Cray Wanderers vs Welling United – Monday 31st August, 3 pm – Match Preview
Pics: Natalie Stribbling
Cray Wanderers complete the always busy month of August on Bank Holiday Monday as the Wands welcome Welling United to Flamingo Park. Kick off 3 pm.
This will be only the third ever season of league matches against the Wings and both teams last season had a win apiece both away from home and this promises to be one of the games of the day in the league in a Bromley Borough v Bexley Borough clash.
Cray come into the game without a match on Saturday as the game at Maldon & Tiptree was postponed so whether Tim O’Shea’s side will be undercooked with no match or refreshed remains to be seen.
Last time out the Wands picked up their first win of the season on 22nd August with a merited victory against promotion favourites Eastbourne Borough and was just rewards for the players as they certainly deserved more points than the two picked up in the previous three games. Tim O’Shea’s side stand sixteenth in the table on five points after Saturday’s league games. Last Saturday’s game was a terrific advert for the Isthmian Premier with Wands goals coming from Ade Yusuff and an exquisite free kick from Alex Hernandez.
Cray after this game going into the 1st Qualifying Round of the FA Cup and travel to another in-form side Lewes next Saturday.
With September interspersed with FA Cup, Kent Senior and FA Trophy ties there isn’t always many league games so imperative to end August on a high but it will be a tough match against a Wings side in 3rd place with twelve points after a hard fought 1-0 win at home to Ramsgate on Saturday courtesy of Nahum Melvin-Lambert’s fifth minute strike which was his fourth goal of the season.
Ryan Maxwell’s Welling United side had flirted with relegation last season but a run of one defeat in the last nine games including a 3-2 win at Cray Wanderers on Easter Monday confirmed safety and eventually finished comfortably in 15th place on 48 points. Certainly they will be looking to be further up the table and have started the season efficiently with four wins from the first five matches.
Welling started with a 2-0 win at home to Whitehawk on 8th August which was followed by the only defeat thus far losing 1-4 at newly promoted Leatherhead three days later. Since then it has been successive wins and clean sheets beating Stanway Rovers 4-0 and then local bragging rights winning 3-0 at Dartford with goals from Nathan Cooper, Melvin-Lambert and former Cray Valley striker Fumnaya Shomotun before beating Ramsgate on Saturday. Welling have a fascinating FA Cup draw next Saturday with a visit to Faversham Town.
The sides have only met four times in league games with a long gap between matches with two matches in the London Spartan League in 1977-78 and the two matches last season. Both teams have two wins apiece. Last season Cray were 2-0 winners at Welling United with goals from Harry Waldock and Alex Hernandez. Welling though came back from 0-2 down to win 3-2 on 21st April. Ola Ogunwamide and Max Fiddes with Noah Stewart, Ayman El-Mogharbel and Ibby Akanbi scoring for the Wings.
This promises to be an excellent game between two sides that have been playing well in the early weeks and one in front of a bumper crowd.
Admission £15 adults, £10 concessions, £5 U18s/17s with U16s free with accompanying adult online at www.cray-wanderers.com/tickets/ or on the gate.
As a special token of goodwill we welcome Ebbsfleet United season ticket holders free entry on presentation of ticket/email confirmation.
Printed Match Programme: £3, merchandise, Golden Goals £1, 100 Club Draw for August, Hot Food including Doughjoes Pizza and The Croffle Club, Hot and Cold Drinks, Bars, Large TV Screen. Look out for an opportunity to win a signed Cray Wanderers shirt with more information on how to do so to enter.
Plus Live Music after the game with Friday Child from 5 pm so plenty going on on your Bank Holiday Monday.
