Cray Wanderers vs Beckenham Town – Pre-Season Friendly – Saturday 5th July, 2 pm – Match Preview
Pics: Ben Keyes, Steve Cullum, Tommy McMillan, Jon Hilliger.
Cray Wanderers begin the first of six pre-season games on Saturday 5th July as Beckenham Town make their first appearance at Flamingo Park. Please note the ko time of 2 pm.
Wands manager Tim O’Shea assisted this season by Mark Stimson and Roy Brooke will go into pre-season with a squad with some new and familiar faces as the squad for the 2025-26 season takes shape.
Since the end of last season and thinking ahead, Cray were able to retain the services of defenders Tom Bonner, Remi Sutton and Quade Taylor, midfielders/wingers, Frankie Raymond and Lateef Adaja and also Josh Williams amidst quite a clamour for his signature (all pictured). Departing the club were Shaun Rowley, Darion Dowrich, Eze Ebouzeme and Nyren Clunis.
Into the club have come goalkeeper Harry Seaden, left back Frankie Morgan, midfielder Luke Allen and forward players, Tyrese Briscoe, Nodirbek Bobomorudov and Alex Hernandez. With a strong U23s side producing first team players last season like Tom Borders, Victor Damyanov, Freddie Warwick, Kevin Kardel, Michael Ihiedi and more the team looks solid going into the opening pre-season weekend. More names could be added as Tosh has a look at any trialist players.
Harry Seaden
Frankie Morgan
Luke Allen
Nodirbek Bobomurodov
Tyrese Briscoe
Alex Hernandez
Beckenham Town will provide quality opposition under new management with former Bromley player Danny Waldren appointed in May. Becks had a very positive season in 2024-25 finished 6th, in the Isthmian South-East just four points outside the playoffs. Their current squad includes some familiar faces for Wands fans in Sam Wood, Jack Holland and George Porter while Reggie Rye came through the Wands youth system.
Their pre-season schedule continues after Saturday against Tonbridge Angels (A) next Saturday, vs Sutton Athletic (H) on 15th July, vs Erith & Belvedere (A), 19th July, Raynes Park Vale (A), 26th July and finally away to Kingstonian on 2nd August.
The Wanda and Beckenham Town were regular opponents in the Kent League days from 1982 and always a friendly relationship between the clubs. More recent fixtures have been pre-season games taking place at Eden Park.
Beckenham | England | 24 July 2021 | Eden Park Avenue
Beckenham Town v Cray Wanderers
Pre-Season Friendly
(Photo: © Jon Hilliger / HilligerPix)
Beckenham Town’s recent history really started in 1971 when the club reformed after the original Beckenham club folded. They played in the London Spartan League from 1977-78 and moved to the Kent League in 1982.
They won the Kent Senior Trophy and League Cup in 2013-14 and remained there until 2021-22 when the club was relocated to the Combined Counties Premier Division South. They won promotion at the first attempt and into the Isthmian League South East for the first time for 2022-23. They had a remarkable first season finishing 4th reaching the playoffs before losing at Whitehawk. The following season saw the club in the relegation places but the club were given a reprieve and recovered well to finish in 64th in 2024-25.
This will be a good early test for the Wands and should be an enjoyable game as players and fans alike get in the swing of things.
Admission £12 adults, £8 concessions, £4 U16s-U13s, and available on the gate or online at www.cray-wanderers.com/tickets/. Season tickets are valid for this and all pre-season games at Flamingo Park and a match programme is available, £2.
