St Albans City vs Cray Wanderers – Isthmian Premier – Saturday 31st January, 3 pm
Cray Wanderers finish January with a first ever league visit to St Albans City as the Wands look to maintain a good away record and remain in playoff contention.
Tim O’Shea’s side come into the game in sixth place on forty three points after twenty eight games just a point behind Dartford but with Billericay Town in seventh a point behind and Burgess Hill Town in eighth on forty points with both having played a game less.
Last Saturday, Cray were held at home by Carshalton Athletic after a 1-1 draw which saw Cray fall behind to a Ben Mundele goal but Harry Bridle netted his first Wands goal just before the half hour to level. It wasn’t a game of many clear cut chances and Jordy Mongoy had the ball in the net and in the end a point apiece was about the right result.
With matches to come in February against fellow playoff contenders Chatham Town and Dartford and also in form Ramsgate it promises to be a pivotal month. Cray though can be encouraged ahead of the trip to Hertfordshire with a record of just one defeat in fourteen on the road this season and are unbeaten in six matches away from home.
St Albans City will be looking to return to winning ways after two successive away defeats and lie twelfth in the table with thirty five points after twenty seven games. On Tuesday night St Albans City were beaten 2-3 at Billericay Town. Jack James gave St Albans an early lead before Billericay went 3-1 up early in the second half before Jasper Mather pulled a goal back for Gary McCann’s side.
At home St Albans City have won three of the last four games and have beaten Dartford (2-0), Lewes (3-0), Welling United (2-1), Carshalton Athletic (2-1), Wingate & Finchley (2-0), Cray Valley PM (5-0) and Hashtag United (4-1) on 20th January. They drew 0-0 with Chatham Town and were beaten by Cheshunt (1-2), Brentwood Town (2-3), Burgess Hill Town (3-4), Potters Bar Town (1-2), Chichester City (1-2) and Whitehawk (3-5). St Albans City had a very good run in the FA Cup earlier this season reaching the 1st Round proper after wins against Aylesbury Park Dynamos, Hitchin Town, Woodford Town and Banbury after a replay before going out a League One Burton Albion.
When the two teams met at Flamingo Park on 21st October it was a high quality contest which ended in a 1-1 draw. The Wands took the lead right after half time through Kareem Isiaka’s strike but St Albans City levelled three minutes into added time courtesy of a George Sippetts goal.
The Wands previous trips to St Albans City have been in the FA Trophy. Cray were beaten 2-3 after extra-time in a replay on 30th November 2004 with Matt Woolff and Jamie Kempster scoring. The last meeting was in the 2nd Round on 15th December 2020 with St Albans winning 3-0.
This should be a great game to end January with both teams needing the points with Cray to keep up the pressure on the top five and for St Albans to make up ground on the playoff chasing teams.
DIRECTIONS TO ST ALBANS CITY FC
Address: St Albans City FC, Clarence Park, York Road, St Albans AL 1 4NF
Ticketing: The stadium is cashless. Tickets can be purchased online or at the turnstiles on matchday.
Prices: Please note that “early bird” tickets are available up to 48 hours before kick-off online and up to one hour before kick-off on the gate
– travelling supporters please note so best if possible to get to the ground before 2 pm.
Men’s Team Match-day
Adult – £18 (Early Bird £15)
Concession – £12.50 & Blue Light Card Holders (Early Bird £11.50)
Next Gen (18-23) – £9.00 (Early Bird £8)
Youth (12-17) – £6.00 (Early Bird £5)
Junior (5-11) – £1.00
https://stalbanscityfc.ktckts.com/event/alb2526h15/st-albans-city-v-cray-wanderers
Playing Surface: Grass
Programme: Online
Directions probably quickest via the M11 and M25. Follow the A12 through the Blackwall Tunnel for 6.8 miles and then take the A406 (N) exit towards M25 (West)/Loughton/M11 and after 0.3 miles merge onto the N Circular (A406). After 0.2 miles use the left two lanes to take the M11 slip road to Cambridge/Stansted Airport for 1.2 miles and then onto the M11 for 6.3 miles. At junction 6 exit onto the M25 towards M1/Watford/Heathrow Airport for 19.1 miles. At junction 22 use the second from left lane to take the A1081 exit to St Albans. After 0.2 miles at the roundabout take the 3rd exit onto A1081. After 0.2 miles at the Bell Roundabout take the 3rd exit staying on the A1081. At the London Colney roundabout take the 3rd exit onto the A1081 and after 0.6 miles at the roundabout take the 1st exit staying on the A1081. After 0.2 miles turn right onto Drakes Drive going through three roundabouts and after 0.7 miles at the roundabout continue straight onto Ashley Road. After 0.5 miles at the roundabout take the 2nd exit onto Hatfield Road/A1057 and then take the 1st exit onto Beaumont Avenue. After 0.5 miles turn left onto Sandpit Lane and after 0.4 miles take the 1st exit onto Clarence Road and after 0.3 miles turn right onto York Road where the ground will be to the left.
PLEASE NOTE THERE IS NO PARKING AT THE GROUND
Street parking is available around the ground, although beware of some stringent restrictions that are enforced – there is a large multi-storey car park nearby at Station Way which St Albans City FC strongly recommend visitors use.
By train, St Albans City can be reached via London Bridge, London Blackfriars (Thameslink services) and St Pancras International where there are plenty of trains available during the day and on the way home with at least nine trains an hour. Some trains take 34 mins to get there but there are faster trains taking around 20 minutes. There are engineering works on the Sidcup and Bexleyheath lines meaning trains go to Victoria in reaching London Bridge. To get to London Bridge you would need to get to Peckham Rye for services. Trains from St Mary Cray require a change at London Blackfriars to reach St Albans City.
Turn left out of St. Albans City station into Station Way and cross Hatfield Road into Clarence Park. Follow the path round to the right of the ground until you reach the main entrance.
The nearest pub to the ground is the Crown on Hatfield Road also the Speckled Hen with the Robin Hood of St Albans on Victoria Street close by. The nearest Wetherspoon pub is the Waterend Barn in St Peters Street.
With St Albans being a big city if you have time on your hands you will find plenty of choice around to choose from. Alternatively the club house at the ground is impressive and spacious and there are bars around the ground. With the city and Cathedral being historic and also close to London this should be a great day out for supporters perhaps visiting from Cray Wanderers for the first time. The last time we played there in the FA Trophy in December 2020 there were COVID restrictions and few supporters could travel to what was an evening game.
