Cray Wanderers vs Haringey Borough – Isthmian Premier, Sunday 11th December, 3 pm – Match Preview
Cray Wanderers return to Hayes Lane on Sunday 11th December after five successive away matches as Haringey Borough are the visitors. Kick off 3pm.
Ahead of Saturday’s games, the Wands are 8th in the Isthmian Premier league table and consolidated with a 2-2 draw at Bognor Regis Town on Wednesday night and from those five away games, Cray won one and drew three league games and a narrow cup defeat to a National South side so got through the schedule well and relatively unscathed.
On Wednesday the resilience of the side continued as twice Bognor Regis went in front but Sam Skeffington’s first Cray Wanderers goal and an Anthony Cook penalty earned a point on a cold evening. There were a number of plusses for the Wands on Wednesday night but special praise for Mitch Chapman for filling in at centre-back after Sinn’kaye Christie went off with injury early on and put in a great display. Also, Skeffington played with great drive and determination and deserved his first Cray goal with a fine shot and Yahaya Bamba caused plenty of problems down the right and was unlucky not to score in the second half.
Since Wednesday, Ben Krauhaus and Kellen Fisher have been recalled by Bromley after their successful loan spells at the Wands and winger Michael Ademiluyi has joined Faversham Town.
Haringey Borough as always are going quietly about their business and Tom Loizou’s side are 14th in the Isthmian Premier table on 24 points after 19 games.
Their last game was a 3-1 win at home to Glebe in the London Senior Cup on Tuesday with goals from Chaynie Fage-Burgin (2) and Scott Durojaiye. Away from home the North Londoners have beaten Carshalton Athletic (1-0) and Bognor Regis Town (1-0) and drew at Canvey Island (1-1), Brightlingsea Regent (1-1), Margate (3-3) and Hornchurch (3-3). Their only defeats came at Bishop’s Stortford (1-2), Aveley (0-3) and Hastings United (1-4). At home Haringey have beaten Horsham (2-0), Bowers & Pitsea (4-2), Folkestone Invicta (3-0) and Kingstonian (5-2). They drew with Corinthian Casuals and Wingate & Finchley and lost to Herne Bay, Billericay Town, Potters Bar Town and Lewes last Saturday. In the FA Cup, Haringey were beaten in the 1st Qualifying Round at Maldon & Tiptree and reached the 1st Round of the FA Trophy after beating Brightlingsea Regent but were beaten at home by Billericay Town. They have advanced past two rounds of the Isthmian League Cup beating Hashtag United and Enfield Town. Anthony Mendy is the leading scorer with 8 goals in league and cups.
Haringey Borough finished 17th with 42 points in 2021-22 but were fairly safe from any relegation concerns. Last seasons games saw the Wands pick up a point from s 1-1 draw at Haringey with Jamie Yila cancelling out a Scott Mitchell strike. Yila also scored in the corresponding game at Hayes Lane on 9th March but goals from Andronicos Georgiou and Michael O’Donoghue won the game 2-1 for Borough.
BROMLEY, GREATER LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 09: Cray Wanderers’s Sam Wood lines up a shot from the edge of the area during The Pitching In Isthmian Premier League match between Cray Wanderers and Haringey Borough at Hayes Lane on March 09, 2022 in Bromley, Greater London, England . (Photo: © Jon Hilliger / HilligerPix)
BROMLEY, GREATER LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 09: Cray Wanderers’s captain, Anthony Cook, is just beaten to the ball by Haringey Borough’s Charne Lemba during The Pitching In Isthmian Premier League match between Cray Wanderers and Haringey Borough at Hayes Lane on March 09, 2022 in Bromley, Greater London, England . (Photo: © Jon Hilliger / HilligerPix)
Haringey Borough were formed in 1973 after a merger of two clubs Edmonton and Wood Green Town and were in the Athenian League until 1984-85 when they joined Division 2 North of the Isthmian League. They remained there until 1989-90 when they entered the Spartan League and won the London Senior Cup in 1990-91 and briefly changed their name to Tufnell Park in 1995. After the Spartan League merged with the South Midlands League in 1998-99 they had a couple of promotions and relegations. For the 2012-13 season Haringey Borough moved to the Essex Senior League where they stayed for two seasons winning promotion in the 2014-15. In 2015-16 they finished 15th in the Isthmian North where they met Cray in league competition for the first time and the following season they finished 5th reaching the playoffs where they lost to Maldon & Tiptree. In 2017-18 they finished 4th and reached the playoffs again beating Heybridge Swifts and in the final Canvey Island 3-1 to take their place in the Premier Division. 2018-19 was their first season in the Isthmian Premier and did superbly finishing third and reaching the playoffs where they lost at home to Tonbridge Angels in the Semi-Finals. They also made national headlines by reaching the 1st Round Proper of the FA Cup and a televised tie which they narrowly lost at home to AFC Wimbledon. In 2019-20 Haringey were 15th when the season ended early and reached the 4QR of the FA Cup while last season’s very shortened season Borough were 11th after eight league games played and 17th last season.
With no World Cup ties and hopefully free of Saturday’s frost this could be a great game to watch on Sunday. Admission £12 adults, £6 concessions on gate or via the ticketing page (www.cray-wanderers.com/tickets)
