Potters Bar Town vs Cray Wanderers – Saturday 15th October, 3 pm – Match Preview and Directions
Photos: Ozay Booth/Jon Hilliger
Cray Wanderers return to Isthmian Premier League action on Saturday following the FA Trophy break with a trip to Potters Bar Town with both sides looking to build on solid starts to the season. Kick off 3pm.
Cray will be looking to bounce back from what was a disappointing performance and result at Hanwell Town last Saturday in the Trophy. The Wands have been hugely competitive in all the away games so far this season but never really got going at Perivale and there could have been no complaints about the final 3-1 scoreline for the home side.
Despite the defeat there were some positives, mainly the performance of Shaun Rowley was in keeping with other games on the road this season, Nyren Clunis came on for the last ten minutes and made a lively cameo while Tom Stagg scored his first goal for the club in only his third game. David Ijaha in an unfamiliar central defensive role did well alongside Jalen Jones with Freddie Carter unavailable. WIth the return of Clunis it is hoped the injury situation can ease for Neil Smith with Sinn’kaye Christie hopefully soon to return with Harold Joseph the only long term absentee.
Cray in 8th place in the league table will have to be back on top form for the visit to Potters Bar but have been very competitive in the away games to date and picked up a point at the league leaders Bishop’s Stortford, won at Folkestone Invicta and were only narrowly beaten at Hornchurch where the Wands deserved at least a point so can go into the game with confidence. Cray have two homes games to follow in October and with all the sides still jockeying for position in the early weeks of the season, Cray are only three points outside of the playoff places so quietly going about their business.
Potters Bar have had a fine start to the season and lie 2nd in the table on 21 points and only behind Bishop’s Stortford on goal difference. The Scholars do come into the game on the back of two straight defeats after a 1-2 defeat at home to Canvey Island on Tuesday night which followed an FA Trophy defeat at home to Heybridge Swifts. After an early Canvey goal, Myles Mitchell-Nelson’s goal before half time looked to be putting Potters Bar back on top of the league but Canvey scored an injury time winner.
Sammy Moore’s side at home have beaten Herne Bay (1-0), Billericay Town (3-0), Enfield Town (2-1), Brightlingsea Regent (3-1) and were beaten by Bishop’s Stortford (0-1) and Canvey Island (1-2). Away from home Potters Bar picked up wins at Bognor Regis Town (2-1), Folkestone Invicta (3-2) and Kingstonian (3-1) and were beaten at Aveley (1-3). In the FA Cup after a home replay win against Aveley were beaten at home by Romford in the 2nd Qualifying Round and in the FA Trophy last Saturday were beaten 0-2 at home to Heybridge Swifts.
Moore who took over at Potters Bar in January has rebuilt the side with some strong signings including striker Dejon Noel-Williams who has scored six goals including a hat-trick at Folkestone, midfielders Quentin Monville and Adam Martin since the start of the season and defender Mo Kamara all add experience. A couple of Wands from last season, Kasim Aidoo and Ethan Kaiser joined the club following the end of last season as well as striker Lewis Manor from Bowers & Pitsea.
Potters Bar after a sticky spell going into the new year finished 13th last season which was their highest league position to date and survived comfortably away from the relegation places. Moore’s first game in charge of Potters Bar was against the Wands on 1st February 2022 and was one of Cray’s best performances of the season coming back from 0-2 down to win 3-2 with goals from Jamie Yila, Ethan Kaiser and an own goal in injury time. Potters Bar won the corresponding game back in September 1-0 at Hayes Lane.
BROMLEY, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 12: Cray Wanderers’s Anthony Cook is fouled during the The Pitching In Isthmian Premier League match between Cray Wanderers and Potters Bar Town at Hayes Lane on September 12, 2021 in Bromley, England . (Photo: © Jon Hilliger / HilligerPix)
Potters Bar Town were formed one hundred years after Cray Wanderers in 1960 and were known as Mount Grace Old Scholars after a team was set up for ex-Mount Grace School pupils until 1991. They spent their early existence in the Hertfordshire County League Division One and in 1981-82 were promoted to the Premier Division. In 1991 after being promoted to the South Midlands League Premier and in 1996-97 to the Spartan South Midlands Division North where they came second and the Quarter Finals of the FA Vase.
In 2004-05 the club were promoted from the South Midlands Premier and into the Southern League Division One East where they spent one season before being moved to the Isthmian North for 2005-06. They remained there before being moved back to the Southern League Division One Central for a couple of years thereby missing Cray Wanderers in the Wands two season stay in the North. They returned to the North and were promoted in 2017-18 behind champions Hornchurch to reach the Isthmian Premier for the first time and finished 16th in their first season in 2018-19. Potters Bar reached the 4th Qualifying Round of the FA Cup for the second time in 2019-20 and were 13th and 15th when the two Covid-19 impacted seasons were stopped before finishing 13th last season.
This has the makings of one of the games of the day in the Isthmian Premier and a good test for the Wands but an exciting challenge.
DIRECTIONS TO POTTERS BAR TOWN FC
DIRECTIONS TO POTTERS BAR TOWN FC
The Lantern Stadium,
Parkfield
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 the 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 on a Saturday 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. There is no planned industrial action on the railways this weekend.
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 (an old Country House), 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 it.
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 owned 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.
