Cray Wanderers vs Cray Valley PM – Isthmian Premier, Tuesday 13th August, 7.45 pm – Match Preview
There will be another huge piece of history for Cray Wanderers on Tuesday 13th August as the Wands play the first ever league game at Flamingo Park as well as a first ever competitive match with Cray Valley Paper Mills on what will be an exciting and emotional night.
It has been a very long time in the making for Cray Wanderers who for the first time in the club’s history have been able to own their own ground and after a successful pre-season in terms of crowd support and has been a few years in the making but the realisation has begun to sink in with supporters and the club that the Wands are now firmly at home.
Pic: Roy Stow
Cray Wanderers got off to a great start to the season with a 2-0 win at Hashtag United on Saturday. An early Frankie Raymond goal was soon followed by a Shaun Rowley penalty save on his 100th Cray Wanderers appearance who also claimed a clean sheet. In the second half Cray came close to scoring a second through Charlie Edwards and Nyren Clunis but added a second a minute from time with Dontai Stewart on his debut scoring in some style to give Cray a first ever away win to start an Isthmian Premier league season.
Pic: Ben Keayes
There were a few Wands players making their debuts on Saturday with the likes of Darion Dowrich, Quade Taylor, Charlie Edwards, Kenny Coker, Lateef Adaja, David Smith, Dontai Stewart and Arezki Hamouchene all either playing or coming on as substitutes as well as stalwarts like Shaun Rowley, Tom Bonner, David Ijaha, Frankie Raymond, Nyren Clunis, Anthony Cook and Archie Johnson adding considerable experience and knowhow.
Pic: Ben Keayes
Cray Valley PM are making their Isthmian Premier debut this season following promotion as champions of the Isthmian South-East, a title Cray Wanderers won in 2018-19 and were the model of consistency winning the title on 95 points, six clear of Ramsgate with just one defeat all season and an incredible 18 wins out of 19 on the road. Steve McKimm’s side made national headlines also after wins against Lordswood, Uxbridge, Northwood, Carshalton Athletic and Enfield Town set up a local derby at League One Charlton Athletic which finished in a 1-1 draw in front of the BBC TV Cameras. The televised replay at the Artic Stadium was won by Charlton Athletic 6-1 but the club were put firmly on the map. Cray Valley also reached the 2nd Round of the FA Trophy.
The Millers first Isthmian Premier League match was a big one at home to Dartford and were edged out in a close game 2-1. Tom Chambers levelled for Cray Valley after Callum Jones put Dartford ahead before half time but Denzelle Olopade’s goal on 70 minutes won the game for the Darts in front of a crowd of close to 800. On Saturday there were four ex-Wands on duty for the Millers, Barney Williams, Freddie Parker both of whom won the Isthmian South-East with the Wands, Andre Coker and Michael Ademiluyi.
Cray Valley Paper Mills were formed in 1919 and played in the Sidcup and Kent League representing the Paper Mills in St Paul’s Cray until its closure in 1981. Since then they spent some time trying to find a ground but settled nicely at the Badgers Sports Ground in Eltham. After many years in Intermediate football they joined the Kent County League in 2001 in Division One, gaining promotion in 2002-03 and won the Kent County League in 2003-04. They remained there until 2010-11 when they moved into the Kent League at a time when there was no Step 6 league. They achieved solid success and in 2016-17 won the London Senior Cup beating Met Police in the final and were runners up the following season. Their centenary season in 2018-19 was up to last season their greatest in the club’s history winning the SCEFL Premier earning promotion to the Isthmian South-East and also reached the FA Vase Final at Wembley losing to Chertsey Town.
In the Isthmian South-East, Cray Valley were well placed in 2019-20 and were 3rd in the table and won 8 straight league games before the season was declared null and void. In 2020-21 similarly truncated Cray Valley reached the 1st Round of the FA Cup for the first time losing to Havant & Waterlooville. Since then they finished 5th in 2021-22 losing narrowly at Ashford United in the Playoffs and 6th last season in 2022-23.
This will be the start of the writing of another chapter in Cray Wanderers long history and by the end of the season days and nights like this at Flamingo Park will be the norm and the future will be bright whatever the result.
Admission: £12 adults, £6 concessions, U18s on gate or online at www.cray-wanderers.com/tickets/ – Printed match programme, Golden Goals, merchandise and hot food/drinks/refreshments/bar available.
THE PRE-MATCH THOUGHTS OF NEIL SMITH
Please see here an interview with Cray Wanderers manager Neil Smith ahead of tonight’s momentous first league game at Flamingo Park and first ever league match with Cray Valley PM. Here Neil looks back to Saturday’s win at Hashtag United and the challenge Cray Valley will pose this evening.
Hello Neil. Before we touch on tonight’s historic first Cray Wanderers home league game at Flamingo Park let’s look back to Saturday and an excellent opening day victory at Hashtag United. What were your thoughts on the game and result?
It was a bit cagey in the beginning obviously getting the penalty and Frankie missing the spot kick but tucking home the rebound. We let them get back into the game as we were still trying to find our feet so to say. They got a penalty, Shaun Rowley made a great save and we looked more confident after that.
At half time, we were 1-0 up and sorted out a few of the problems they were causing us and I thought we looked strong in the second half. Charlie Edwards has hit the bar and Nyren Clunis has had a couple of chances. Then Dontai Stewart comes on and scores on his debut after only signing for us on Friday so it was a fantastic introduction to the team.
There were some very good performances on Saturday weren’t there. Tom Bonner, David Ijaha, Darion Dowrich, Quade Taylor, Charlie Edwards, David Smith and for Shaun Rowley on his 100th appearance we were running out of superlatives in the end with his performance and a penalty save and clean sheet in his century game.
Yes, as I say we are still a new team and squad of players and even adding two players in Kenny Coker and Dontai Stewart on Friday after they had played against Spurs on Tuesday stepping into areas of the team where we thought they were needed. The three at the back haven’t played very much together as either one or two of them were missing or hadn’t played so they are going to get used to one another. Yes, we have Shaun at the back who since he walked through the door for the 2022-23 season has been an absolute credit to himself and the club. They say strikers win you games but the goalkeepers give you points as well. It becomes a totally different game if they score the penalty fifteen minutes into the game they may have got some confidence from it but in the second half I thought we restricted them to very few chances.
Looking ahead to tonight’s game our opponents and near neighbours and friends, Cray Valley, had a fantastic season in 2023-24, won the Isthmian South-East, lost only one league game and held Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup so have a winning mentality under Steve McKimm. They started the season with a tough home match with Dartford which by all accounts could have gone either way.
That’s right, Steve McKimm is a very good manager with Barry Moore alongside him and was at Tonbridge Angels before that before moving down to Cray Valley and there were clubs in their league that thought they were going to go up and did a fantastic job. Their FA Cup games with Charlton really put them on the map drawing at the Valley and hosting them in the replay. So this has given them a good base to build from.
It will be a tough game and any Steve McKimm side will be difficult to beat and hard working, they will be strong physically and have lots of pace. The majority of players from last season have remained and rightly so.
It’s going to be our first home game in the Isthmian Premier at Flamingo Park so it will be another historic night so there will be a bit of sentiment to it especially for Gary Hillman, Michael Paye and the owners so will be emotional for them but we need to make sure we take the emotion out of the game and do what we did on Saturday.
DIRECTIONS TO CRAY WANDERERS FC
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 ByPass/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.
By Train – Nearest BR Station – New Eltham – 1 mile. Trains from London Charing Cross/London Cannon Street/London Bridge or from Dartford/Gravesend.
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 160 from Carlton Road, Sidcup stops at Montbelle Road as does the 162 which also stops at New Eltham Station and the Fiveways roundabout and is around a 22 minutes walk to the ground.
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
