Cray Wanderers vs AFC Wimbledon – London Senior Cup – 2nd Round – Tuesday 7th October, 7.45 pm – Match Preview
Cray Wanderers complete a short run of cup ties as the London Senior Cup sees an AFC Wimbledon XI visit Flamingo Park for the first time. Kick off 7.45 pm. The winners will be away to either Woodford Town or Erith & Belvedere/Hackney Wick in the 3rd Round.
This will be the third meeting between Cray Wanderers and AFC Wimbledon in the London Senior Cup. The previous two meetings were when the Dons were still a non-league club with Cray winning 4-3 at AFC Wimbledon when they groundshared at Kingstonian in March 2013. Goalscorers were Leigh Bremner (2), Paul Booth and Billy Burgess with the Dons winning 2-1 a year later in a tie played at Beckenham Town, Adrian Stone scoring for the Wands.
The Wands will be looking to bounce back from Saturday’s FA Trophy defeat at Bishop’s Stortford where Cray had the better of the match for the first hour with their goalkeeper man of the match denying Josh Williams, Ashley Nzala, Alex Hernandez and Lateef Adaja but ultimately fell foul of the home side taking virtually all their chances to advance to the 1st Round.
The Cray team this evening with quite a heavy schedule in October and November may well be a mixture of first team players and U23s/U18s players gaining great experience against a professional and full time club.
AFC Wimbledon will be sending an Academy team managed by Michael Hamilton and the club has a huge tradition via the Academy of producing fine young players from U9’s through to U18s and matches against clubs from non-league and in a cup tie environment can be valuable experience for up and coming players.
AFC Wimbledon has had a remarkable history for a club only formed in 2002. Last season was a tremendous one for London clubs in knock out/cup football and Johnnie Jackson’s team earned promotion from League 2 to League 1. After finishing 5th in the league table, the Dons beat Notts County in the semi-final and Myles Hippolyte’s goal defeated Walsall 1-0 in the Playoff final at Wembley on 17th May. The Dons have got off to a great start to the 2025-26 season and currently lie 5th in the League 1 table with 19 points. On Saturday they came away from Blackpool with a 2-0 win and are four points behind early leaders Stevenage.
The club were founded as recently as 2002 by disgruntled supporters of the original Wimbledon club who had relocated to Milton Keynes. The club started out in the Combined Counties League and in their second season in non-league football gained promotion as Champions to the Isthmian Division One. Here, just two years after their founding the club would meet London’s Oldest Football Club, Cray Wanderers who ended a 78 game unbeaten record with a 2-0 win at Hayes Lane on 4/12/04 with goals from James Millar and Sam Wood.
That was one of the few blips in their season though as they comfortably won the title at the first attempt and beat Cray 3-0 at home in front of a crowd of 3,358 on 23/4/05. The clubs have also met in Cup competition with Wimbledon winning 3-2 at home in the League Cup in February 2005 and 6-2 at Hayes Lane in the 1st Qualifying Round of the FA Cup in September 2007.
After promotion from the Isthmian Division One, the club had three seasons in the Premier where they reached the playoffs each time. In 2005-06 they were beaten at Fisher in the Semi-Final and then by Bromley in 2006-07. In 2007-08 though they wouldn’t be denied and after finishing 3rd beat Hornchurch and Staines in the playoffs to reach the Conference South.
The Dons ran away with the title in 2008-09 and after an eighth place finish in 2009-10 in the Conference in 2010-11 finished runners-up behind Champions Crawley Town and after thrashing Fleetwood Town in the Playoff Semi-Final after a tight, tense final at the Etihad Stadium won promotion on penalties against Luton Town.
In the Football League the club struggled a little at first in League 2 and famously met MK Dons in the FA Cup and also reached the 3rd Round for the first time losing to Liverpool in 2014-15. In 2015-16 after finishing 7th reached the playoffs and beat Accrington Stanley in the Semis and Plymouth Argyle 2-0 at Wembley to earn promotion to League One and reached the 5th Round of the FA Cup in 2018-19 beating West Ham along the way where they remained until 2021-22 when they were relegated to League 2. They remained there for three seasons before promotion last season,
The big bonus though has been the return of the club to Wimbledon and the site of the previous Plough Lane ground where the old Wimbledon club had such an incredible history rising from the old 4th Division to finishing 6th in the 1st Division and winning the FA Cup in 1987-88 and being founder members of the Premier League whilst ground sharing at Selhurst Park.
This should be a great night and there is free admission for all supporters and on an international break perhaps not much else to grab your attention on an early October Tuesday night.
Match Programme available, merchandise, hot and cold food/drinks and bars available.
THE PRE-MATCH THOUGHTS/PROGRAMME NOTES OF TIM O’SHEA
Cray Wanderers continue a short run of cup ties this evening as the Wands welcome an AFC Wimbledon XI to Flamingo Park for the first time. Here Tim O’Shea looks back to Saturday’s game at Bishop’s Stortford and our last home game a week ago against Dulwich Hamlet plus his thoughts for tonight.
Hello Tosh. Let’s begin with a look back to Saturday and the FA Trophy tie at Bishop’s Stortford. I think if anyone would have said after an hour that would have been the final outcome I think I would have got long odds on 4-0. Credit where it was due they did play well the last half hour.
Yes, definitely. In the first half we were unlucky not go in at the break one or two up. Their goalkeeper (Adam Hayton) had a great game and even in the second half made a fantastic save to his left to deny Lateef Adaja which was going in to the net.
Their manager (Steve Castle) said afterwards that is was never a 4-0 win but it is what it is and fair play to them they finished stronger and probably on the day took their chances more clinically than what we did.
Last Tuesday of course we played Dulwich Hamlet and a 4-2 win for us. I said to you on Saturday that quality wise I thought it was the best midweek game I can remember. It was a great one to win but also a tremendous watch for the 800+ crowd.
Yes, I thought it was a great advert for Isthmian League Premier football. The football played by both teams on the night was excellent. I did say to a few of their players afterwards that Dulwich were the best team I have seen with their movement of the ball. They are very quick moving the ball but again we probably took our opportunities whereas the few opportunities they had they didn’t take. Equally they said we could have had eight goals.
For a crowd of 813 if there were neutrals coming along to watch that game we might get a few more come along for home games and definitely a good advert for the game.
Going on to tonight and the visit of AFC Wimbledon which although likely to be an Academy team will have full time training and the club have produced some talented players over the years. What sort of side would you expect tonight, perhaps a mixture of first team and youth players.
It will be a bit of a mixture. We’ve been carrying a few knocks and I know the Cray Massive were surprised that Chris Dickson after his performance against Dulwich wasn’t called upon but he is carrying a knock and if we didn’t have to use him at this precise moment in time we wouldn’t. So it gives him a week to sort things out before Saturday’s trip to Dulwich. Kareem Isiaka is recovering from a hamstring injury. Alex Hernandez like many have played a lot of football of late and we are going into a period of Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday games. So there will be a mixture of maybe half a dozen first teamers and the rest made up of our talented U23s and U18s sides.
Just finally Tosh, I’m not sure he will feature tonight but Frankie Raymond made his 99th appearance for the Wands on Saturday so could reach a century at Dulwich this weekend. Please explain the importance of a player like Frankie who is such a vital cog in the Wands machinery and seems to get better with age? He is a great player to have on your team isn’t he!
He is indeed, I think the word you are looking for is “a fine wine”. He goes about his business Frankie and he is looked up to by the young players in the squad. He trains well, gives you everything on the pitch, plays through Injuries which a lot of players these days don’t. He had his doubters around the club in our first season together which surprised me but he didn’t have to prove them wrong as the cream rises to the top. He is a player we can always rely on and when you are looking to do a team sheet if he is fit he will be the first on it there is no two ways about it. We are lucky to have a Frankie Raymond.
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 – – 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.
