promises to be a great game tomorrow and whatever the outcome, the Wands have given their great band of supporters a lot to be proud of this season and Cray are most definitely in with a shout of reaching the final on Sunday, 1st May.

Kick off at the Harlow Arena is 7.45pm.