Cray Wanderers vs Chatham Town – Isthmian Premier – Saturday 14th February, 3 pm – Match Preview
Pics: Natalie Stribbling
Cray Wanderers play the second of three consecutive Kent Derbies on Valentine’s Day as two playoff contenders go head to head as the Wands host Chatham Town at Flamingo Park. Kick off 3 pm.
The Wands after thirty games come into the match in 7th place in the Isthmian Premier League table level on forty seven points with Dartford in 6th. Chatham are 4th on forty nine points but have played three games less. With Folkestone Invicta leading the table by fourteen points (71 points) it looks at this stage like teams vying for the playoff places with Aveley in 2nd place on 57, Brentwood Town in 3rd on 55 then Chatham Town and Billericay Town on 48 points making up the top 5. Burgess Hill Town are 8th on 43 points from 29 games with Ramsgate 9th on 41 points from 27 games.
Cray come into the game four matches unbeaten but had to be content with a 1-1 draw last Saturday against Ramsgate at Flamingo Park. The Wands put in a great performance against a side that had won five games in a row and were unfortunate but for a fine display in goal from Dillon Addai for Ramsgate, the Wands hit the woodwork through Frankie Raymond and had a debatable goal ruled out for offside.
The Wands though did break through with a goal from a superb free kick from Alex Hernandez for his fourteenth goal of the season and continuing a rich vein of form and his third goal in two games. Cray though couldn’t quite see the game through and were pegged back in the fifth minute of added time before another quality free kick from Alfie Paxman meant the Wands just lot a little ground on the playoff places. Certainly though manager Tim O’Shea couldn’t have asked any more of his players on the day.
Chatham Town perhaps for the first time this season are having a bit of a blip with four straight home defeats in league and cup. Last Saturday Chatham were beaten 2-3 at home by Chichester City after going two nil through goals from Kian Moynes and Junior Dixon before the Sussex side fought back to win.
Away from home like Cray Chatham Town have been in good form and are unbeaten in six on the road and also like Cray their last defeat away came on 11th November. Kevin Hake’s side have won at Aveley (2-0), Wingate & Finchley (3-0), Cray Valley PM (1-0), Hashtag United (6-0), Lewes (2-0), Welling United (1-0), Cheshunt (4-0), Folkestone Invicta (2-1) and Carshalton Athletic (4-0). Chatham drew at St Albans City (0-0) and Chichester City (2-2) with the only defeats at Billericay Town (1-2) and Ramsgate (0-1). Leading scorer is Tope Fadahunsi with fourteen goals.
Chatham Town also have benefited from two fine national cup runs reaching the 1st Round of the FA Cup after beating Marlow, Ashford United, Deal Town and Tonbridge Angels before going out at Buxton in the 1st Round. Chatham also reached the last 16 of the FA Trophy making them the final Isthmian League representatives this season after beating Needham Market, Waltham Abbey, Wimborne Town, Plymouth Parkway and a huge win at home to National League Carlisle United before going out narrowly at home to Southend United.
There have been many great battles with Chatham Town down the years in the Aetolian, Metropolitan and Kent Leagues but possibly this is in terms of league status and position the biggest the league game between the sides. It was a great match when the teams met at the Bauvill Stadium in 18th October finishing in a 3-3 draw. Cray took an early lead through Kareem Isiaka before Chatham Town went in front at the break through goals from Simon Cooper and Tope Fadahunsi. Cray levelled straight after half time through Alex Hernandez but Chatham regain the lead two minutes from time with Sam Sene-Richardson goal. However, not for the first time this season Cray showed their powers of recovery to level in added time through Ashley Nzala and overall a draw was a fair result after a great match.
The only other previous meeting at Flamingo Park was on 15th October 2024 with Chatham winning 4-1 with Freddie Sears scoring a hat-trick. Cray’s last home win vs Chatham Town was on 2nd January 2017 with a 3-0 victory with Lee Prescott scoring twice and a Karl Dent goal. The teams moved in different circles for a few years before resuming league matches again in the 2023-24 season and for the first time in the Isthmian Premier.
This promises to be one of the games of the day in the league, preferably a bit drier than recent matches but definitely should be a great and exciting occasion between two upwardly mobile sides at the top end of the table.
Admission £15 adults on the gate or online at www.cray-wanderers.com/tickets/ £10 concessions, £5 U18s. There is free entry for Premier League/EFL season ticket holders on presentation of ticket.
£3 match programme available on the turnstiles, merchandise, golden goal tickets, hot and cold food/drinks and bars. Live Football on the big screen and in the upstairs bar and a great afternoon guaranteed.
The Pre-Match Thoughts/Progamme Notes of Tim O’Shea
Cray Wanderers this afternoon play the second of three successive Kent Derbies as the Wands welcome Chatham Town to Flamingo Park in a clash which sees 7th vs 4th in the race for the playoffs. Here Tim O’Shea looks back to the 1-1 draw with Ramsgate last Saturday and the thoughts for today’s game and opponents.
Hello Tosh. Let’s look back to last Saturday and the 1-1 draw with Ramsgate. I thought it was a very good game of football and one we were unlucky not to win. There was lots of positives with the performance and deserved the lead but we just got caught out by a piece of quality near the end.
I think Ramsgate boss Lee Martin summed it up at the end that they got away with one. Their goalkeeper, Dillon Addai was outstanding and made four or five not good saves but worldy ones. I couldn’t have asked more from the boys and on another given day we would have won comfortably. It was disappointing for Ramsgate to equalise with the last kick of the game but I thought we were outstanding.
We had to show patience and the ability to keep on going despite not being able to score but once we did it was another incredible free kick strike from Alex Hernandez to take the lead.
That’s right and it’s not the first time Alex has done that in recent games and also not the first time Alfie Paxman has done that for Ramsgate. As I say our performance and their keeper was excellent, yes it was patience but we should have been three or four to the good before Alex scores.
Again in back to back home games we have had a perfectly good goal ruled out for an offside decision. The one on Saturday has been sent up to the FA for educational reasons. The officials have apologised for a perfectly good goal being chalked off but this and the one against Carshalton has cost us four points which would have moved us even higher up the table.
Let’s look to today’s game and the visit of Chatham Town. This is the first of back to back games against playoff contenders with Dartford to follow next Saturday. Chatham have had a little bit of a blip since their FA Trophy exit but like us have a good away record so it will be a real test for us today. We had a great game down at Chatham in October with a 3-3 draw and another afternoon where we showed resilience to earn a point in stoppage time so we can take encouragement from that day.
Yes, they are a magnificent side and Kevin Hake has done an amazing job there and he eats, drinks and sleeps Chatham Town and he has put his money where his mouth is. Rightly so they are getting their just rewards. They will come into the game as favourites and should be. As I have mentioned before we are punching above our weight for the kind of club we are at but that is what we are doing and we will keep on punching. Until impossible the lads will keep on fighting.
The 3-3 draw seems a long time ago now but it was a good afternoon. Recent games against them have been high scoring and never dull. Chatham won here last season when Freddie Sears scored a hat-trick but hopefully we will have the Cray Massive in good voice like they were last Saturday and at St Albans and help us on the day.
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DIRECTIONS TO FLAMINGO PARK
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. PLEASE NOTE THAT SERVICES BEGIN FROM CRAYFORD TO NEW ELTHAM ON 14th FEBRUARY WITH RAIL REPLACEMENT FROM GRAVESEND TO CRAYFORD. NO TRAINS WILL BE STOPPING AT DARTFORD STATION BETWEEN 14-22n FEBRUARY.
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.
