Cray Wanderers vs Cheshunt
Isthmian Premier – Tuesday 11th August, 7.45 pm – Match Preview
The usual quick midweek turnaround of fixtures on the opening week of the season sees Cray Wanderers at home for the first time this season as Cheshunt make the trip down from Hertfordshire as both sides look to build from draws on the opening day of the season. Kick off 7.45 pm.
Cray have a good recent home record against the Ambers having won the last three home meetings but the games are usually close and hard fought and this promises to be no different.
The Wands had to work extremely hard on a warm afternoon under a blazing sun at Wingate & Finchley on Saturday to grind out a point against a determined home side who played with ten men for just over an hour.
The match saw the return on loan for the fourth time of striker Soul Kader from Bromley until January and after Cray fell behind in the ninth minute came close to levelling and for the third time netting on his debut with a close range effort over the top.
Cray though deserved parity and came when Frankie Morgan who had a fine game put over a great cross down the left and met with a deft textbook header from Ade Yusuff to score on his league debut for the Wands with fourteen minutes left. Other players making their debuts in the league were Bayli Spencer-Adams and Rob Strachan at the back and both played well. Also Alfie Payne in midfield and Mitchell Chapman marked his return to the club after a spell away through injury with a solid second half and also Shae Hutchinson made a difference down the left after he came on. Both teams could have won it at the end but overall a point away from home wasn’t a bad outcome.
Cheshunt under the management of James Elliott started the 2026-27 season at home to newly promoted and Isthmian Premier debutants Stanway Rovers. Cheshunt had the better of the first half forcing a couple of fine saves from the Rovers keeper and also hit the bar but Stanway held their own coming close to scoring. The second half saw both cancel each other out settle for a point from a goalless draw.
Cheshunt last season finished in a fairly comfortable 13th place with fifty points and although not always talked about with the main hitters in the league can still make it tough for any team on their day. New arrivals at the club include midfield players Cole DaSilva, Kaya Halil and Charlie Naylor. Ex Wands striker Kenny Coker provides pace and a cutting edge up front.
Last season’s encounters between the teams saw Cray draw 1-1 at Cheshunt on 1st November with Alex Gibson-Hammond’s goal for Cheshunt cancelled out by an injury time goal from Josh Williams for Cray. The return game at Flamingo Park on 28th February saw Cray win 2-1 with goals from Max Fiddes and Alex Hernandez with Dequane Wilson-Braithwaite scoring for Cheshunt. Overall the teams have met for six seasons in the London League and Aetolian Leagues in the 50’s-60’s including some high scoring games and one FA Vase match up in 1980-81.
In the Isthmian League era the teams have met thirteen times (the teams met once in the 2019-20 season which never was completed) with Cray winning eight, Cheshunt twice and three draws.
It promises to be a balmy night under the lights and promises to be a really close and hard fought match as both teams look to get their first three points of the season.
Admision £15 adults, £10 concs, £5 U18s-17s and U16s free on the gate or online at www.cray-wanderers.com/tickets/ with a printed match programme, £3. Merchandise, golden goal tickets £1, hot and cold food/drinks, bars and large screen.
DIRECTIONS TO FLAMINGO PARK FOR NEWCOMERS
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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 and the club house hosts live music and private events. Bexley FC 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 – – 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.
