Cray Wanderers vs Dover Athletic – Isthmian Premier – Saturday 29th March, 3 pm – Match Preview
Pics: Steve Cullum, Lee Warwick
Cray Wanderers play the final game off what has seemed like an endless March on Saturday as Dover Athletic are the visitors to Flamingo Park for the first time. Kick off 3 pm.
Both sides will be looking to keep their playoff hopes going strong going into the final month of the season although theoretically Dover could yet still catch league leaders on 63 points with Dartford being ten points in front but the teams have to meet on 18th April at Princes Park. They do have a healthy goal difference of +31 which is considerably better than any of the other playoff sides. Chichester City who Dover visit on the final day of the season are 6th on 61 points, with Hashtag United and Carshalton Athletic on 58, Chatham Town and Wingate & Finchley with 55 respecitvely and then Cray Wanderers are in 11th on 54 points, nine behind Dover and probably rank outsiders for the playoffs having to play other contenders Billericay Town, Wingate & Finchley, Horsham and Dartford in the coming weeks following Dover’s visit. The Wands have turned Flamingo Park into something of a fortress and Tim O’Shea’s side are unbeaten in fourteen matches at home since mid October and have won the last four matches.
Last Saturday in what was an emotional afternoon following the departure of Neil Smith last Friday the Wands put in a professional performance to beat relegated Bowers & Pitsea 4-0 with Ike Orji scoring just his first goal for the club in first half stoppage time and Nyren Clunis bagged his first ever career hat-trick in the second half taking him to 10 goals for the season making him top scorer and for Cray’s biggest home league win of the season.
With the transfer deadline for new arrivals now coming to an end and it seems like no departures from the club, the Wands go into Saturday with just one major injury concern for loanee Soul Kader who has missed the last two games but were missing Tom Bonner last week and hopefully can return for the visit of Dover. Another loanee forward from Millwall Kavalli Heywood made his debut on Saturday and is with Cray till the end of the season.
One of the many plusses with the home run has been the inclusion on the bench for five young players to help fatten up what has been a fairly thin squad this season and last Saturday forwards, Michael Ihiedi and Victor Damyanov who have both scored for the first team, fellow striker Tom Borders and midfielder Freddie Warwick were all called upon + 16 year old goalkeeper George Clark also included in the match day sixteen.
Cray definitely produced one of the great performances of the season throughout the league on 14th December when an understrength Wands side visited the Crabble and came away with a deserved 1-0 win courtesy of Clunis’s 47th minute winner and a strong rearguard action. That ended at the time an 11 game league unbeaten run for Dover which had taken them to the top of the table. Since then form has been much more patchier and slipped down to 5th and have won four and lost seven in 2025 but will still provide stern opposition once again.
Last Saturday in front of a 3000+ crowd at the Crabble Jake Leberl’s side were 1-0 winners against Dulwich Hamlet with Luke Coccorachio’s 12th minute goal proving decisive.
Away form has seen Dover win at Potters Bar Town (8-0), Horsham (3-1), Whitehawk (2-0), Folkestone Invicta (1-0), Bowers & Pitsea (2-0), Lewes (3-1), Dulwich Hamlet (4-1), Cheshunt (2-1), Hastings United (2-0), Hendon (3-0) and Bognor Regis Town (2-1). They drew at Billericay Town (1-1), Carshalton Athletic (1-1), Chatham Town (1-1) and Canvey Island (0-0). Their only defeats all in 2025 came at Hashtag United (1-2), Wingate & Finchley (1-2) and Cray Valley PM (1-2). At home Dover beat Chichester City (5-2), Dartford (5-1), Bognor Regis Town (1-0), Hashtag United (4-2), Potters Bar Town (3-0), Canvey Island (3-2), Bowers & Pitsea (2-0) and Dulwich Hamlet (1-0). Dover drew at home to Cray Valley PM, and Lewes and lost to Folkestone Invicta, Wingate & Finchley, Cray Wanderers, Billericay Town, Horsham, Carshalton Athletic, Whitehawk and Chatham Town. Top scorer is George Nikaj with 19 goals with Ruben Soares one behind on 18.
This will be the first league game between the sides at Cray since the 2007-08 season in the Isthmian Division One South and finished in a 1-1 draw with Michael Power scoring for Cray in a season where Dover won the league and Cray finished 3rd.
This promises to be one of the games of the day and in front of perhaps one of the biggest if not the biggest crowd of the season and another win for Cray will keep the pot boiling nicely going into April and the final five games of the 2024-25 season.
Admission £12 adults, £6 concessions, on gate or online at www.cray-wanderers.com/tickets/. Printed Match Programme, £3, Cray Wanderers 100 Club Draw for March + merchandise, vintage programmes, books, hot food/drink and bars open. Please note due to a function the bar upstairs will only be open briefly but will be open downstairs after the match.
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Cray Wanderers vs. Dover Athletic
The Pre-Match Thoughts of Tim O’Shea
This afternoon sees our final league game of March and after a most dramatic 24 hours following the departure of Neil Smith, his long time friend and assistant Tim O’Shea took over as certainly the interim manager for the 4-0 win vs Bowers & Pitsea on Saturday. Here ‘Tosh’ relieves the events, the pride at the result and looks ahead to the Dover Athletic challenge.
Hello Tim. I know they say 24 hours can be a long time in politics but it can also be said for football after the events of Friday and the match on Saturday. You must have taken great pride in the professionalism and performance of the side in what were very difficult circumstances!
Without a doubt! All the credit must go to the players because they were unaware at training on Thursday as Smudge was still there and the first they got to hear about it, though myself and the rest of the coaching staff kind of knew as it was confirmed around 9 o’clock Thursday evening, they woke up to the news like everyone else did.
To have no contact with the players and then come in on Saturday, I had a brief meeting with them and the way they reacted was magnificent. They were a credit to the badge on Saturday without a shadow of a doubt.
It was certainly a game of firsts as Ike Orji scored his first goal for the Wands and Nyren Clunis his first career hat-trick. He certainly took his goals well and didn’t really seem to break into a sweat either.
That’s right, I’ve got a good relationship with Nyren or as I call him “young” Nyren. When he is on his game he is what he was like when he was 18 so I always have a bit of banter with him. He certainly has had the chances this season in front of goal and he would be the first to admit he could have had a few more. It was definitely his day though on Saturday and there is no-one more deserving because he has been with us a fair while now and I was chuffed for him and as a senior pro he certainly set an example didn’t he!
Let’s look ahead to today and the challenge of Dover Athletic and with all due respect to Bowers & Pitsea this will be a much tougher proposition against 5th placed Dover. We did beat them though when we played on 14th December when in a middle of a good run so we can do it. It should be a great game though and hopefully played in front of a bumper crowd.
That’s right it should be a great game. Dover picked up a much needed win on Saturday against a resurgent Dulwich Hamlet side so that would have given them a shot in the arm. It will be a tough match for us and run in for us if you look at the remaining fixtures against teams above us in the table barring Lewes. I’m sure they will want to come down to us and put the record straight after that win in December. Not many sides had beaten them down there and it was a nice occasion. I must admit it was a bit of a backs to the walls job in the second half but credit again to the team for the performance. No, today is going to be tough but I hope there is a big crowd there and our support can be out 12th man once again. I think the pressure will be on them as they are in the playoffs spots while we have the slimmest of chances and probably do need to win the same way they do so that should make for a bumper game with all to play for.
Finally, a word for the fans as they were always very supportive of Smudge who took us to a Step 3 playoff semi-final and saved us from relegation and will be whoever the manager is. It is great isn’t it where dugout, team, club and fans are as one and makes for a great team ethic across Cray Wanderers.
There is and a real connection and that is something Smudge and myself brought to the club. We appreciated what goes on behind the scenes. We’ve got a great bunch of lads in there and that isn’t knocking anyone from last season or the playoff year but we do manage to gel the changing room and while it is thin on numbers there is a real togetherness there. The whole club has become connected and whether Gary and Michael allow me to continue on the journey who knows but if it isn’t to be both Smudge and myself can walk out of here and hold our heads up high because Cray Wanderers is in a good place. Now we have our own home, the crowds have gone up and I hope they are going away happy with the brand of football we have been playing. These are definitely exciting times and I definitely want to be part of it and I know Ugo, Paddy, Ally and Alfie to name but a few do and many of those players do as well which includes senior and younger players. They are not in a rush to go anywhere else. Whoever is the next manager they would have to be mad not to appreciate what they will have under their nose. It will not need a lot of tinkering, maybe a little here or there but they would have a squad there who are ready to go most definitely.
The club is in a strong place as you say. The U23s, top of the league, U18s Premier side can win the league and in the Kent Cup Final, the U18s KYL doing well, U16s in a Cup Final, U14s Champions, the Women’s team could come at least 3rd in a strong league, U15s girls could win a quadruple this season so the foundations have been laid if you scratch beneath the surface.
Yes, you mentioned the U23s, the U18s and U16s we train on the same nights and on the pitch the same sort of time. Smudge and myself always had the time to speak to their managers and even the Women’s team on the Thursday. There is a real connection there and a genuine interest you could see on Saturday. Five of the guys on the bench, four have come on and me and Roy Brooke have a great relationship. That is important to have this connection and not just be about the first team.
This is one of the reasons why Smudge and myself have been able to do well. We are proud of that side of things. The future is definitely bright and who wouldn’t want to be part of it.
Hopefully the past week hasn’t been as stressful certainly after the events of Thursday-Friday-Saturday.
Well, bloody hell I must admit I was exhausted on Monday and it was quite emotional on Saturday. Neil is one of my best mates and I loved the news about him going to Crawley Town. In one breath I’m loving it but then it dawns on you that Neil isn’t there. We were a partnership and obviously he got the title and I had the title before but that doesn’t mean anything when we’re together and we bounce off one another. He has got a great opportunity there and was something he couldn’t turn down back in full time football and at the age of 54. Scott Lindsey at Crawley Town is a good man and we know him well and Neil is going to love it there is no two ways about it.
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Directions to Flamingo Park for newcomers
Directions to Flamingo Park for newcomers
Cray Wanderers FC
Flamingo Park – Directions
Cray Wanderers FC – Flamingo Park Sports & Leisure – Sidcup By-Pass, Chislehurst, Kent BR7 6HL
Flamingo Park lies on the A20 and is the new home of Cray Wanderers and used for the Men and Women’s First Team, U23s, Youth Team games, Academy side and the club house hosts live music and private events. For the 2024-25 season Bexley FC will also play their Kent County League Premier games at Flamingo Park.
By car
From Kent – Via M20 or A2
M20 – Follow the M20 for 16.8 miles then continue on to A20 for 3.6 miles then continue on to Sidcup By-Pass Road/A20 for 1.9 miles. Continue onto Sidcup By-Pass/A20 for 0.3 miles then take a left into the ground entrance and another left for the car park.
A2 – Get on the M2 from A229 for 5.1 miles. After merging onto the M2 after 5.5 miles continue onto Watling Street/A2 for 8.7 miles. Use the left lane to take the M25 (S) slip road to M23 for 0.7 miles. Merge onto the M25 for 2.4 miles then at junction 3, exit towards A20/London (SE)/Swanley for 0.3 miles. At the Swanley interchange, take the 5th exit onto the A20 slip road to London (SE)/Lewisham for 0.8 miles. Merge onto the A20 for 3.5 miles then continue onto Sidcup By-Pass Road/A20 for 1.9 miles. Continue onto Sidcup By-Pass/A20 for 0.3 miles then take a left into the ground entrance and another left for the car park.
From London, North & West
Via A20 – If traveling from London take A3212, A302 and Westminster Bridge Road and at the roundabout take the 3rd exit onto St. George’s Circus/A201 and after 0.3 miles turn left onto New Kent Road/A201 for 0.5 miles. Then keep right staying on New Kent Road/A201 for 0.4 miles and then onto Old Kent Road/A2 for 2.6 miles. Take a slight right onto Amersham Road/A2/A20 then a left onto Amersham Road/A20 for 0.2 miles. Take a slight right onto Lewisham Way/A20 for 1.1 miles and then use the left 3 lanes to turn left onto Rennell Street/A20 for 1.9 miles. Use the right 2 lanes to turn slightly onto Sidcup Road/A20 for 0.3 miles then at the roundabout take the 2nd exit and stay on Sidcup Road/A20 for 3.7 miles. Then take the A222 towards Bromley/Chislehurst/Sidcup for 0.2 miles then at Frognal Corner Roundabout take the 4th exit onto the A20 slip road to C. London/Lewisham for 0.3 miles. Then merge onto the Sidcup By-Pass Road/A20 for 0.6 miles and then onto the Sidcup By-Pass for 0.3 miles. Then take a left into the entrance to the ground and another left into the car park.
From Essex/East Anglia
Via A13 – If traveling from Essex/East Anglia get onto the A13 for 11.6 miles. Use the left lane to take the M25 (N)/M25 (S) slip road to M11/M1/Stansted Airport/Dartford Crossing/A282 for 0.2 miles. At Mardyke Junction take the 1st exit for 0.3 miles and then use the right lane to take the A282 slip road to M25 (S)/Dartford Crossing then keep right at the fork to continue towards A282 for 3.8 miles. Use the right 3 lanes to stay on A282 then follow signs for M20/M23/Gatwick Airport /M25/Channel Tunnel/Dover for 0.6 miles. Continue onto M25 (signs for Dover/M20/Channel Tunnel/M23 for 3.3 miles. At junction 3 exit towards A20/London (SE)/Swanley for 0.3 miles and at Swanley Interchange take the 5th exit onto the A20 slip road to London (SE)/Lewisham for 0.8 miles. Then merge onto the A20 for 3.5 miles, continue onto Sidcup By-Pass Rd/A20 for 1.9 miles and then continue onto the Sidcup By-Pass for 0.3 miles then turn left into the entrance to the ground and then a left into the car park.
From: Sussex/South
If traveling from Sussex/South best get on Hastings Road/Pembury By-Pass/A21 in Kent from A267 and after 9.4 miles continue straight onto Sevenoaks Bypass/A21 for 3.8 miles and then keep right to continue onto M25. After 7.9 miles at junction 3 use the left 2 lanes to take the A20 exit to London/Lewisham/Channel Tunnel/Maidstone/M20 for 0.3 miles. At Swanley Interchange take the 2nd exit onto the A20 slip road to London (SE)/Lewisham for 0.5 miles. Merge onto the A20 for 3.5 miles, continue onto Sidcup By-Pass Rd/A20 for 1.9 miles and then continue onto the Sidcup By-Pass for 0.3 miles then turn left into the entrance to the ground and then a left into the car park.
The Car Park is free for supporters and there should be space between 400 cars on site. Please note bays in front of the main entrance are reserved for club officials.
By Train – Nearest BR Station – New Eltham – 1 mile. Trains from London Charing Cross/London Cannon Street/London Bridge or from Dartford/Gravesend. There are four trains an hour heading to New Eltham from London Charing Cross. For returns there are also four trains back to London.
From the station walk south-east onto Foots Cray Road/A211 for 0.3 miles then turn right onto Thaxted Road for 0.2 miles. Then turn left towards Sidcup Road/A20 and cross over the pedestrian footbridge and take a sharp and then a slight right towards Sidcup Road/A20 for 0.4 miles and then turn right and then a left into the entrance to the ground.
By Bus – The best bet is to get the 233 from Swanley, Sidcup, Eltham or New Eltham which stops on Thaxted Road but is around 0.8 miles to the ground. The 162 bus which starts in Bromley stops on Slades Drive where you can access the public footpath opposite the bus stop and is around a ten minute walk to the ground. This bus also stops at New Eltham Station for your return journey.
TAXIS – TAXIS – ALL DAY CARS – NEW ELTHAM – 020 8850 0032
Nearest Hotel: Premier Inn London Eltham
738 Sidcup Road, Eltham, London
SE9 3NS
Sat Nav Directions:SE9 3TJ
Directions:
From South Circular Road, take A20 Sidcup Bypass until you reach Fiveways, where Sidcup Road meets Green Lane Premier Inn Eltham is situated on the corner and the entrance to the car park is on Green Lane.
https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/hotels/england/greater-london/london/london-eltham.html
The Car Park is free for supporters and there should be space between 700-800 cars on site. Please note bays in front of the main entrance are reserved for club officials.
Close to New Eltham Station are the Beehive pub plus the Pope Street Bar & Kitchen and the Nest offers hot drinks/alcoholic drinks and live music. There are also places to eat and a wide range of takeaway outlets as well as Fish & Chip and a Pie & Mash shop. Alternatively if you travel from Sidcup there are a wide range of pubs to choose from.
