Brentwood Town vs Cray Wanderers – FA Trophy 3QR – Saturday 5th October, 3 pm – Match Preview
Pics: 1-4 – Dave Budden
Cray Wanderers continue a run of cup ties on Saturday as the Wands head to Brentwood Town in the 3rd Qualifying Round of the FA Trophy. Kick off at the Brentwood Arena, 3 pm with the tie to be decided on the day with no replays in the competition.
Cray come into the game on the back of two fine performances against Chatham Town in the Kent Senior Cup and last Saturday defeated Hastings United, 3-0 at Flamingo Park to reach the 4th Qualifying Round and set up a home tie with Tonbridge Angels next Saturday.
Last Saturday Cray had to bide their time after going in at half time goalless despite an enterprising performance against Hastings but early in the second half, recent arrival former West Bromwich Albion midfielder Toby King who had been playing in Icelandic football gave Cray the lead and Kenny Coker who has been in good form added a second from the penalty spot. The win was confirmed in added time with David Smith scoring his third goal in four games in some style. Also the third clean sheet in five FA Cup ties was deserved. The back four of Ike Orji, Darion Dowrich, Tom Bonner and David Ijaha were superb and kept Shaun Rowley well protected. The Wands were without Adrian Owiredu-Gyamera and Charlie Edwards last Saturday due to injuries but with a rare free midweek will hope to have a strong squad available for the trip to Essex.
Cray have had decent runs in the FA Trophy in the last few seasons and reached the 3rd Round in 2021-22 and the 2nd Round in 2020-21 and last season.
Brentwood Town come into the game in 12th place in the Isthmian North but is possibly a false position as Town have only played five league games after FA Cup and Trophy runs. Last Saturday, Brentwood were 2-0 winners at home to Wroxham with Shad Ngandu (who scored for Brentwood the last time Cray visited the Brentwood Arena in September 2014) and Daniel Ogunleye scoring putting them on to 9 points.
To advance to the 3rd Qualifying Round, Brentwood Town beat Witham Town (3-2) at home in the 1st Qualifying Round and then a 2-1 win at Brightlingsea Regent with goals from Harry Cripps and Ogunleye. In the league at home, Brentwood Town beat Walthamstow (3-2) and Wroxham (2-0) and lost to Heybridge Swifts (1-2). Away from home they picked up three points at Redbridge (4-2) but were beaten at Concord Rangers (1-5). In the FA Cup, Brentwood Town made it through to the 2nd Qualifying Round with wins at Ware (1-0) and Enfield (5-0) before losing at Leiston after a replay. Leading scorer so far is Daniel Ogunleye with 8 goals.
Brentwood Town are managed by former West Ham, QPR and Northern Ireland international, Keith Rowland and last season came close to promotion to the Isthmian Premier after finishing 5th in the Isthmian North. Brentwood won 3-1 at Bury Town in the playoff semi-final before losing out narrowly at Bowers & Pitsea in the final, losing 3-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw. They also reached the playoffs in 2021-22 (again losing on penalties to Canvey Island) and have been traditionally a very consistent side nearer the top half of the table.
The last time the Wands played at Brentwood Town was in the very dramatic 2014-15 Isthmian North season with the sides drawing 3-3 in a midweek game on 9th September 2014 with Shaun Welford, Gary Beckett and Nick Humphrey scoring for Cray and Sam Bantick, Alex Akrofi and Shad Ngandu for the home side. Brentwood who would eventually be promoted at the end of the season won 3-2 at Hayes Lane on 23rd January 2015 with Adrian Stone and Moses Ashikodi on target for Cray and Tom Richardson (2) and Sherwin Stanley for Brentwood.
The current incarnation of Brentwood Town was formed in 1954 as the Manor Athletic club. The original Brentwood Town side were a force in non-league football in the mid 60’s and met Cray Wanderers in the Metropolitan League in 1966-67 before going into the Southern League at the end of the season. Cray met their reserve side for two seasons before the end of the 60’s. Brentwood reached the 3rd Round of the FA Cup in 1969-70 losing to Northampton Town but the club folded and amalgamated with Chelmsford City and the then Manor Athletic club who played in the Essex League with the legendary Jimmy Greaves having a brief spell with the club in the mid 70’s soon became Brentwood Athletic and then Brentwood before becoming Brentwood Town in 2004. Brentwood were twice Essex Senior League champions in 2000-01 and 2006-07 winning a treble of silverware that season.
They joined the Isthmian League Division One North for the 2007-08 season and finished 6th in their first season and then third the following season losing to Waltham Abbey in the playoffs. In 2014-15 Brentwood Town finished 4th with 85 points and in the playoffs won at AFC Sudbury in the Semi-Final and then beat Thurrock 5-0 at home in the final to reach the Isthmian Premier for the first time. Their stay was short as they were relegated the following season in 22nd place. In 2021-22 after a third placed finish a playoff semi-final win at home to Stowmarket Town saw a trip to Canvey Island in the final which ended in defeat on penalties.
This should be a competitive and entertaining cup tie between sides who have played well in cup tie football this season and with Cray having at least five home games in October a rare chance this month to travel away.
DIRECTIONS TO BRENTWOOD TOWN FC
The Arena, The Brentwood Centre, Doddinghurst Road, Brentwood, Essex CM15 9NN
Admission: £10 adults, £7 concessions, U16s free
Online tickets: https://app.fanbaseclub.com/Fan/Tickets/
By Car:
Brentwood lies in Central Essex and from Flamingo Park is 27.8 miles away and via the A20 and M25 can take 45 minutes in good traffic.
Get on to the M25 from Swanley and from the M25 after 3.25 miles continue onto A282 and the Dartford Tunnel and after 2.7 miles continue on onto M25 (signs for M11/M1/Stansted Airport) for 8.5 miles. At Junction 28 take the A12 exit to Chelmsford/A1023/Brentwood for 0.1 mile. At the roundabout take the 4th exit onto Brook Street/A1023 for 1.9 miles. Then turn left onto Weald Road and at the roundabout take the 2nd exit onto Western Road and go through 2 roundabouts and at the second mini roundabout take the right hand fork into Doddinghurst Road. The Brentwood Centre is a further half a mile, on the right just after the A12 bridge. Once you enter the Centre the football ground entrance is in the far right hand corner of the car park. There are normally vast amounts of parking available, but beware when special events are taking place at the Brentwood Centre, as the car park can then become very congested.
By Train
Brentwood station is on the Great Eastern Line, approximately 35 minutes from Liverpool Street, and is about 1¾ miles from the Brentwood Centre. There are also trains from Stratford which take half an hour to get to Brentwood. To walk it from the station (a bit of a hike, perhaps a cab if you are strapped for time) walk north on Warley Hill/B186 towards St James Rd and follow the B186 for 0.1 mile and at the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Kings Road/B185. After 0.3 miles continue onto Weald Road and at the roundabout take the 1st exit onto Western Road going through 2 roundabouts for 0.4 miles. Then turn left onto Ongar Road/A128 and at the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Doddinghurst Road for 0.6 miles then turn right, then a left and a right and the ground will be on the left. Please see above for information on the Brentwood Centre in which the Arena lies.
By Bus
From Brentwood Station, the 37 (First Bus Company) and 31 (NiBS) bus services both run approximately every 20 minutes, via the High Street and Doddinghurst Road, to the Bishops Hall Estate, turning into Elizabeth Road opposite the Brentwood Centre.
Nearest Pubs: Brentwood is quite a decent sized town so if time you can make a day of it. The Rose & Crown (390 Ongar Road, Pilgrims Hatch, Brentwood CM15 9JH) is around 1.1 miles from the ground so a 25 minute walk so perhaps a cab might be the best option or a bus service (as above). Slightly further away is the Black Horse (420 Ongar Road) which is a 16th century built pub with gnarled beams but fireplaces but serves real ale and modern pub food. Also on Ongar Road is the Robin which has live music on the weekends. A lot further away from the ground there are lots of pubs in the High Street including The Dairyman (JD Wetherspoons) as well as plenty of restaurants.
Brentwood is a commuter town in central Essex close to the M25 with a Roman Road which linked London to Colchester passing through the town and during the 13th century was a popular destination for pilgrims to pass through in homage to St Thomas the Martyr (Thomas Becket) of whom there was a chapel in the town. Brentwood was also one of the key early meeting point ahead of the Peasant’s Revolt and after a riot began the movement which led to the groups’ heading to London. With Brentwood being located fairly close to London the town was renowned for its pubs and inns and was a stopping point for travellers heading to East Anglia.
The area also has a military history with Warley Barracks and later a psychiatric hospital and was home of the Essex Regiment until 1958 and was home of the Ford Motor Company until 2018.
