Cray Wanderers play the first of two away matches this week tonight as Neil Smith’s side travel to Hornchurch to face the new Isthmian Premier Champions. 

Kick off is at 7:45pm.

Cray will be looking to bounce back from Friday night’s 1-3 defeat at home to Hashtag United but the Wands away form has been much better than at home in recent weeks and have only lost one of the last six games on the road.  

On Friday night Tom Bonner scored to put Cray back in the game after going 0-2 down at half time with fifteen minutes to go but couldn’t turn the match around and Hashtag added a third near the end making it four games without a win.

The Wands are 16th in the league table after the weekend’s games on 47 points but are safe from relegation and with games to follow against Horsham (A), Bognor Regis Town (H) and Dulwich Hamlet (A) to finish the season can wind down the season without too much stress.

Congratulations are in order for Hornchurch who on Saturday were confirmed as Isthmian Premier Champions with five games to spare after a 2-1 win at home to Chatham Town, the Urchins nearest contenders.  F

emi Akinwande put Hornchurch ahead in the 64th minute for his 22nd goal of the season before Chatham equalised two minutes from time. 

However, there was still time for Liam Nash to score his 20th goal of the season four minutes into added on time to win the game and title. 

Hornchurch have 88 points from 37 games and also have scored the most goals (88) and conceded the fewest (29) so there can be no doubt that Hornchurch are deserved champions.

When the two sides met at Hayes Lane on 15th October, Hornchurch were 4-1 winners with goals from Liam Nash (2), Tom Wraight and Ollie Muldoon with Nyren Clunis scoring for Cray. 

The last meeting at Hornchurch was a dramatic night on 26th April, 2023 in the playoff semi-final which finished 3-3 after extra time as Cray twice came from behind to take the game to penalties with goals from David Ijaha, Nyren Clunis and Sam Wood after Sam Higgins (2) and Liam Nash put Hornchurch 2-0 and 3-2 up.

Ultimately Cray were beaten on penalties but produced a fine performance and came close to reaching the final which Hornchurch lost at home to Aveley.

Daryl McMahon took over as manager at the end of January after Steve Morison’s departure. At home Hornchurch have beaten Margate (4-1), Hashtag United (3-0), Dulwich Hamlet (2-1), Hastings United (4-1), Bognor Regis Town (4-1), Folkestone Invicta (4-2), Enfield Town (2-0), Potters Bar Town (3-0), Canvey Island (2-0), Cheshunt (1-0), Haringey Borough (3-0), Billericay Town (4-1), Concord Rangers (1-0) and Chatham Town (2-1). Hornchurch drew with Carshalton Athletic (1-1), Whitehawk (0-0), Lewes (1-1) and Horsham (1-1) with the only defeat being against Wingate & Finchley (1-2) on 30th March.

Away from home Hornchurch won at Horsham (2-1), Wingate & Finchley (4-1), Haringey Borough (2-1), Cray Wanderers (4-1), Cheshunt (6-0), Kingstonian (3-0), Enfield Town (2-1), Folkestone Invicta (2-0), Dulwich Hamlet (3-2), Concord Rangers (3-0), Bognor Regis Town (2-1) and Whitehawk (4-0) and drew at Lewes, Carshalton Athletic and Billericay Town with the only defeats at Chatham Town and Hastings United. 

Cray generally have tended to fare better at Hornchurch in recent seasons winning four times there in the Isthmian Premier years with the last win being in August 2021 (2-1) than at home but definitely will be a tough but exciting challenge for the Wands and should be a great game and occasion.

Admission £12/£7/£3 – Match Programme: £2.