Bishop’s Stortford vs Cray Wanderers – FA Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round – Saturday 4th October – 3 pm
Pics: Steve Cullum
Cray Wanderers take a break from league action this weekend as the FA Trophy takes centre stage for the Isthmian Premier League clubs with the Wands heading to the Hertfordshire/Essex border to face Bishop’s Stortford: Kick off at the BSFC Stadium, 3 pm.
Please note the game will be decided on the day with no replay and a penalty shoot-out after ninety minutes.
Cray come into the game in good spirits and buoyant after an excellent 4-2 victory at home to Dulwich Hamlet on Tuesday night which moved Tim O’Shea’s side into 4th on nineteen points after ten games. Only in the 2011-12 season did Cray make a better start to an Isthmian Premier League campaign when the Wands had twenty two points after ten games.
The Wands had an outstanding first half taking the lead after eight minutes through Alex Hernandez netting his fourth goal in four games. This was added to nine minutes later as Lateef Adaja notched also his fourth goal in three matches. Skipper, Tom Bonner made it three just before half time with his first goal of the season and made up for his disallowed header at Ramsgate last Saturday. The scoring was completed for Cray in the final minute with Josh Williams’ fourth goal of the season. Frankie Raymond made his 98th appearance for the Wands with an excellent display so just two away from a century of appearances.
The team have been playing well and perhaps unfortunate not to have more points in the bank and a great togetherness. Loan signings, Freddie Taylor and Harry Waldock have belied their young years with mature displays and on Tuesday Chris Dickson coming on as an early substitute was in top form and deserved a goal for his performance.
Cray though will have to be in top form as the first of three successive Saturday away matches gets underway at Bishop’s Stortford who the Wands have met before in the Isthmian Premier but the Blues these days play in the Southern League Premier Central.
Steve Castle’s side are similarly placed in the league table with sixteen points after nine games in 5th place and got off to a flyer with five straight league wins to begin the season. Looking to improve on last season’s 15th placed finish Bishop’s Stortford seem to be heading more in the right direction.
Last Saturday, Bishop’s Stortford picked up a point from a long trip to St. Ives Town levelling in stoppage time through a Fabio Virciglo goal in a 1-1 draw.
At home the Blues have beaten AFC Sudbury (6-1), Stamford (1-0), Royston Town (2-0) and were beaten by Stourbridge (0-1) and Leiston (0-1). Away from home from they won at Bromsgrove Sporting (2-0), Stratford (2-1) and Needham Market (4-0), drew at St Ives Town and were beaten at Kettering Town. In the FA Cup, Bishop’s Stortford reached the 2nd Qualifying Round after beating Real Bedford at home after a replay but were beaten at Hemel Hempstead Town. Leading scorer is Cole Da Silva with five goals.
The teams will be meeting for the first time in the FA Trophy, a competition Bishop’s Stortford won in 1980-81. The last league meeting at Bishop’s Stortford was in the 2022-23 season when Cray picked up a point from a 1-1 draw on 26th August, 2022 as Mitch Chapman’s goal cancelled out a Frankie Merrifield goal for the home side. Bishop’s Stortford would go on to win the league that season, one where Cray reached the playoffs and won 3-2 at Hayes Lane om 15th January, 2023 with Yahya Bamba and Dajon Golding scoring for Cray with Darren Foxley, Brandon Adams and Frankie Merrifield netting for Bishop’s Stortford. The teams have only met six times in league football with two of those games being played during the Covid hit seasons of 2019-20 and 2020-21. Cray have won once, Bishop’s Stortford four and one draw. The teams did meet in the London Senior Cup back in 1969 at Grassmeade with Bishop’s Stortford winning 4-1.
Pics: Ozay Booth
After playing in local leagues early on in their history they joined the Spartan League and after the 2nd World War later moved to the Delphinian and Athenian Leagues. It was from 1970 when they reached the 1st round of the FA Cup losing to Reading that they began to make national headlines and in 1970-71 moved to the Isthmian League Premier. In 1973 they reached the 2nd Round of the FA Cup losing to Peterborough and in 1973-74 became the last ever winners of the FA Amateur Cup beating Ilford 4-1 at Wembley. After a couple more good cup runs they were relegated to Division One of the Isthmian in 1977-78 bouncing back three years later. In 1980-81 they won the FA Trophy beating Sutton United 1-0 and in 1982-83 broke new ground by reaching the 3rd Round of the FA Cup beating Reading and Slough Town along the way and drew 2-2 at 2nd Division Middlesbrough before losing 1-2 after extra-time in the replay.
The club bounced back and forth from Division One to the Premier and in 2003-04 after non-league restructuring were placed in the new Conference South where they stayed until 2011-12 when they were moved to the Conference North where they stayed for two seasons before returning to the South for 2013-14. They were relegated in 2016-17 to the Southern Premier but in 2018-19 were returned to the Isthmian Premier where they finished 7th in their first season back. Bishop’s Stortford finished 2nd in the 2021-22 season before losing to Cheshunt in the playoffs. They would go one better the following season winning the Isthmian Premier League title by four points from Hornchurch. Promotion meant one season in the North where Bishop’s Stortford were relegated and were placed in the Southern League Premier Central where they finished 15th last season.
With both clubs making solid starts to the league season the FA Trophy gives a chance for a short respite and the hopes of a prolonged run in the tournament and thoughts of Wembley.
DIRECTIONS TO BISHOP’S STORTFORD FC + ADMISSION
The BSFC Stadium
Dunmow Road
Bishop’s Stortford
HERTFORDSHIRE CM23 5RG
Admission Prices: Adult: £15, Concessions at £8.00, Students (ID Required) at £6.00, Under 16’s at £1 and all children Under 12’s admitted free when accompanied by an adult.
DIRECTIONS
From St Mary Cray it should take an hour depending on Saturday traffic to get to Bishop’s Stortford and around 42 miles.
Head for the Blackwall Tunnel and once through the tunnel continue to follow the A12 for 6.9 miles and then take the A406 (N) Exit towards M25 (West)/M11/Loughton for 0.3 miles then merge onto N Circular Rd/A406. After 0.2 miles take the left two lanes to take the M11 slip road to Cambridge/Stansted Airport. Continue on to the M11 for 20.6 miles and then leave the M11 at Junction 8 for the Birchanger Green services exit. Take the A120 towards Bishop’s Stortford and at the next roundabout take the 1st exit onto the A1250, again heading towards Bishop’s Stortford. Take the next right into Woodside. The ground is at the bottom of this road. There is a car park at the ground which costs £3, although make sure you arrive early as it quickly fills up.
Bishop’s Stortford Railway Station is located just under three quarters of a mile away. It is served by trains from London Liverpool Street. It takes around 20 minutes to walk to the stadium from the station.
As you come out of the station turn right and proceed up the station approach road in front of you. As you near the top of the road bear right and cross the bridge over the railway line. Continue to the end of this road and turn left onto the London Road. Walk up to the crossroads with traffic lights (there is the Cock Inn on one corner) and turn right onto Dunmow Road (signposted A1250 Colchester). Stay on this road for around half a mile and you will reach the stadium entrance on your left.
There are plenty of trains running to Bishop’s Stortford in the evenings at 10, 25, 28, 40 & 58 minutes past the hour. After the game trains leave to head back to London Liverpool Street at 23, 33, 52 and 59 minutes past the hour
There is a Social Club at ground, which welcomes visiting fans. It has a selection of drinks, including real ale.
Where to Drink
The Clubhouse at the ground is excellent and spacious and home and away fans can mingle without too much trouble. As we are playing on a Saturday and a fairly close walk you can make a day of it certainly before and after the game. The Nags Head on Dunmow Road would appear to be the closest to the ground if coming from the Railway Station.
The Nags Head – 216 Dunmow Road, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 5HP – 19 mins walk from the Station
The Cock Inn – 2 Stansted Road, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 2DX – 29 mins walk
The Three Tuns – 36 London Road, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 5NF – 29 mins walk
There are more pubs nearer the station and in Bishop’s Stortford itself but a lot longer walk like the Castle, The Bridge House, the Port Jackson (JD Wetherspoon), The Star, The Wheatsheaf and The Half Moon. You would need to give yourself plenty of walking time to get to the ground. As the ground is more towards Stansted Airport rather than Bishop’s Stortford Town centre perhaps the Nags Head would be easiest
The market town lies in Hertfordshire just on the Essex border and the river Stort runs through the town. Being close to the M11 and Stansted Airport gives the town commuter status. It was also in the 18th century a vital coach stop between London and Cambridge. A ruined castle, Waytemore Castle lies in Bishop’s Stortford and also there is St. Michael’s Norman church with its distinctive belfry and spire which can dominate the skyline. One of those games that is always best to play on a Saturday to get more of a feel and day to see the town but the ground itself is a good one and seems to treat home and visiting fans with a welcoming air.
