Cray Wanderers vs Erith Town – London Senior Cup 2nd Round – Tuesday 19th November, 7.45 pm – Match Preview
Cray Wanderers return to Flamingo Park on Tuesday 19th November after three away games in the London Senior Cup 2nd Round with Erith Town the visitors. Kick off 7.45 pm with the tie to be decided on the night and for the right to face Harrow Borough at home in the 3rd Round.
Cray will come into the game in good heart after an excellent 4-0 win at Potters Bar Town on Saturday in the Isthmian Premier with Josh Williams (2), Nyren Clunis and Kenny Coker on target and moved the Wands up to 16th in the table onto 15 points.
For the visit of the Dockers there could be a chance much similar to the Kent Senior Cup games with Chatham Town and Phoenix Sports that some of the Wands U23s side, top of the SCEFL Development League could get a run out like Bobby Parkes, Michael Ihiedi, George Brooke, Tom Borders and Ed Mare as well as first team players needing some minutes in their legs and will be a very good test against an Erith Town side full of confidence.
This will be the first ever meeting with Erith Town in the London Senior Cup and a competition where Cray reached the Quarter Finals last season. The teams did meet in a pre-season friendly at Flamingo Park in late July which Erith won 4-2.
Erith Town are playing in the Isthmian League for the first time this season following the most successful in the club’s history in 2023-24 and Andy Woodward’s side have settled very nicely indeed and stand 6th in the Isthmian South-East table with 29 points from 17 games played. On Saturday, Erith Town were 3-0 winners at home to Hythe Town with goals from Harry Taylor, George Goodwin and James Dyer who has nine goals for the season. Following the trip to the Wands, Erith Town have two big league games on the road at Margate and Ramsgate over the next two weekends.
The Dockers last season won the SCEFL Challenge Cup beating Corinthian in the Final and also the Kent Senior Trophy for the second time after a 3-2 win against Croydon. These successes were added to when after finishing 4th in the SCEFL Premier wins against Glebe and Corinthian saw them promoted via the playoffs.
Away from home Erith Town have won at Lancing (1-0), Hythe Town (5-0) and East Grinstead Town (4-0) and drew at Merstham (1-1), Sevenoaks Town (0-0) and Croydon Athletic (0-0). Their only defeats came at Sheppey United (1-3) and Eastbourne Town (1-2). Home form has been good and have beaten Phoenix Sports (2-0), Croydon Athletic (3-0), Deal Town (2-1), Broadbridge Heath (1-0) and Hythe Town (3-0). They drew with Ashford United and Sheppey United and were beaten by Beckenham Town and Margate. In the FA Cup after beating Pagham at home they were beaten at Merstham in the Preliminary Round and in the FA Trophy were beaten in the 1st Qualifying Round at Farnham Town. In the Isthmian League Cup after a win at home to Sittingbourne, Erith were beaten at home by Dartford in the 3rd Round and went out of the Kent Senior Cup in the 1st Round at Herne Bay. Top scorers are James Dyer and Ollie Milton both with nine goals.
Erith Town were formed in 1959 as Woolwich Town and were a Sunday league team until 1991 when the club were elected to the Spartan League 2nd Division. They achieved a couple of promotions up 1994-95 when they moved to the Kent League Premier for 1995-96 where they met the Wands in league competition.. With the club playing at Erith Stadium the club changed their name to Erith Town for the 1996-97 season and remained Kent League/SCEFL Premier mainstays until last season. Erith Town won the Premier Division Cup in 2007-08 and the Kent Senior Trophy in 2010-11. The last time the teams met competitively was in the FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round in September 2011 with Cray winning 5-0 at Hayes Lane.
This should be a fine cup tie under the lights and one to savour with perhaps a hot beverage to fend off the chill.
£12/£6 admission on the gate or online at www.cray-wanderers.com/tickets/
