Cray Wanderers vs St Albans City – Isthmian Premier – Tuesday 21st October, 7.45 pm – Match Preview
Cray Wanderers return to league action at Flamingo Park after a run of away games to begin October as the Wands welcome St Albans City for a first ever league meeting. Kick off, 7.45 pm
The Wands come into the game unbeaten away from home in the league with five successive draws following the dramatic 3-3 draw at Chatham Town on Saturday which keeps Cray fourth in the Isthmian Premier League table with twenty one points from twelve games played.
Cray got off to a great start at Chatham Town with a first goal for the club for Kareem Isiaka in the eighth minute. The Wands had to knuckle down after trailing at half time and Alex Hernandez continued his good form in front of goal with his sixth of the season converting Lateef Adaja’s cross.
It looked like Cray’s away run was coming to an end when Chatham netted in the 88th minute but Cray fought back again and levelled in added time through Ashley Nzala for his second goal of the season.
The run of draws has been remarkable as Cray never drew any league games at all last season away from home but have had to show character in many games especially the win at Billericay in August but can look forward now to home comforts having won the last two at Flamingo Park.
St Albans City also come to the Wands in good form unbeaten in league and cup since 25th August and the 2-1 win at home to Welling United on Saturday moved them into 10th on fifteen points. City came from a goal down to win with goals from Leo Sery and Michael Bostwick. St Albans are managed by an ex-Spurs colleague of Tim O’Shea and Mark Stimson, Ian Culverhouse who went on to have a stellar career at Norwich City in the First Division and Premier League.
St Albans have a good tradition in reaching the first round of the FA Cup and have done so again after winning at Aylesbury Vale Dynamos (3-1), Hitchin Town (2-1), Woodford Town (1-0) and beat Banbury after a replay to set up a trip to League One Burton Albion on 1st November.
In the league, St Albans have won at Potters Bar Town (4-2) and drawn at Aveley (1-1) and Whitehawk (1-1). Their only defeats came at Brentwood Town (2-3) and Folkestone Invicta (1-2). At home St Albans have beaten Lewes (3-0) and Welling United (2-1), drawn with Chatham Town and were beaten by Cheshunt.
St Albans who returned to the Isthmian League for the first time since 2003-04 after relegation from the National South last season finishing 21st on forty five points, just a point behind Salisbury City. They had been in the league since 2014-15 following promotion and reached the playoff final as recently as 2022-23 losing to Oxford City in the Final. St Albans spent one season in the National League in 2006-07.
Our only previous meetings have been in cup ties with the last being in the FA Trophy in December 2020 in the Covid era with St Albans winning 3-0. St Albans also beat Cray in the FA Trophy in 2004-05 3-2 after extra-time at St Albans after a 2-2 draw at Hayes Lane. The only other meeting was in the London Senior Cup at Grassmeade in January 1968 with St Albans winning 7-0.
This will be another huge test for the Wands against a very strong side with National South and higher calibre players and should be a great game under the lights.
£15 adults, £10 concessions, £5 U16-U13s on the gate or online at www.cray-wanderers.com/tickets/
Printed Match Programme £3.
THE PRE-MATCH THOUGHTS – PROGRAMME NOTES OF TIM O’SHEA
Cray Wanderers return to Flamingo Park after a run of away games as we welcome St Albans City for the first time for a league game and another side through to the 1st Round of the FA Cup. Here Tim O’Shea looks back to the exciting 3-3 draw with Chatham Town on Saturday and his thoughts on tonight’s challenge.
Hello Tosh. Let’s begin with a look back to Saturday and a dramatic game at Chatham town where we came away still unbeaten away from home with a gutsy point. Incredibly we have drawn our last five away from home where last season we didn’t draw any in the league. You must have been pleased with the performance and end result in a game between two sides in the top 5 that didn’t disappoint.
I was very pleased and I thought it was deserved and we would have been a bit hard done by to have gone on and lost especially conceding so late. It was a good response to going behind and the boys showed character and proved they are never beaten so I was well pleased for the players.
We got off to a flyer didn’t we with Kareem Isiaka getting off the mark for us with a deft header from Josh Williams cross! It was a similar situation to the game at Dulwich where he just couldn’t connect with Josh’s cross in the second half.
It was indeed and we did give him a bit of friendly stick when he was substituted that his header against Chatham was harder than the Dulwich one. He is a player that needs goals and I know he will get them and I hope that gets him going.
We fall behind and trailed at the break but straight after half time we draw level with a poacher’s finish from Alex Hernandez from a great Lateef Adaja cross.
Yes, we’ve asked both wingers to put more crosses into the box as we have strikers like Kareem, Dicko and Alex waiting to get on the end of them. I think for Lateef that is one area of his game he has improved no end and Ashley Nzala is a different type of winger as he brings more physicality but the goals have been free flowing for us which is great.
We then fall behind to a fine finish in the 88th minute but we pulled level as Ralfi Hand who had only been on the pitch about a minute had a hand in the equaliser for Ashley Nzala.
It was difficult for us to make changes on Saturday as the team were all doing well but once they went 3-2 up we did have to bring on Nods and Ralfi who had did well to set up Ashley to score and was very pleased to have made an impact.
Let’s look forward to tonight and the visit of St Albans City and another side in the FA Cup 1st Round with a visit to Burton Albion to come. Managed by an ex Spurs colleague of yours in Ian Culverhouse.
Yes, I played with Culvs at Spurs, he was a right back and I was centre-half. They are gradually going about their business and beginning to creep up the table. They were one of the pre-season favourites and we have watched them and have a good physicality and with Alex Dyer up front who is a handful and we are playing another very good side. They are one of the big clubs in our league and just another tough match that we are looking forward to.
I saw a stat that we have drawn five away games in a row where last season we didn’t draw any away at all. Those points all build up don’t they and we are doing well to be in the mix.
I didn’t realise that that is quite a stat. If you can go to places like we have at Lewes, Carshalton, Ramsgate, Dulwich and Chatham, first and foremost you try to win games and come away with something we are doing something right. The away performances have been excellent as has been the support and that helps us and very much appreciated.
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.
