Potters Bar Town vs. Cray Wanderers – Isthmian Premier, Tues 1st February, 7.45 pm – Match Preview and Directions

Potters Bar Town vs Cray Wanderers – Tues 1st February, 7.45 pm – Match Preview & Directions

Pics: Jon Hilliger/www.hilligerpix.com

Cray Wanderers start a busy February on Tuesday evening with a trip to Potters Bar Town in a match with great significance at the lower end of the Isthmian Premier league table.  This is a rearranged fixture after the original game on 8^th January was postponed.  Kick off on 1^st February at 7.45pm.

Both sides will be looking to bounce back from disappointing defeats at the weekend with Grant Basey’s Wanderers side, 20^th on 23 points and Potters Bar Town one place above on 24 points but the Scholars have played five games less than the Wands.

The Wands after the excitement of the 5-4 win vs Carshalton Athletic were beaten twice on the road at Lewes last Tuesday and at Brightlingsea Regent on Saturday.  The game on Saturday was a similar scenario to Tuesday night and in reality looked like being a goalless draw after a bright start for Cray when Cameron Brodie, Anthony Cook and Jai Reason came close  until a 72^nd minute winner for the home side eased their relegation fears.

Defensively Cray were very good in the last two games and didn’t give up many chances and the midfield worked hard to create but perhaps have just lacked a cutting edge in front of goal which against Carshalton proved so devastating when presented with opportunities.

Potters Bar Town have won one of their last ten games and on Saturday were beaten at home 0-7 by Folkestone Invicta.  Since then the Scholars have appointed a new manager at the weekend with former Hemel Hempstead Town, Concord Rangers and Leatherhead manager Sammy Moore taking over after Lee O’Leary departed which could give the home side a boost.   

Despite their recent results Potters Bar have had some good wins this season and when the two teams met at Hayes Lane on Sunday 12th September a Devonte Aransibia first half goal separated the sides in a match which saw both teams miss a penalty. 

Potters Bar Town’s home form this season has seen wins against Corinthian Casuals (3-1), East Thurrock United (3-0) and Bowers & Pitsea (2-0) and drew with Bognor Regis Town (2-2).  They lost at home to Lewes (1-3), Cheshunt (1-3), Carshalton Athletic (1-2), Leatherhead (3-4) and Folkestone Invicta (0-7).  Away from home the Scholars beat Cray Wanderers (1-0), Horsham (3-1), Wingate & Finchley (2-0) and Lewes (5-1). They picked up points at Folkestone Invicta and Haringey Borough and lost at Merstham, Hornchurch, Worthing, Corinthian Casuals, Enfield Town, Brightlingsea Regent and Bognor Regis Town.  In the FA Cup Potters Bar were beaten at Stowmarket in the 1QR and in the FA Trophy advanced past Haringey Borough and Bedford Town before losing at Braintree Town. Samson Esan and Ben Ward-Cochrane are the leading scorers with 10 goals each.  

This will be only the third time the sides have met at Potters Bar Town and the home side won 3-0  last season with Ward-Cochrane scoring twice and Thomas Gogo on target  on 6^th October 2020. The other match at Potters Bar ended 1-1 in August 2019 with a Joe Taylor stoppage time goal.  Potters Bar are in their fourth season in the Isthmian Premier and finished 16 in 2018-19 and lied 13^th when the 2019-20 season ended in March 2020 and were 15^th last season which also ended early.

There are still plenty of points to play for and games to play but as we enter the last three months of the season the stakes are just raised that bit higher when you are in the lower reaches of the table and all points are gratefully received.

DIRECTIONS TO POTTERS BAR TOWN FC

The LA Construction Stadium,
Watkins Rise (off The Walk)
Potters Bar
Hertfordshire
EN6 1QB

Admission Prices: Adults: £12.00
Concessions: £8.00 (Over 65’s & students)

U16s/Juniors: £1.00  

 Travelling By Car

Directions from M25

Come off at Junction 24, take A111 exit (Southgate Road) towards Potters Bar. Continue to traffic lights then turn right at A1000 on to High Street.  After passing BP garage on left and a pedestrian crossing turn left into the Walk after 200 metres turn right into Watkins Rise and the ground is to your right

Please do not park in Mayfair Lodge Care Home car park – as you may be clamped

Please use the Car Park adjacent to the ground. You may also park on one side of the entrance part to Watkins Rise, but ensure you allow access for Emergency vehicles.

Travelling By Train to Potters Bar Station

Trains go to Potters Bar via London Kings Cross station.  Trains run half hourly midweek at 28 & 58 past the hour and takes 17 minutes to get there calling at Finsbury Park and then Potters Bar.  Returns to Kings Cross are at 02 & 32 past the hour with the last direct train at 23.33.

The ground is 10 minutes’ walk from Potters Bar Station. Exit the station and turn right and almost immediately right again into The Walk. Ground is around a mile on the left hand side.

 For buses no’s 84, 298 or 313 will take you close to the ground.

  Nearest Pubs/restaurants

As you are fairly close to the High Street there are a number of options available.  There is the Cask and Stillage (19 High Street) and the Oakmere House Harvester, while fairly close and if time on your hands there’s the Old Manor and the Admiral Byng on Darkes Lane and going a bit out of your way are the Strafford and the Builders Arms.  Also the Chequers on Coopers Lane if you really want to make a day of what is our first ever trip there.  

On Barnet Road is the Fish & Chip Shop (no fancy name required) which is highly rated  For Indian food there are the Pubali Tandoori in the High Street and Tamarind on Barnet Road but these won’t be open until after the match as will be the China Style restaurant also on Barnet Road.

Potters Bar is a commuter town in Hertfordshire about 13 miles from central London.  It is situated on the Great North Road one of a couple of routes out of the City of London which will take you to the North of England. Much of the town was owned by the Byng family and own the Wrotham Park Estate between Potters Bar and Barnet.

Potters Bar was also the scene of a couple of serious railway incidents, in 1946 and a derailment in May 2002 cost the lives of seven people and injured another 11.

For Golf enthusiasts there is a Golf course in Potters Bar which was used by the great Tony Jacklin who hailed from the town as did clarinettist Acker Bilk who lived partly in Potters Bar and in Somerset.  Also actor Martin Freeman comes from the town.