Enfield Town v Cray Wanderers – Isthmian Premier – Saturday 12th September, 3 pm – Match Preview
Pics: Natalie Stribbling, Jon Hilliger, Ozay Booth
Cray Wanderers return to league action after the FA Cup excitement of last weekend and midweek with a trip to early season league leaders Enfield Town at the Queen Elizabeth II Stadium. Kick off 3 pm.
The Wands head to North London in a positive frame of mind after a hard fought but ultimately merited victory against Lewes in the FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round on Tuesday night settled by an early second half header from Alex Hernandez for his fourth goal of the season.
It was a hard draw against a Rooks side who had won four league games on the bounce before Saturday’s original tie which Cray led with goals from Ade Yusuff and Soul Kader before a late Lewes comeback meant the need for an additional match.
Defensively Cray were excellent in both matches and to be fair the two league wins before the FA Cup break against Eastbourne Borough and Welling United. Especially impressive was the performance of Oscar Johnson in goal on Tuesday night. The 17 year old keeper produced a performance that belied his years and the clean sheet and the reaction to him from the players afterwards will certainly be something he will remember for many years to come.
Cray are 13th in the table but have played a game less than the teams above them after the postponement of the game at Maldon & Tiptree on 29th August so the Wands perhaps quietly start to make their way through a crowded pack to advance up the table.
The win against Lewes set up a mouthwatering and lucrative tie with Maidstone United on 19th September but before all thoughts need to be put out of minds as Enfield Town on Saturday and St Albans City at home on Tuesday night will be tough games and require full attention.
Enfield Town are making their return to the Isthmian Premier after a two season absence in the National South. Billy Holland who won the Manager of the Month Award for August has seen his side settle in nicely and are top scorers in the division with twenty goals in six league games. This pushed to twenty four in seven after a very professional 4-0 win at Frenford in the FA Cup last Saturday with goals form top scorer so far Thomas Avgoustidis (five goals), Billy Leonard, Tom Youngs and an own goal setting up a really fascinating 2nd Qualifying Round tie at Billericay Town next Saturday.
So far in the league Enfield Town have five wins out of six with the only defeat coming in the 93rd minute at home to St Albans City (1-2) on 11th August. At home the Towners have beaten Ramsgate (3-2) and Whitehawk (5-1). Highly coveted striker Luke May-Parrott signed from Hashtag United netted a hat-trick against Whitehawk. Away from home Enfield have been very sharp beating Lewes (4-0), Brentwood Town (3-1) and Wingate & Finchley (4-1) in their last league match on Bank Holiday Monday. Enfield Town with fifteen points are top of the league on goal difference from Carshalton Athletic.
Enfield Town have met Cray on a handful of occasions, all in the Isthmian Premier and are usually very dramatic matches. In the 2013-14 season Enfield had to win at already relegated Cray to preserve their Isthmian Premier status and did so 2-1. The teams have met twelve times and seen many goals. The matches in 2019-20 and 2021-22 saw a 5-3 win for Enfield at Hayes Lane, a 3-2 win for Cray with an injury time winner at Enfield. A 4-4 draw at Hayes Lane at New Year 2022 when Cray led 4-2 and a famous 3-3 draw at Enfield in April 2022 with 16 year old keeper Nathan Boamah making his debut and Soul Kader’s first ever goal for Cray helping the Wands to a point that preserved safety. The last meetings between the sides saw a 2-0 win for Enfield Town at home in August 2023 while Cray won 2-0 at Hayes Lane on 29th December with goals from Tayo Oyebola and Ellis Brown. That season Enfield were promoted from the Isthmian Premier after finishing 3rd and after beating Wingate & Finchley and Chatham Town to reach the National South for the first time. They finished 19th and just above the relegation zone in 2024-25 but last season finished 23rd and returned to the Isthmian Premier. Overall in twelve previous games Cray have won three, Enfield five and four draws.
The club were formed only in 2001 as a fan owned set up and were twice Essex Senior League champions in their early years in 2002-03 and 2004-05. They spent one season in the Southern League East finishing 3rd in 2005-06 but lost to Wivenhoe Town in the Playoffs. They were moved to the Isthmian North and finished 4th in 2009-10 losing to Concord Rangers in the playoff final. Eventually they did earn promotion in 2011-12 after finishing second and beat Grays Athletic on penalties after a 2-2 draw. They remained in the Isthmian Premier from 2012-13 reaching the playoffs in 2016-17 losing to Dulwich Hamlet in the Semi-Final and again in 2021-22 losing at home to Hornchurch in the semi-final. Finally in 2023-24 after a third placed finish promotion was sealed via the playoffs.
This will be a hard game but Cray have shown they can go toe to toe with some of the promotion favourites over the last couple of seasons and will be a great test but one to relish.
DIRECTIONS TO ENFIELD TOWN & ADMISSION
Address:
Enfield Town FC
Queen Elizabeth II Stadium, Donkey Lane, Enfield EN1 3PL
Admission Prices
£16 adults (£15 online)
£12 concessions (£11 online) over 65’s, students and those on income support, ID may be required
£10 U21s (£9 online)
£4 U16s (£3 online)
For online prices check – https://enfieldtownfc.ktckts.com/brand/match-tickets
Please note Enfield Town FC is a supporter owned club. The club will be having a community events day on Saturday involving all elements of Enfield Town. Please respect the club’s efforts on the day.
Driving
From the Cray’s maybe not the quickest but should take 55 mins and a 29.4 miles journey. Head to the A20 and then follow on to the A2213 and follow for 0.8 miles then veer left onto the A2. Keep right to continue on to Blackwall Tunnel Southern approach for 3.4 miles and then once through the tunnel to the Northern Approach/A12 for 6.9 miles. Take the A406 (N) exit towards M25 (West)/M11/Loughton for 0.3 miles and then merge onto the N Circular/A406 for 4.1 miles. Keep right to continue on N Circular Road/Walthamstow Avenue/A406. Follow the A406 for 2.6 miles then take a slight left on to the A10 slip road to C. London/Dalston/Hertford/Enfield/M25/Potters Bar/A111.
After 0.2 miles take the 4th exit onto Great Cambridge Road/A10 for 3.4 miles then turn left onto Carterhatch Lane at the Halfway House pub (now a Toby Carvery), Donkey Lane is first left after the pub.
Train:
Enfield Town, Brimsdown (then a 191 bus) and Southbury are the nearest stations to the ground. The 317 bus will take you to the ground. Get off at Cambridge Gardens. Walk down Cambridge Gardens and this leads into Donkey Lane.
You are more likely to go to Enfield Town station which is about a mile from the station. From London Liverpool Street trains leave for Enfield Town at 28 and 58 past the hour and takes 33 minutes to get there. Returns are at 20 and 50 past the hour.
From the station walk east on Southbury Road/A110 towards St. Andrew’s Road. After 0.3 miles, turn left onto Ladysmith Road and after 0.5 miles turn right up the footpath for 0.2 miles which leads to the ground. There is no tube station in the immediate vicinity but you could technically head up the Northern Line to say Southgate, Oakwood or Cockfosters but you might have to consult local buses to get you there.
From London Liverpool Street trains leave for Enfield Town at 28 and 58 past the hour and takes 33 minutes to get there. Returns are at 20 and 50 past the hour.
If you are looking for somewhere to drink then the clubhouse at the ground on past visits has been very good and welcoming.
Options:
There is the Halfway House on Great Cambridge Road which is in effect now a Toby Carvery which might be worth a drop in being so close to Donkey Lane. Address: 801 Great Cambridge Road EN1 3PN
Otherwise there seems to be a few in Enfield Town to choose from.
O’Neills – 5 The Town Enfield, Greater, London EN2 6LE
A traditional Irish pub with live TV sport and music if staying on a bit longer
The Crown and Horseshoes (Greene King) – 12-15 Horseshoe Lane, EN2 5PZ
The Cricketers – (Nearer Enfield Chase station) – Chase Side Place, EN2 6QA
The Jolly Butchers – (McMullens Brewing) – 168 Baker Street, EN1 3JS
The Wheatsheaf – 185 Baker Street, EN1 3JT
There may be others in Enfield to choose from but perhaps best to stick close to the ground unless arriving early and taking a bus or cab option.
Enfield Town is quite a large town in the London Borough of Enfield which became a Borough in 1965 as a merger of Enfield Town, Southgate and Edmonton municipal boroughs. The ground where Enfield Town play the Queen Elizabeth II Stadium was completed in 1953 as primarily an Athletics stadium and the Art Deco pavilion is a Grade II listed building. The area was completely redeveloped in 2007 and a fairly vibrant place to live. Places of interest are St Andrew’s Parish Church which close to it is the old Enfield Grammar School Tudor building. There used to be a palace in Enfield built in the 16th Century but the old manor house was demolished in 1928 and the Palace Gardens Shopping
Centre was renamed in its honour. The New River runs through the Town Park. Enfield Town Barclays Bank was the home of the very first ATM cash dispenser, which began in 1967 and was opened by On the Buses actor Reg Varney.
