Cray Wanderers vs Dartford – Isthmian Premier – Saturday 25th October, 3 pm – Match Preview
Pics: Steve Cullum
Cray Wanderers finish October with the second of back to back home games as Dartford are the visitors to Flamingo Park in one of three Isthmian Premier League matches being played on Saturday. 3 pm ko.
The match pits two teams unbeaten in the league since August and perhaps a couple of the draw specialists of the league with Cray drawing seven and Dartford six of their fixture in the first three months of the league. With both teams out of the FA competitions at an early stage both can concentrate on the league with Cray in 4th place with twenty two points with Dartford in 6th unbeaten in nine games with eighteen points.
The Wands come into the match on the back of a 1-1 draw with St Albans City at Flamingo Park on Tuesday night in a high quality contest with some great last ditch, body on the line defending from both teams.
Cray took the lead early in the second half with Kareem Isiaka netting his second in two matches after a three man move involving Ashley Nzala and Nods Bobomurodov. The Wands had opportunities to add to the lead with Lateef Adaja twice, Josh Williams and Chris Dickson twice close to sealing the game. However, St Albans showed their durability to nab a point with virtually the last kick of the match but Cray once again showed they have what it takes in any match to give a team a contest but the big games keep coming with sixth placed Dartford and seventh placed Cheshunt in the next two matches and with Folkestone Invicta away to follow in November.
Ady Pennock’s Dartford side were once again one of the favourites for promotion at the start of the season but after a couple of defeats in the first three games have been quietly going about their business and the 4-1 win at home to Potters Bar Town last Saturday moved them up to a decent position in the league. A hat-trick from Eddie Dsane, his second of the season and a Joel Tennent goal were enough to make it back to back home wins in four days.
Last season’s encounters were close affairs and memorable with Cray going down 1-2 at Princes Park on Boxing Day. Josh Williams gave Cray the lead before two Ollie Box goals turned the game around in the second half. On 21st April at Flamingo Park there was a scenario where Darttford could have won promotion but Cray fought well for a point in a 2-2 draw in front of a crowd of 2068 with Frankie Raymond and Lateef Adaja scoring for the Wands and Callum Jones and Denzelle Olopade for Dartford. In the end, Dartford who finished 3rd missed out on promotion by three points and after beating Cray Valley PM in the playoff semi-final were beaten in the Final by Dover Athletic.
So far this season Dartford away from home have yet to win but drew at Ramsgate (4-4), Aveley (1-1) and Brentwood Town (1-1) losing at Dulwich Hamlet (0-4) and St Albans City (0-2). At home Dartford have beaten Carshalton Athletic (4-1), Cheshunt (2-0), Whitehawk (3-0) and Potters Bar Town (4-1) with draws against Billericay Town, Canvey Island and Burgess Hill Town. In the FA Cup, Dartford were beaten at home by Bracknell after a replay in the 1st Qualifying Round and in the FA Trophy were defeated at Hadley in the 3rd Qualifying Round. Leading scorer so far is Olly Box with eight league goals.
The teams have met many times in the past particularly in cup ties as Dartford often played in higher leagues but we did meet for three seasons in the Kent League in the mid 90’s when Dartford had been reformed and groundshared at Oxford Road, Sidcup during the 1993-94 season. In the Isthmian League era we have met six times with Dartford winning twice, Cray once and three draws.
This promises to be another huge test for the Wands and a local derby to savour between two sides in good form.
Admission: £15 adults, £10 concessions. £5 U16s-U13s on the gate or online at www.cray-wanderers.com/tickets
Printed Match Programme: £3, merchandise, hot and cold food/drinks, curry tent, bars. Cray Wanderers 100 Club Draw, large TV screen.
