Kingstonian vs Cray Wanderers – Isthmian Premier – Saturday 30th September, 3 pm – Match Preview
Pics: Ben Keayes and Ozay Booth
Cray Wanderers bring the curtain down on a busy September on Saturday as Neil Smith’s side head to Mitcham to face Kingstonian. Kick off 3 pm.
The Wands will be looking to build on the momentum of two successive league wins which moved Cray up to 18th in the league table on six points after a very difficult opening to the season.
Last Saturday Cray earned a hard fought three points against Cheshunt at Hayes Lane with a 2-1 win with goals from Jamie Mascoll and George Porter and definitely the level of performance and victory was akin to last season where Cray picked up many wins from difficult games.
On Tuesday night a pretty strong Wands side advanced in the Kent Senior Cup with an injury time winner from Gary Lockyer in a 3-2 win at Phoenix Sports. Anthony Cook made his 100th Cray Wanderers appearance in the game, and always the consumate professional scored from the penalty spot with Cameron Black also scoring. The Wands had 5 U18s players on the bench which augurs well for the future of the club.
Certainly the team are looking more settled after having players out through suspension and injury in the early weeks of the season and with a spell coming up of three successive away games in league and cup it promises to be a very interesting next few weeks with the season still admittedly in its relatively early stages.
Kingstonian come into the game in 20th place on four points with Simon Lane’s side also looking to get their season going after a slow start. Last Saturday, Kingstonian were beaten 0-2 at Bognor Regis Town.
The K’s finished 18th last season on 39 points ultimately finishing six points clear of relegation. Cray won both league games, 1-0 at Kingstonian on 3rd December courtesy of a Sam Wood header. Then in the final home game of the season the Wands won 2-0 on 15th with goals from Harrison Sodje and Jalen Jones.
So far at home Kingstonian have beaten Canvey Island (2-1) and lost to Lewes (1-3) and Carshalton Athletic (2-3). Away from home Kingstonian drew at Hashtag United and were beaten at Billericay Town, Wingate & Finchley & Bognor Regis Town. In the FA Cup like Cray, Kingstonian were knocked out in the 2nd Qualifying Round. After beating Lydd Town, the K’s were beaten at Carshalton. In the FA Trophy next Saturday Kingstonian visit Hastings United.
The K’s were formed in 1885 and in 1919 just after World War I became an amalgamation of two clubs Kingston Town and Old Kingstonians. In 1929 the club were accepted into the Isthmian League where they have but for a short period spent a lot of their history. In 1932-33 they won the FA Amateur Cup beating Stockton 4-1 in a final replay at Darlington. They reached the final again in 1959-60 at Wembley where they lost to Hendon.
Their golden era came in the late 90’s under the astute management of Geoff Chapple and the team were promoted to the Conference as Champions of the Isthmian Premier in 1997-98. They remained in the Conference for three years earning a reputation as a great cup side winning the FA Trophy two years in a row in 1999 and 2000 in the last finals at the old Wembley beating Forest Green Rovers and Kettering Town.
The following season, despite relegation, they reached the 4th Round of the FA Cup beating Brentford and Southend along the way before losing after a replay at Bristol City. They had one or two struggles back in the Isthmian and were relegated to Division One in 2004-05 therefore meeting Cray Wanderers in league football for the first time. They gained promotion in 2008-09 as Champions with Cray going up in the playoffs. They’ve been in the Premier since then and twice reached the playoffs under Alan Dowson in 2009-10 losing to Boreham Wood in the Final and in 2013-14 in the semi-finals to AFC Hornchurch. From the 2018-19 season Kingstonian ground shared with Corinthian Casuals after leaving their Kingsmeadow ground at the end of the 2016-17 season after one season groundsharing at Leatherhead in 2017-18 and now moved to Tooting & Mitcham United FC from the start of the 2022-23 season.
With the teams looking to improve their league positions this will be a game of importance for both sides.
DIRECTIONS TO KINGSTONIAN FC
Please note Kingstonian ground share at Tooting & Mitcham United FC
Imperial Fields
Bishopsford Road
Morden
SM4 6BF
Admission: £12 adults, £8 Seniors (60 & over), carers, £6 students (upon presentation of student card), Juniors, free
Printed programme: Yes
PLEASE NOTE ON SATURDAY THERE IS A RAIL STRIKE BY THE ASLEF UNION
Tram: You are best from Bromley (the 354 bus from Bromley North) to make your way to Beckenham Junction and take the tram to the Mitcham Tramlink stop. Then walk up Tramway Path and turn left on to London Road. Walk past the Fire Station and Imperial Fields is a short walk further along, situated on your left once you have crossed the bridge.
https://tfl.gov.uk/tram/route/tram/
Bus: 118 or 280 to Bishopsford Road bus stop.
Tube: Morden Station (Northern Line) then take the 118 bus from bus stop C, five stops to Bishopsford Road.
Car: There is plenty of parking at the stadium, but best to arrive early, to ensure a parking space is still available.
From the M25 take Junction 8 (A217) and follow signs to Sutton. Continue on A217 to Rosehill, take the 3rd exit at the roundabout and follow signs to Mitcham onto Bishopsford Road. Imperial Fields is situated approximately one mile down the road on the right hand side, opposite the petrol garage.
Nearest pubs:
Possibly best to stick to the club house as very good but the nearest pub would be the Surrey Arms on Morden Road. If you find yourself in Mitcham then you have on London Road, the White Lion of Mortimer, the Kings Arms and the Gardeners Arms should all be able to satisfy you and not far from Mitcham Junction station but perhaps slightly going away from the ground.
Imperial Fields is in Morden which is part of the London Borough of Merton and the Northern Line’s final destination South or first going north. Morden adjoins Merton Park and Wimbledon to the North, Mitcham to the east, Sutton to the south and Worcester Park to the west. Morden Hall Park is a National Trust park is on the banks of the River Wandle and adjacent to the Town Centre and houses Morden Hall, a manor house which dates back to the 1770’s. With very good transport links this makes it a very good trip for a London Underground enthusiast and those that like to do the Northern Line walk or pub crawl.
