Cray Wanderers vs Cheshunt – Isthmian Premier – Saturday 28th February, 3 pm – Match Preview
Cray Wanderers bring February’s fixtures to an end on Saturday as the Wands host Cheshunt in a clash with an Amber hue and between two sides in good form. Kick off at Flamingo Park, 3 pm.
The Wands will come into the game on the back of a run of six games unbeaten which has included five draws with three of those against playoff contenders. Cray are sixth in the Isthmian Premier table with forty nine points from thirty two games played, two behind fifth placed Billericay Town who have played one game less. The Wands are a point clear of Dartford in seventh who have two games in hand, two of Ramsgate in eighth and three clear of Burgess Hill Town who both have one game in hand.
Last Saturday Cray were unfortunate to only pick up a point from a 1-1 draw at Dartford. In a match which saw a two hundredth game in the dugout for Tim O’Shea and goalkeeping coach Alfie George, after a tight first half the game opened up after the break and the Wands shortly after coming close with Jordy Mongoy heading against the crossbar took the lead when Max Fiddes after a great run from Alex Hernandez’ pass set up Mongoy to score from close range. After Hernandez saw a penalty saved both Fiddes and Mongoy came close in between a Dartford equaliser in the 85th minute but did maintain an away record of just one defeat in sixteen on the road.
Since the game, Max Fiddes loan spell from Dover Athletic has been extended by another month taking him to the end of March. Meanwhile, Harry Bridle who joined the Wands on loan in January has been recalled by Gillingham and has returned to the Priestfield Stadium. Ahead of the match the Wands added right back/defender Crossley Lema to the squad with another recent signing Ola Ogunwamide signed before the Chatham Town game making an impression down the right.
The point at Princes Park was the Wands sixteenth draw of the season after thirty two games with eight of those picked up from losing positions against seven from winning positions with one goalless draw.
One of those points came from a 1-1 draw at Cheshunt on 1st November with Alex Gibson-Hammond giving Cheshunt the lead with eight minutes left but Cray deserved a point for their performance and levelled two minutes into added time through a Josh Williams free kick. Cray though will be looking for more home points with the last three drawn with the last win on 27th December.
Cheshunt lie fourteenth in the table on forty points but will arrive at Flamingo Park in good form unbeaten in eight in 2026 and on Tuesday night picked up three points from an excellent 2-0 home win vs Aveley who have been one of the form teams after the last few months. Both goals came in the second half through Tommy Wood and Jesse Effa and leaves Cheshunt twelve points clear of the relegation places and nine behind Cray with a couple of games in hand.
Away from home Mel Gwinnett’s side have won at Canvey Island (4-1), St Albans City (2-1), Dulwich Hamlet (1-0) and Wingate & Finchley (3-2). The Ambers picked up a point at Billericay Town (1-1), Ramsgate (1-1), Brentwood Town (2-2), Chichester City (2-2), Carshalton Athletic (3-3) and Cray Valley PM (3-3) going down to defeat at Chatham Town (0-1), Dartford (0-2), Lewes (1-2), Welling United (1-3) and Potter Bar Town (1-3). Cheshunt had a decent run in the FA Trophy reaching the 3rd Round after beating Carshalton Athletic, Wingate & Finchley and Bishop’s Stortford before losing at National League Wealdstone. Cheshunt are through to the Quarter Finals of the London Senior Cup where they visit Tooting & Mitcham United on Tuesday 3rd March. Leading scorer is Sam Granville with eight goals.
The last time the two teams met at Flamingo Park came on 15th February, 2025 with Cray winning 2-1 coming from a goal down with goals from Nyren Clunis and Soul Kader after ex-Wand Kenny Coker gave Cheshunt the lead.
This will like all games in this very competitive league be a tough one and should be a great match to take us in to the final two months of the season with very much all still to play for.
Admission £15 adults, £10 concessions, £5 u18s on the gate or online at www.cray-wanderers.com/tickets/ with free entry for all Blue Light card holders on presentation of card.
Printed Match Programme: £3 available on the gate, Golden Goal Tickets (£1)), February 100 Club Draw, merchandise, hot and cold food/drinks, bars and live football on the big screen and upstairs.
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The Pre-Match Thoughts/Programme Notes of Tim O’Shea
Cray Wanderers finish February with the visit of Cheshunt this afternoon. This follows a busy spell of games against playoff contenders Ramsgate, Chatham Town and Dartford which all ended in draws. Here Tim O’Shea who celebrated 200 games in the Wands dugout along with goalkeeping coach Alfie George for the Dartford match looks back at the last two games, the fact we deserved more, the thoughts for today’s match and a look back to his double century with the Wands.
Hello Tosh. Let’s start with a look back to a busy spell of games against playoff contenders and particularly the last couple of games against Chatham Town and Dartford that both ended in draws. Did you feel we deserved more than the two points gained from those games?
I think the fact in the last three games against Ramsgate, Chatham Town and Dartford their goalkeepers have been given man of the match would suggest we have been unlucky not to win those games. Also that the managers of those clubs had admitted that they got away with a point on the day and Ady Pennock at Dartford felt it was a point gained for them. That is enough to let you know that we deserved more from those three games.
I felt the Chatham and Dartford games followed a pattern of being rather cagey in the first halves but opened up in the second and against Dartford in particular we finished the game strongly.
That is exactly right. The first half at Dartford saw both teams sizing one another up with neither keeper tested that much. In the second half apart from a free kick Harry Seaden tipped over and numerous corners, free kicks and throw ins that we dealt with well apart from the goal it was us creating the chances. We had two one on ones, a missed penalty, one cleared off the line, hit the crossbar, another trickled past the post I would suggest we deserved to win the game in the second half.
The points did keep us in contention of the playoffs and not affected our league position to greatly. Of course we have had sixteen draws out of thirty two games so definitely the draw specialists in the league this season. However, eight of those games have seen us come back from losing positions so that has shown the resilience of the team to gain those points.
It has indeed. I think the realistic position for us if you look at teams with games in hand we are probably mid-table and we are doing well to just hang in there. With teams below us with games in hand you will find we are a mid-table side but it is what it is. I think our expectation levels have gone through the roof but while we have been up high in the table we have enjoyed it and we are playing these big teams and getting draws out of them. It has been suggested we have been lucky but we will see what happens over the last ten games.
This afternoon we face a Cheshunt side in fourteenth place but coming off the back of a big win on Tuesday night against Aveley. They are always tough opponents and it was a hard game down at Cheshunt on 1st November which finished in a 1-1 draw.
Yes, we did and they are another team who if they win their games in hand can move above us. They will visit us in good form and after beating a very strong Aveley side who beat us convincingly back in January. I would suggest they will come into the game favourites although they are in the middle of the table but do have the games in hand.
Whatever happens over the final weeks of the season it has been a strong and enjoyable one for us. I think if I said we would be sixth with ten games to go and just shy of fifty points I would have thought many would have taken that at the start of the season.
Yes, possibly some would, some won’t. We are enjoying the season and if we end up mid-table at the end of the season many may have expected that anyway so we are on course to achieve that.
Finally there was a milestone for you and Alfie George last Saturday with the 200th game in the dugout following your arrival with Neil Smith at the end of March 2022. There has been some interesting times, a last ditch escape from relegation, an Isthmian Premier playoff place for the first time, a transition season between leaving Hayes Lane – moving to Flamingo Park, a top ten finish last season and still an unwritten chapter for this campaign.
Absolutely, there have been some magnificent times. I have been really fortunate to have Alfie from minute one. We are good friends off the pitch and he puts in some serious work behind the scenes and not just as a goalkeeping coach. I love him to bits and I’m chuffed for him as he still a young lad, good at his trade and a great goalkeeping coach and has a bright future in the game no doubts about it.
If feels like it has been longer but if it is my last year I could walk out that door proud of the four years association with the club. I feel we have achieved what we wanted to do at the start of the season and keep us in the league so that is another box ticked.
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 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.
