Cray Wanderers vs Bromley U21s – Pre-Season Friendly – Saturday 20th July, 3 pm – Match Preview
Cray pics: Ben Keayes
Cray Wanderers reach half way through pre-season on Saturday 20th July as Flamingo Park hosts Bromley U21’s in the third home friendly on successive Saturdays.
With the Isthmian Premier League fixtures in the bank and a league opener at Hashtag United on 10th August, pre-season should now begin to step up a gear and the Wands host the first of four friendlies vs Premier League/EFL XI’s with Bromley U21s the first opponents.
So far in pre-season, Cray have drawn with SE Dons and were defeated by Sheffield in the Heritage Cup last Saturday. On Thursday evening a young Wands team made of trialists/U18s were beaten 1-2 at VCD Athletic.
Following Saturday, the Wands entertain elevens from Millwall (23/7), Crystal Palace (26/7) and Tottenham Hotspur (6/8/24) and as experiments go the first two games have been a success in terms of numbers through the gate especially last Saturday with a crowd of 466.
Since the start of pre-season forwards David Smith and Alex Teniola, midfielders Jack Leahy, Bradley Ryan and Lateef Adeja plus defender Quade Taylor have been added to the squad to go alongside experienced players like Anthony Cook, Nyren Clunis, Shaun Rowley, Tom Bonner, Frankie Raymond and David Ijaha.
The 2023-24 season was a momentous one for Bromley FC with promotion to the Football League for the first time assured after a dramatic playoff final victory against Solihull Moors at Wembley on 5th May. All at Cray Wanderers wish our former Landlords at Hayes Lane all the best in their inaugural season in League 2 which begins on 10th August with a trip to Harrogate Town. They then have back to back home games with AFC Wimbledon in their first League Cup tie on 13th August and then in the league on 17th August.
With the need for additional substitutes in the Football League and a flexible squad for competitions like the EFL Cup, Kent Senior Cup etc the U21s Professional Development Squad has added importance and the side that will face Cray will all have a chance of senior football at some point during the season. The U21s PDS play in the Suburban League Premier and finished 3rd last season.
With both clubs heading for exciting times ahead and with the weather picking up a long awaited burst of heat this should be a great way to spend the Wands final Saturday pre-season game ahead of the big kick off on 10th August.
Admission £10/£5/£2 and online at www.cray-wanderers.com/tickets/
