Canvey Island vs Cray Wanderers – Isthmian Premier – Saturday 23rd November, 3 pm – Match Preview
Cray Wanderers play the fourth of four successive away league games on Saturday 23rd November as the Wands head to Canvey Island looking to build on last Saturday’s win and stay out of the bottom four. Kick off at the Steves Taxis Stadium, 3 pm.
Cray come into the game in 16th place in the Isthmian Premier league table on 15 points and buoyed by the biggest league win of the season last Saturday at Potters Bar Town, 4-0 and made it three wins out of the last five league games. Two goals from Josh Williams, one from the penalty spot and also strikes from Nyren Clunis and Kenny Coker capped off a fine away win against a side unbeaten at home since the opening day of the season. The game also saw an excellent defensive display and a tenth clean sheet of the season in league and cups for Shaun Rowley.
A very youthful Cray Wanderers side exited the London Senior Cup vs Erith Town on Tuesday night and gave a respectable showing but none of the side who played against Potters Bar were in action so will be fresh as manager Neil Smith looks to prioritise games with the Wands league position in mind. The Wands will hope to have Tom Bonner back after missing the last three games and Quade Taylor also in contention after being suspended for the Potters Bar Town match.
Canvey Island have recovered well after losing their first four league games and after Tuesday night’s 3-1 win at Hashtag United are 8th in the league table with a decent haul of 22 points from 16 games played. On Tuesday goals from Elliott Ronto (2) and Chris Harris continued the Gulls’ good away form and was their fifth win on the road this season.
Brad Wellmen’s side at home have beaten Carshalton Athletic (1-0) and Whitehawk (2-1), drew with Cray Valley PM (4-4) and were beaten by Hashtag United (1-2), Wingate & Finchley (2-3), Dulwich Hamlet (2-3), Folkestone Invicta (0-1) and Chichester City (2-3). Away from home Canvey Island won at Bowers & Pitsea (2-1), Chatham Town (3-1), Bognor Regis Town (2-1), Cheshunt (1-0) and Hashtag United (3-1). They were beaten at Chichester City, Dartford, and Dover last Saturday. In the FA Cup, Canvey Island beat Milton Keynes Irish and Felixstowe & Walton at home before losing at Biggleswade in the 3rd Qualifying Round. They also reached the 1st Round of the FA Trophy after winning at Maldon & Tiptree but were beaten at home by Horsham. Canvey Island did advance in the Essex Senior Cup with victory at Buckhurst Hill. Top scorer so far is Jason Brown with 6 goals.
Canvey Island finished in 14th place last season on 54 points and were comfortably clear of the relegation places. The two meetings between the teams finished with a home win apiece. Canvey won 2-1 at home on 24th October, 2023 with Mason Hall and Bradley Sach scoring for Canvey after Gary Lockyer gave a ten man Cray side the lead. In the return game on 21st February, Cray won 2-1 at Hayes Lane with a George Porter brace with Sach scoring for Canvey. The teams have met a few times in league and cups in recent seasons and Cray will be looking for their first win at Canvey since a 2-1 win on 7th January 2012 with goals from Jack Clark and Tommy Whitnell.
With both teams playing well in recent weeks this should be a good game in what is always a tough trip for any side and one where conditions often come into play.
DIRECTIONS TO CANVEY ISLAND FC & ADMISSION
Canvey Island FC –The Steves Taxis Stadium, Park Lane, Canvey Island, Essex SS8 7PX
Admission: £12 adults, £8 concessions/Students with valid ID, £3 u16s (accompanied)
Programme: Printed programme
By Car:
Exit M25 at Junction 30 and take the A13 towards Southend. You will reach a series of mini roundabouts. At these roundabouts, take the A130 towards Canvey Island. At the next roundabout take the 2nd exit which will keep a sports centre on your right and follow signs for Canvey Island Football Club. Eventually, you will enter a one way system. Keep left through the one way system and after one mile you will pass the Transport Museum on your right. Park Lane is on the right hand side shortly afterwards, with the stadium located in front of you. There is plenty of parking outside the ground.
By Train:
A note for supporters looking to travel by train that part of the journey will require a rail replacement bus. Trains from London/West Ham/Barking go to Pitsea from where you will need to pick up the bus which takes 15 minutes to get to Benfleet. However, the no 22 bus from Pitsea station will take you to outside the ground (see below) but please give more time for your travelling.
Benfleet Station is 40 minutes from London Fenchurch Street on the C2C line. The station is 5 miles from the ground. There is a taxi rank around the back of the station. Alternatively, you can use the frequent bus service from the front of the station: Trains land on the way back after the game. There are trains at 00 or 30 past the hour from Fenchurch Street or 09 & 39 from West Ham and would normally take half an hour but due to the rail replacement service please give more time for travelling. Returns are 05, 20, 35 & 50 past the hour with the rail replacement bus going to Pitsea where you can pick up a train back to London. Please check the National Rail Enquiries website for more details.
By Bus:
You can use the number 22 (this goes from Pitsea) or 27 bus to Leigh Beck to be dropped directly outside Park Lane. Alternatively, you can use the number 21 or 21A to be dropped by the sea wall. From here, continue walking in the direction you travelled across some playing fields, and you will see ground on your left.
The nearest recommended pubs in Canvey Island are the Lobster Smack, a Dickensian themed pub/restaurant which used to feature bare knuckle boxing in the Victorian era (Haven Road, SS8 0NR), the Haystack Public House (96 Furtherwick Road, SS8 7AE) and Windjammer (Eastern Esplanade SS8 7HG). For Benfleet Station, there is the Hoy and Helmet (Greene King) which is just across the road in the High Street. Opposite is the Half Crown.The recommended chippie is the Islander on Furtherwick Road near the Haystack Pub.
Canvey Island is a reclaimed island in the Thames Estuary and the coastal part of the Island became a fashionable place to live and visit especially for Londoners looking for a bit of sea air. It has a promenade of amusements, clubs and stalls which are situated not too far away from the ground. Sadly, the area being fairly low is prone to flooding and in February 1953, the North Sea flood hit the island leading to 58 deaths and damage to holiday homes. The South of the island has been associated with the petrochemical industry and oil refineries have been based there since the 1930’s.
