Hanwell Town vs Cray Wanderers – FA Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round – Saturday 8th October, 3 pm – Match Preview & Directions

Hanwell Town vs Cray Wanderers – FA Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round – Saturday 8th October, 3 pm – Match Preview & Directions

Pics:  Jon Hilliger/www.hilligerpix.com – Brentford FC

Cray Wanderers begin their FA Trophy adventure for 2022-23 on Saturday 8th October as the Wands visit Hanwell Town for the first time since February 1993 in the 3rd Qualifying Round.  Please note there are no replays in the FA Trophy and the tie will be decided on the day on penalties if a draw after 90 minutes.

The Trophy was a good competition for Cray last season having advanced past home ties with Kings Langley, Bedfont Sports and Ebbsfleet United before bowing out to Dartford in the 3rd Round at Hayes Lane.  

Cray come into the game on the back of a 3-1 win at Corinthian Casuals on Wednesday night where the Wands came back from a goal down at the break to score three goals in thirteen minutes to turn the game around.  Dan Bassett has been sharp in the early weeks of the season and his equaliser on Wednesday was his sixth goal of the season and his fifth in the last six league games.  Attacking midfielder Ben Krauhaus on an extended loan from Bromley scored his first Cray Wanderers goal in the 77th minute to put Cray ahead and two minutes later a deft header from Tom Derry sealed the points which moved Neil Smith’s side up to 8th in the Isthmian Premier League table.  Generally away performances have been very good and resilient as Cray have been behind at Bishop’s Stortford and Folkestone Invicta who are having good seasons and also at Hornchurch before going down to a late defeat and at Corinthian Casuals.  The introduction of young players, Krauhaus, Tom Stagg and Freddie Carter has already been positive and another was having Nyren Clunis on the bench having been out since the Margate game since August to add to the Wands’ attacking options.

Hanwell Town have made a very solid start to their Southern League Premier South season and are currently 4th in the table on 17 points. Chris Moore’s side after an opening day home defeat to Truro City then won four league games in a row in August to move up the table.  On Tuesday night Hanwell were beaten 0-2 at North Leigh which was their first away defeat of the season.  They also had a good FA Cup run winning at Eastbourne Town and Cray Valley PM before a fine effort against Ebbsfleet in the 3rd Qualifying Round last Saturday before losing 2-1 at home.

At home Hanwell have beaten Chesham (2-0), Tiverton (1-0) and Dorchester Town (2-1) and were beaten by Truro City (1-3) and Met Police (0-1). Away from home Hanwell picked up three points at Yate Town (3-2) and Harrow Borough (1-0) and drew at Beaconsfield and Bracknell Town with the only defeat at North Leigh on Tuesday night.

The match could also see a clash of Sam’s both with Brentford and Wycombe Wanderers connections in the Wands Sam Wood and Hanwell’s Sam Saunders who both enjoyed success at both clubs.  Chris Moore also played for Brentford in the 2006-07 season prior to the two Sam’s joining the Bees.

Hanwell Town had an excellent season in 2021-22 in the Isthmian South Central finishing 4th and in the playoffs won both ties away from home at Bedfont Sports (3-1) and Chertsey Town (3-2) in the final to earn promotion and a move to the Southern League Premier South.

Hanwell Town were formed in 1920 by exiles from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and adopted the Geordie’s famous black and white stripes which have remained Hanwell’s home colours to this day.  

The club played in the London League in the 1920’s and met Cray Wanderers in league competition for the only time for three seasons from 1924-1927.  After dropping into local leagues they joined the Middlesex County League in 1970 and then on to the London Spartan League in the 1980’s winning the Senior Division title in 1983-84. In 1981 they moved to their current ground in Perivale and in 1988-89 they made their FA Cup debut.  In the early 90’s Hanwell won the London Senior Cup in 1991-92 beating Croydon Athletic and 1992-93 where they beat Cray Wanderers 2-0 at home in the Semi Final and Brimsdown Rovers in the Final. They reached the final in 1993-94 losing to Ford United. The teams met again in the London Senior Cup in February 2001 at Hayes Lane with Hanwell winning 2-1.

After amalgamation of the Spartan and South Midlands Leagues Hanwell remained either in the Senior Premier South until 2006 and non-league restructuring meant they were moved to the Southern League Division One South & West for 2006-07 where they were relegated back to the Spartan South Midlands League.  In 2013-14 they won the League title by 14 points to earn promotion back to the Southern League and finished 7th in 2014-15 and reached the 3rd Qualifying Round of the FA Cup the following season which they matched this season as the furthest reached in the competition.  For the 2018-19 season Hanwell Town were moved to the newly formed Isthmian League South-Central and finished 8th.  They were unlucky in 2019-20 as they were 2nd in the table when the season ended early due to Covid-19 and 7th in the shortened 2020-21 season and winning the Middlesex Senior Cup for the first time.  Finally they earned promotion the hard way via two away ties in the playoffs after finishing 4th. 

One constant over the last 60+ years has been that of Chairman Bob Fisher and a very long association with the Geordies which is a remarkable association.

This should be a great occasion and a nice distraction from league games for the weekend and a rare opportunity for Cray Wanderers to take on Southern League opposition.

DIRECTIONS TO HANWELL TOWN FC

The Powerday Stadium
Perivale Lane
Middlesex
UB6 8TL

£13 adults £7 concessions £3 U18s on gate – in advance online £12, £6 & £2
https://app.fanbaseclub.com/Fan/Tickets/

Please note there is a rail strike planned for Saturday 8th October but tubes should be running to get you to Perivale on the Central Line. Also the Elizabeth Line operates to Hanwell on the Abbey Wood – Paddington line. The Central Line at this time is operating a good service at the weekend.

Directions

By car

From the North or London:

• Take the A406 North Circular Rd or the A40(M) Western Avenue to Hanger Lane roundabout 
• Travel west on the A40 towards Perivale & Greenford
• Take the first exit signposted Ealing & Perivale and at the traffic lights turn left into Argyle Road
• Travel 150 yards to the next traffic lights and turn left into Perivale Lane
• The ground is 500 Yards on the right

From the West:

• Take the M40 on to the A40 towards London
• Travel west on the A40 towards Perivale & Greenford
• Take the first exit signposted Ealing & Perivale and at the traffic lights turn left into Argyle Road
• Travel 150 yards to the next traffic lights and turn left into Perivale Lane
• The ground is 500 Yards on the right

From the South:

• Take the A406 Hanger Lane to Hanger Lane Roundabout – the junction with A40(M)
• Travel west on the A40 towards Perivale & Greenford
• Take the first exit signposted Ealing & Perivale and at the traffic lights turn left into Argyle Road
• Travel 150 yards to the next traffic lights and turn left into Perivale Lane
• The ground is 500 Yards on the right

By Tube

• The nearest station is Perivale on the Central Line – red in colour
• Turn left out of the station
• 5 minutes walk to A40(M) and cross the A40(M) by the footbridge
• Go through the Mylett Arms Public House Car Park to the rear and turn right into Perivale Lane
• The ground is 500 yards on the right

By Bus

• Take Bus 297 from outside Ealing Broadway tube station
• The bus travel will along Argyle Road, alight at Stop B entitled ‘Perivale Lane’ which will be immediately before the A40 – aka the Western Avenue
• The ground is located on the opposite side of the road

By Train

The nearest mainline train stations are Ealing Broadway or Hanwell on the Elizabeth Line. Ealing Broadway is probably not the best option with the rail strike on Saturday.

Ealing Broadway

• Trains usually run every 15 minutes from Paddington in Central London and take approx. 10 minutes
• Then follow the ‘By Bus’ instructions above
• Alternatively there is taxi rank opposite Ealing Broadway station

Hanwell

• Trains usually run every 15 minutes from Paddington in Central London and take approx. 15 minutes
• The ground is around 10-15 minutes by taxi depending on the time of day.

 

 There isn’t a taxi rank outside Hanwell station however local taxi firms include Boston Mini Cabs on 020 8840 1111 or Embassy Cars on 020 8567 5555.

Parking

Cars

Only limited parking is available within the ground however, there is free parking along Perivale Lane where the ground is located.

Bicycles

A bicycle rack is located opposite our admission gate.

Please ask the Stewards or Gate Volunteers for any parking assistance you require.

Accessibility

Hanwell Town FC is committed to ensuring that all supporters enjoy themselves and have a good experience at the Poweday Stadium. The Club welcomes entry to disabled supporters at the standard admission price for their age with any attending carers being free of charge.

Accessible parking which is located next to the admission gate.

There is a pitchside accessible covered area which is located next to our accessible toilet facility.

Please ask the Stewards, Gate Volunteers or any Club Official for any assistance you require.

 

Nearest pubs:  The club house at Hanwell Town is highly recommended (surely bottles of Newcastle Brown will be available) but if you have  time to look around Perivale, the Mylett Arms (Greene King) on Western Avenue seems your best bet. There is the Ballot Box in Horsenden Lane, part of the Hungry Horse restaurant chain which has a huge dining area. In Oldfield Lane in Greenford there is the Railway Hotel and the Black Horse by the Grand Union Canal. 

Hanwell Town play in Perivale which is part of the London Borough of Ealing and comes under Middlesex and Greenford.  The A40 goes through the town and includes the Art Deco Hoover Building, a grade II listed building and the headquarters of the Hoover Company from 1933 but is now made up of residential apartments. St Mary’s Church, Perivale is a Grade 1 listed building and there are two areas of greenery, Horsenden Hill Park and the Perivale Wood Nature reserve which is one of the oldest in the UK.

The Grand Union Canal passes through the north of Perivale making it an ideal spot for cyclists and walkers.

Perivale is also the home of the BBC Archive since 2010 having moved their location from nearby Brentford and houses extensive collections of important recordings either radio, televisual or symphonic/records based.   

Cray do not tend to play round these parts very often so could ube a great day out for our supporters.