Cray Wanderers return to league action on Saturday following last weekend’s Storm Eunice impacted break with a trip to Horsham. 

Kick off at the Camping World Community Stadium is 3pm.

Grant Basey’s Wands side will be looking to build on two encouraging performances away from home at Wingate & Finchley and Folkestone Invicta which deserved to yield more than the one point gained.  Cray are currently 19^th in the Isthmian Premier League table on 27 points and have eleven games to go as we begin to enter the last two months of the season and plenty of points on offer.

With the break last weekend it did give time for a much needed breather after a long run of league matches since November and hope to have Sam Wood back after missing the last two games with injury while loanee keeper from Millwall U23s, Joe Wright has been signed for a month to help cover for the injured Bailey Vose.  Also Cray Wanderers have made the signings of defender Denzel Williams and striker Narcis-Florin Filip.  The Wands also have extended Nazir Bakrin’s loan spell from Charlton Athletic for another month keeping him with the Wands until the end of March.

The Wands will be looking for a similar performance to the one on 8^th December when Cray upset the form book by beating a Horsham side who had won their last seven games 3-1 at Hayes Lane with goals from Kyel Reid, Chris Dickson and Jamie Yila. Charlie Harris responded with an injury time penalty for Horsham.    

Horsham currently lie 13th in the Isthmian Premier league table with 37 points but have hit a rich vein of scoring form of late with 11 goals in the last 3 home games.  On Tuesday night, the Hornets advanced in the Velocity Trophy with a 5-0 win at home to Corinthian Casuals with goals from Lee Harding (2), Eddie Dsane, Jack Brivio and Will Miles.   

Home form has seen wins against Merstham (3-0) , Margate (2-1), Wingate & Finchley (2-0), East Thurrock United (3-1) and Kingstonian (4-0). They drew with Bognor Regis Town (1-1), Bishop’s Stortford (1-1), Corinthian Casuals (1-1) , Bowers & Pitsea (1-1) and Carshalton Athletic (2-2) with  home defeats to Hornchurch (0-2), Potters Bar Town (1-3), Cheshunt (0-2). Lewes (1-3) and Enfield Town (3-4).  

Despite only winning one of their first ten league games the Hornets had a superb if arduous FA Cup run which saw three ties go to replays and then a very long trip to Carlisle United in the 1^st Round.  Wins against Haywards Heath Town, Kingstonian, Eastbourne Borough and at home to Woking set up the trip to Cumbria which Horsham lost with credit 0-2. In the FA Trophy Horsham were beaten in the 3QR at home to Carshalton Athletic but have advanced to the Semi-Final of the Sussex Senior Cup after wins against Pagham, Hastings United and Saltdean to set up a home tie with BrIghton & Hove Albion.  Shamir Fenelon is the top scorer with 15 goals this season for Dominic Di Paolo’s side.   

This will be only the second time the sides have met at Horsham’s new ground after the sides drew 1-1 on 22^nd October 2019 with both sides promoted from the Isthmian South-East the previous season with both goals in the first half when a Jay Leader header cancelled out a Lea Dawson goal for the home side.  

This has the makings of a good competitive game and a chance perhaps to take a break from the recent bad weather with an enjoyable trip to Sussex. Admission Adults – £11, Seniors (over 60)/U18s/Students – £6, U16s £2, U5s Free.

Pics: Jon Hilliger – www.hilligerpix.com