Cray Wanderers go into the final month of the season on Easter Monday with a trip to Margate looking to build on the positives of Friday’s draw with Chatham Town.  

On Friday, Cray were looking to end a run of two consecutive home league defeats against promotion chasing Chatham Town and overall put in a positive performance which merited the point from a 2-2 draw. 

Jack Holland headed his first goal for the Wands in the 21st minute but Chatham turned things around and took the lead by the 63rd minute.  There was a sting in the tail however as five minutes into stoppage time, Alfie Evans came off the bench to fire an equaliser and put Cray onto 46 points from 36 games and in 14th place in the Isthmian Premier.

Cray probably require one more positive result on Monday to confirm safety and go into the game seventeen points clear of Margate in 19th place having both played 36 games.  Cray’s away form has been decent since January and won three of the last five away matches.

Margate are seven points behind 18th placed Cheshunt and Mark Stimson’s side are unbeaten in their last two games and last Tuesday won 1-0 at Cheshunt with ex-Wand Destiny Oladipo scoring in the second half.  On Saturday, their scheduled game at Potters Bar Town was postponed.

When the two sides met at Hayes Lane on Boxing Day the game finished in a tense 0-0 draw.  The corresponding fixture last season was won by Cray, 3-0 on Boxing Day 2022 with goals from Tom Derry, Anthony Cook and Josh Allen and in recent years has become a Bank Holiday fixture.

At home Margate have beaten Whitehawk (2-1), Potters Bar Town (2-1), Chatham Town (2-0), Lewes (2-0) and Canvey Island (3-2) and drawn with Hashtag United (1-1), Kingstonian (2-2), Concord Rangers (1-1) and Enfield Town (1-1). Margate were beaten by Cheshunt (1-2), Hastings United (1-2), Billericay Town (1-3), Folkestone Invicta (0-2), Bognor Regis Town (0-2), Dulwich Hamlet (1-4), and Horsham (1-3).  Away from home, Margate won at Concord Rangers (2-1) and Cheshunt (1-0) and drew at Dulwich Hamlet, Bognor Regis Town and Cray Wanderers and lost at Hornchurch, Folkestone Invicta, Wingate & Finchley, Horsham, Enfield Town, Whitehawk, Lewes, Hastings United, Chatham Town, haringey Borough, Hashtag United and Carshalton Athletic.  Leading scorer is Steve Cawley with 19 goals in all competitions.

There should be a good Easter Monday crowd and with still much to play for could be an exciting game.

Admission £12/£9/£6