Dover Athletic vs Cray Wanderers
Pre-season Friendly – Saturday 11th July – 3 pm
Pre-season continues for Cray Wanderers on Saturday as the Wands play the second game of the schedule and the first of three matches against National South opposition. Cray Wanderers head to Dover Athletic in a game that was originally to be played at Flamingo Park but due to a festival taking place Dover kindly agreed to host the match. Kick off at the Crabble, 3 pm.
Cray played the first pre-season game last Saturday against AFC Whyteleafe who won 3-1 but at this stage it is less about results and more about fitness, squad togetherness and perhaps trying out formations, a look at new signings, perhaps trialists and with the game being played on grass a look at being adaptable to pitch surfaces. It also promises to be a very warm/hot day so stamina and playing at a steady pace may be the order of the day.
One of the new signings, Charlie Paye was the Wands goalscorer against AFC Whyteleafe and there were also debuts for Henry Molyneux, George Brooke, Mitch Chapman, Alfie Payne and Ade Yussuf while central defender Rob Strachan was absent but should be available for the trip to Dover.
Dover Athletic finished 20th in the National South last season following an instant promotion from the Isthmian Premier in 2024-25 and will be looking to aim higher this season. Dover began their pre-season campaign last Saturday winning 1-0 at Margate with a Rolando Onu first half goal.
Dover boss Jake Leberle has been able to retain a few of last season’s players but has also added some quality new arrivals including three ex-Cray Wanderers players. Central Defender Jalen Jones was a standout member of the Wands team that reached the Isthmian Premier Playoffs for the first time in 2022-23 and the Guyana international joins from Oxford City. Defender Nazir Bakrin arrives from Tonbridge Angels spent a loan period with Cray from Charlton Athletic under Grant Basey’s management during the 2021-22 season making ten apperances scoring twice. Striker Kola Salami joins from Carshalton Athletic and was a member of the Cray Wanderers Youth side which reached the 3rd Qualifying Round of the FA Youth Cup in 2019-20. Defender Roman Charles-Cook was with Dover last season and played seven times for Cray during the 2022-23 season and played in the Margate game.
Other new signings include Defensive midfielder Dequane Wilson-Braithwaite from Cheshunt, Defender John Oyenuga from Farnborough Town and midfielder Euan Williams from Gillingham.
Dover will begin their National South campaign with a visit to newly promoted Billericay Town on 8th August with the first home match vs Slough Town a week later.
Meetings between Dover and Cray only really started to place league wise during the Isthmian League years for the Wands. We met for three seasons in the Isthmian Division One between 2005-06/2007-08 and for one season in the Isthmian Premier in 2024-25.
In eight meetings Cray have won two, Dover five and one draw. The last meetings in the 2024-25 season saw Cray grab a famous and award winning 1-0 victory at the Crabble on 14th December, 2024 with a Nyren Clunis goal early in the second half. The return fixture at Flamingo Park on 29th March 2025 ended in a 2-1 Dover win. Josh Williams gave Cray the lead but goals from George Nikaj and Ruben Soares turned the game around.
The game will take place amongst some superb Kentish scenery and what promises to be a huge day with the England v Norway World Cup Quarter Final later in the evening means a great day out which means much more than the result.
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ADMISSION & DIRECTIONS
The Cray Massive On Tour – Pre-season
Dover Athletic – Saturday 11th July, 3 pm
Megger Community Stadium, Crabble Athletic Ground, Lewisham Road, Dover, Kent CT17 0JB
PLEASE NOTE ALL PAYMENTS AT THE GROUND ARE BY CARD PAYMENT ONLY. THERE IS A CRABBLE KEY SYSTEM WHICH YOU CAN PICK UP FROM RECEPTION WHICH YOU CAN PUT CASH ON TO USE AROUND THE GROUND.
Admission Prices – CARD ONLY
£10 Adults £9 Concessions £5 U18s U11s free with paying adult
By Car
Leave the M25 at Junction 2 and take the A2 then the M2 towards Dover. On the outskirts of Dover on the A2 again, you will reach a roundabout that has a Mcdonald’s on your left.
At this roundabout take the fourth exit onto Whitfield Hill, signposted Dover North/River. At the bottom of this road, you will reach another roundabout, where you take the first exit onto London Road, going towards Dover Town Centre.
At the next set of traffic lights, you make a 180-degree right turn (so you are almost coming back on yourself) onto Crabble Road. After passing under a railway bridge the entrance to the grounds is further down on the left.
Parking isn’t available for supporters at the stadium itself but there are free spaces available in the rugby ground. Stewards will direct fans when they arrive.
Rail Travel
The main railway station in Dover is Dover Priory which is approximately 2 miles from Crabble. The closest station to Crabble is Kearsney which is about a 10-15 minute walk from the ground although Google Maps tells you a journey around 25 minutes.
Trains from Bromley South go to Kearsney at 27 mins past the hour and returns at 22 mins past the hour.
Kearsney is the last stop before Dover Priory on the line from London Victoria (via Canterbury). Some trains on this line do not stop between Canterbury East and Dover Priory so if you are planning on getting off at Kearsney make sure that the train you are travelling on is a stopping service.
If you are travelling on the line from London Charing Cross (via Ashford) the train will not pass through Kearsney so you will have to stop at Dover Priory, near the town centre.
If you wish to travel from Mottingham, New Eltham or Eltham Stations please check national rail enquiries it takes a couple of changes but you can get a train to Gravesend, then on to Faversham and then a train to Kearsney (train going to Canterbury) arriving at seven minutes past the hour.
If you get off at Kearsney, turn right as you leave the station, go under the railway bridge and then take the first road on the left (Lower Road). Follow Lower Road all the way along, past a pond on your right and Crabble Corn Mill on your left. At the end you will see the Cricketers pub on the other side of the road. Turn right and you should see the entrance to the ground. If you get off at Dover Priory it is probably best to get a bus or taxi to the ground as it is a long walk.
From Kearsney, the no 15 bus will take you to Carlsden Close and is about an 8 minute walk to the ground. If you get off at Dover Priory, the no 64 from Priory Street to Buckland Hospital will take you to Crabble Avenue and a three minute walk to the ground. Check local buses for details
Nearest pubs
The nearest pub to the Crabble is the Cricketers on Crabble Avenue (CT17 0JB) and is a four minute walk to the ground. This is a friendly village pub with a tremendous beer garden with traditional bar games and snacks available and a TV screen. Please note the pub opens at 1 pm. Also the Royal Oak in River, a village close to the ground is a 19th century pub and is family friendly and also dog friendly and is also a B&B.
If you end up in Dover which will have a wide range of drinking establishments perhaps the best bet is the Eight Bells, a JD Wetherspoon’s pub in Cannon Street (CT16 1BZ). Please bear in mind it is a bit of a trek to the ground from here. For Fish & Chips lovers, the best recommended establishment is The White Horse, St. James’ Street (CT16 1QD) but if you are making a day of it with Dover’s rich history you will find plenty of places to dine.
Dover is a historic Kentish town and port which faces France via the Strait of Dover. The town has had a revamp in recent years with high speed rail links with the Channel Tunnel and also the beach and promenade, pier and harbour improvements. Dover attracts a vast number of tourists each year especially to see the famous castle and white cliffs.
Dover was one of the Cinque Ports (Five Harbours) based on the South-East coast of England along with Hastings, New Romney, Hythe and Sandwich. Dover briefly came under the control of the French in 1217 after the Battle of Sandwich which saw Louis VIII’s army defeat Henry III via the Cliffs but after three months had been deposed and returned home.
The Port of Dover’s location in the English Channel and Strait of Dover in particular is the busiest shipping lane in the world with ferry services to Calais and Dunkirk running several times daily.
Dover Castle was built in medieval times in the 11th century and is described as the ‘Key of England’ as its importance as a defensive bastion of the South-East Kent coast and to wade off invaders. The tunnels of the Castle were used as an air raid shelter and military command centre and military hospital during the Second World War. The evacuation of British, French and American soldiers from Dunkirk in 1940 was directed from the castle tunnels.
The White Cliffs, part of the Kent Downs are designated as an area of outstanding natural beauty and on a clear day can be viewed from the French coast. The cliffs links with Dover Castle and as part of the fortifications of England have played an important part in fending off invasions and the site of some pretty fierce land and sea battles.
Trips to Dover for Cray Wanderers fans have been rare in recent years so with it being proper summer and likely to be borderline baking hot it could be well worth a visit.
Please note the Norway v England match is at 10 pm so unless you plan to kip the night in Dover give yourself plenty of time to get home.
