Cray Wanderers vs Hanwell Town
FA Cup 1QR – Saturday 30th August, 3 pm – Match Preview
Photos: InFocus Photos
Cray Wanderers bring the curtain down on a busy August on Saturday in a break in league fixtures in the 1st Qualifying Round of the FA Cup as Southern League Premier South Hanwell Town are the visitors to Flamingo Park. 3 pm. Please note Season Tickets are not valid for this game or FA Cup/FA Trophy/County Cup ties.
The Wands come into the game after the Bank Holiday fixtures in 8th place in the Isthmian Premier after a chequered weekend which began with a superb 1-0 win at Billericay Town with ten men courtesy of Chris Dickson’s goal. However, on Monday Cray’s unbeaten start to the season came to an end despite Josh Williams’ early goal putting Cray top of the league as Brentwood Town were ruthlessly efficient with a 5-1 win.
There have been many positives in the first three weeks of the season and ten points from five games still represents a joint best start to an Isthmian Premier League season last matched in 2011-12.
The win at Billericay was attained despite the absence of Remi Sutton and in the second half Quade Taylor and Tom Bonner was also absent on Monday so definitely the effects of a busy start to the season perhaps took its toll by the end of the Brentwood game but I think most supporters would have accepted the start to the season made and the football played.
The FA Cup begins in earnest for the Step 3 clubs this weekend and for the qualifying round at least the tradition remains of a replay to decide the winners. Should Saturday’s game end in a draw the replay would be expected to be played on the evening of Tuesday 2nd September.
Hanwell Town will provide a different type of opposition to what the Wands are used to from the Southern League and will arrive at Flamingo Park with silverware obtained having won the 2024-25 London Senior Cup on 19th August after a 3-0 win vs Brentford B in a Final played at Hanwell. Goals from Elijah Olodunjoye, Taylor Miles and Harry Seabrook proved decisive and earned the London Senior Cup for the third time in the club’s history.
Chris Moore’s team currently site 11th in the Southern League Premier South with seven points from five matches. The Geordies began the season with a 0-1 defeat Poole Town but bounced back to win at home vs Walton & Hersham (1-0) and Yate Town (3-0). Last Saturday as Cray headed east to face Billericay Hanwell were travelling west to visit Gloucester City and were beaten 0-3 but picked up a point at home to Berkhamsted in a 1-1 draw with ex-Chatham Town striker Jordy Mongoy putting Hanwell ahead before an equaliser four minutes into added time. Hanwell Town finished a hugely respectable 8th last season.
The teams haven’t met too many times over the years with the only league meetings coming in the late 1920’s in the London Senior League when Cray played at the old Fordcroft ground in St Mary Cray with Cray winning three, Hanwell two and one draw. Many years passed until we met in the Semi-Final of the London Senior Cup in February 1993 which Hanwell won 2-0 after extra-time. We also met at Hayes Lane in the London Senior Cup in February 2002 with Hanwell again winning 2-1. The final meeting came at Hanwell in the 3rd Qualifying Round of the FA Trophy on 8th October 2022 with Hanwell winning comfortably 3-1 with goals from Dan Rowe, Adam Laaref and Sham Barnwell with Tom Stagg’s injury time goal a mere consolation for Cray.
Hanwell Town FC were formed in 1920 by a group of workers in the Hanwell area originally from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and ever since have adopted have adopted the famous Black and White Stripes. As mentioned above as still a young club Hanwell met Cray Wanderers in the London League for three seasons before dropping into local football until 1970 when they joined the Middlesex County League and then the London Spartan League in the 80’s, a league in which Cray had success in the 1970’ winning the Senior Division title in 1983-84. During this time they moved to their current ground in Perivale.
Hanwell made their FA Cup debut in 1988-89 and to date have reached the 3rd Qualifying Round on three occasions, the last in 2022-23. As a London Spartan League club they won the London Senior Cup two seasons in a row in 1991-92 and 92-93. The league merged with South Midlands League to become the Spartan South Midlands League and remained here apart from one Southern League season in 2006-07 until 2013-14 when they won the Premier title with 111 points. They returned to the Southern League Division One South and East for four seasons and in 2018-19 joined the Isthmian League in the new South-Central Division for four seasons two of which were abandoned. In 2021-22 Hanwell finished 4th in the table and earned promotion to the Southern League via the playoffs winning at Bedfont Sports and at Chertsey Town in the Final. After consolidating in the Southern League Premier South, they achieved their best league placing of 8th last season. One constant at the club over 60+ years has been Chairman Bob Fisher which is remarkable dedication.
This promises to be a tough game for the Wands and one they will have to show their mettle to advance to the 2nd qualifying round as the world’s greatest cup competition reaches arguably its most fascinating stage as non-league teams vie at least to reach the promised land of the 1st Round Proper in November.
Admission £15 adults, £10 concessions, £5 u16s-u13s on the gate or online at www.cray-wanderers.com/tickets – Printed Match Programme £3 (available on the turnstile), merchandise, hot and cold food/drinks, bars – TV screen on Sun Terrace.
——————————————————————-
Cray Wanderers bring August to a close on Saturday as the FA Cup gets underway for the Isthmian Premier League clubs and the Wands face Southern League Premier South Hanwell Town today. Here manager Tim O’Shea in conversation with Wands Radio Luca Viscogliosi reflects on Bank Holiday Monday’s home defeat to Brentwood Town and the need to bounce back this afternoon.
Hello Tosh. Let’s look back to Monday and the defeat to Brentwood Town. Tosh on the whole it was a day to forget really.
Yes without a shadow of a doubt. I mean the final scoreline is a hard one to take. There were certain parts of that game where it could have been so different. If we had gone and scored when we were 1-0 up as we had the chances but didn’t but then again we concede a goal from a set piece. I know what you are going to say and it is becoming a bit of an issue.
It is a disappointment losing 5-1 and the manner of the loss but as a positive after five games we have ten points as a tally and I think we would have all taken that.
How frustrating was it after Harry Seaden saves the penalty for us to switch off and the Brentwood player was left alone at the front post and we were culpable at a couple of other set-pieces too. Is it a case of the players not doing the basics and more to be done in training?
Fortunately we do head the ball on Thursday evenings. These interviews are going out and if you are the opposition you are going to saying stick it in there, stick it in there! With Joe Public listening we need to deal with that problem there is no doubt about it. As a team we do so well during free play and create chances but when it is a game on a bit of a knife edge and an even game that set piece so soon after Harry saves the penalty and everyone is up. Within thirty seconds bang the goal goes in and you could see the team were affected.
After the game how were the lads as I noticed when it went 3-1, 4-1 the heads dropped which is perfectly natural for that sort of a scoreline but is it a case of just picking the team up again now. It had been a good start to the season, ten points and I don’t many could have imagined things going so well until Monday but is it a case of picking the boys up for the FA Cup today, forget about the league and go again.
Yes, definitely. We do have a depleted squad and we’ve lost three of our back four which would be our first choice back four. I think any side in the league is going to struggle without a shadow of a doubt. Fair play though the boys have had a real go. Adrian deserves another mention. He is a right footed player who comes in at left back and did alright. As I say the boys have done really well. The weekend was one of those where perhaps we go to Billericay and lose narrowly and then we play Brentwood and win and you would look at that as a half decent weekend so perhaps we did things arse about face.
It was a shame because if we hadn’t conceded from those set pieces all of a sudden our goal difference is better and we would be two or three places higher in the league. Instead we have gone from 3rd to 8th and on ten points with a handful of other teams. So we are ready to react and not going to get depressed by it even with injuries.
With Quade Taylor suspended I imagine it will be a bit of a headache going into the weekend picking a back four. Hanwell Town are a lively side and are doing well in the Southern League Premier, they’ll look back at the highlights and analyse us. They may well sit deep and look to play the ball into the mixer.
You know what I might have to register myself to play today. That way at least Dicko isn’t the oldest in the squad. Being a centre-half I want to go out there and head the ball anyway. What we’ll do, we will patch the team up, we’ll have Thursday evening to go through things. We would like to go on a decent cup run like last year but it won’t be for the want of trying. The boys were disappointed after Brentwood but I have to remind them, ten points from five games. There are probably sixteen teams in our league that would bite your right arm off for that tally.
DIRECTIONS TO FLAMINGO PARK
DIRECTIONS TO FLAMINGO PARK FOR NEWCOMERS
Flamingo Park Sports & Leisure – Sidcup By-Pass, Chislehurst, Kent BR7 6HL
Flamingo Park lies on the A20 and is the new home of Cray Wanderers and used for the Men and Women’s First Team, U23s, Youth Team games, Academy side and the club house hosts live music and private events. For the 2024-25 season Bexley FC will also play their Kent County League Premier games at Flamingo Park.
By car
From Kent – Via M20 or A2
M20 – Follow the M20 for 16.8 miles then continue on to A20 for 3.6 miles then continue on to Sidcup By-Pass Road/A20 for 1.9 miles. Continue onto Sidcup By-Pass/A20 for 0.3 miles then take a left into the ground entrance and another left for the car park.
A2 – Get on the M2 from A229 for 5.1 miles. After merging onto the M2 after 5.5 miles continue onto Watling Street/A2 for 8.7 miles. Use the left lane to take the M25 (S) slip road to M23 for 0.7 miles. Merge onto the M25 for 2.4 miles then at junction 3, exit towards A20/London (SE)/Swanley for 0.3 miles. At the Swanley interchange, take the 5th exit onto the A20 slip road to London (SE)/Lewisham for 0.8 miles. Merge onto the A20 for 3.5 miles then continue onto Sidcup By-Pass Road/A20 for 1.9 miles. Continue onto Sidcup By-Pass/A20 for 0.3 miles then take a left into the ground entrance and another left for the car park.
From London, North & West
Via A20 – If traveling from London take A3212, A302 and Westminster Bridge Road and at the roundabout take the 3rd exit onto St. George’s Circus/A201 and after 0.3 miles turn left onto New Kent Road/A201 for 0.5 miles. Then keep right staying on New Kent Road/A201 for 0.4 miles and then onto Old Kent Road/A2 for 2.6 miles. Take a slight right onto Amersham Road/A2/A20 then a left onto Amersham Road/A20 for 0.2 miles. Take a slight right onto Lewisham Way/A20 for 1.1 miles and then use the left 3 lanes to turn left onto Rennell Street/A20 for 1.9 miles. Use the right 2 lanes to turn slightly onto Sidcup Road/A20 for 0.3 miles then at the roundabout take the 2nd exit and stay on Sidcup Road/A20 for 3.7 miles. Then take the A222 towards Bromley/Chislehurst/Sidcup for 0.2 miles then at Frognal Corner Roundabout take the 4th exit onto the A20 slip road to C. London/Lewisham for 0.3 miles. Then merge onto the Sidcup By-Pass Road/A20 for 0.6 miles and then onto the Sidcup By-Pass for 0.3 miles. Then take a left into the entrance to the ground and another left into the car park.
From Essex/East Anglia
Via A13 – If traveling from Essex/East Anglia get onto the A13 for 11.6 miles. Use the left lane to take the M25 (N)/M25 (S) slip road to M11/M1/Stansted Airport/Dartford Crossing/A282 for 0.2 miles. At Mardyke Junction take the 1st exit for 0.3 miles and then use the right lane to take the A282 slip road to M25 (S)/Dartford Crossing then keep right at the fork to continue towards A282 for 3.8 miles. Use the right 3 lanes to stay on A282 then follow signs for M20/M23/Gatwick Airport /M25/Channel Tunnel/Dover for 0.6 miles. Continue onto M25 (signs for Dover/M20/Channel Tunnel/M23 for 3.3 miles. At junction 3 exit towards A20/London (SE)/Swanley for 0.3 miles and at Swanley Interchange take the 5th exit onto the A20 slip road to London (SE)/Lewisham for 0.8 miles. Then merge onto the A20 for 3.5 miles, continue onto Sidcup By-Pass Rd/A20 for 1.9 miles and then continue onto the Sidcup By-Pass for 0.3 miles then turn left into the entrance to the ground and then a left into the car park.
From: Sussex/South
If traveling from Sussex/South best get on Hastings Road/Pembury By-Pass/A21 in Kent from A267 and after 9.4 miles continue straight onto Sevenoaks Bypass/A21 for 3.8 miles and then keep right to continue onto M25. After 7.9 miles at junction 3 use the left 2 lanes to take the A20 exit to London/Lewisham/Channel Tunnel/Maidstone/M20 for 0.3 miles. At Swanley Interchange take the 2nd exit onto the A20 slip road to London (SE)/Lewisham for 0.5 miles. Merge onto the A20 for 3.5 miles, continue onto Sidcup By-Pass Rd/A20 for 1.9 miles and then continue onto the Sidcup By-Pass for 0.3 miles then turn left into the entrance to the ground and then a left into the car park.
The Car Park is free for supporters and there should be space between 400 cars on site. Please note bays in front of the main entrance are reserved for club officials.
By Train – Nearest BR Station – New Eltham – 1 mile. Trains from London Charing Cross/London Cannon Street/London Bridge or from Dartford/Gravesend. There are four trains an hour heading to New Eltham from London Charing Cross. For returns there are also four trains back to London.
From the station walk south-east onto Foots Cray Road/A211 for 0.3 miles then turn right onto Thaxted Road for 0.2 miles. Then turn left towards Sidcup Road/A20 and cross over the pedestrian footbridge and take a sharp and then a slight right towards Sidcup Road/A20 for 0.4 miles and then turn right and then a left into the entrance to the ground.
By Bus – The best bet is to get the 233 from Swanley, Sidcup, Eltham or New Eltham which stops on Thaxted Road but is around 0.8 miles to the ground. From Chislehurst station the 162 bus which starts in Bromley stops on Slades Drive where you can access the public footpath opposite the bus stop and is around a ten minute walk to the ground. This bus also stops at New Eltham Station for your return journey.
TAXIS – TAXIS – ALL DAY CARS – NEW ELTHAM – 020 8850 0032
Nearest Hotel: Premier Inn London Eltham
738 Sidcup Road, Eltham, London
SE9 3NS
Sat Nav Directions:SE9 3TJ
Directions:
From South Circular Road, take A20 Sidcup Bypass until you reach Fiveways, where Sidcup Road meets Green Lane Premier Inn Eltham is situated on the corner and the entrance to the car park is on Green Lane.
https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/hotels/england/greater-london/london/london-eltham.html
The Car Park is free for supporters and there should be space between 700-800 cars on site. Please note bays in front of the main entrance are reserved for club officials.
Close to New Eltham Station are the Beehive pub plus the Pope Street Bar & Kitchen and the Nest offers hot drinks/alcoholic drinks and live music. There are also places to eat and a wide range of takeaway outlets as well as Fish & Chip and a Pie & Mash shop. Alternatively if you travel from Sidcup there are a wide range of pubs to choose from.
