Cray Wanderers vs Hastings United – Isthmian Premier – Saturday 19th October, 3 pm – Match Preview
Pics: Dave Budden
Cray Wanderers play the second of three successive home league matches on Saturday 19th October as Hastings United are the visitors to Flamingo Park in a match where both teams will be looking to bounce back from Tuesday night defeats. Kick off 3 pm.
For Cray Wanderers, despite the excitement of the FA Cup run to the 4th Qualifying Round, Tuesday night’s 1-4 defeat to Chatham Town made it seven league games without a win and bottom of the table on four points from eight games played.
On Tuesday after an even and tight start to the game, three goals for Chatham in five minutes turned the game away from Cray. Before half time, Stefan Ilic, a new signing most recently with Sittingbourne and Dulwich Hamlet pulled a goal back on his debut but a fourth goal for Chatham immediately after the break ended the game and this makes Saturday’s match a vital one to get back on track.
After Saturday, Cray are at home to Whitehawk on Tuesday night and then at Cheshunt next Saturday but immediate thoughts will be on Saturday and for Cray to try to repeat the 3-0 win vs Hastings United in the FA Cup at Flamingo Park on 28th September. On that day, three second half goals from Toby King, Kenny Coker and David Smith won the game but Hastings will provide tougher opposition on Saturday.
Hastings United come into the game in 15th place on 11 points and have lost their last two matches after a 0-3 defeat at Dulwich Hamlet last Saturday and then on Tuesday, were beaten 2-3 at home to Cheshunt with goals from Freddie Legg and Finley Chapman but were down to ten men from the 23rd minute.
Hastings finished 7th last season appointed former Worthing, Eastbourne Borough and Welling United manager Danny Bloor as manager in the summer and
away from home Hastings have won at Whitehawk (1-0) and drawn at Lewes (1-1). They were beaten at Potters Bar Town (0-2), Hashtag United (0-4) & Dulwich Hamlet (0-3). At home Hastings beat Horsham (2-0) and Chatham Town (3-2) and drew with Bognor Regis Town with defeats to Folkestone Invicta and Cheshunt. Hastings did advance to the 1st Round of the FA Trophy after a 2-1 win at Leatherhead and travel to Hadley next Saturday. In the FA Cup, wins against Redhill and Harefield United set up the 3QR tie against the Wands. In the Sussex County Cup, Hastings are at home to Shoreham on Tuesday night. Leading scorer so far is Davide Rodari with nine goals in league and cups.
Last season’s league meetings saw Hastings win 3-0 at home on August 28th, 2023 and the sides drew 0-0 at Hayes Lane on 29th December.
With the FA Cup run over, the Wands will now have to focus attention on moving off the bottom and up the table and it promises to be the biggest league game so far on Saturday afternoon.
Admission £12 adults, £6 concessions/U16-13s, on gate (cash/card) or online at www.cray-wanderers.com/tickets/ – Printed match programme £3, merchandise, hot food/drinks and bars available.
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THE PRE-MATCH THOUGHTS/PROGRAMME NOTES OF NEIL SMITH
The Wands look to bounce back quickly following Tuesday night’s home league defeat to Chatham Town with the visit this afternoon of Hastings United to Flamingo Park for the second time this season. Here Neil Smith looks back to Tuesday’s game and the match this afternoon.
Hello Neil. We play the second of three successive home games this afternoon with Hastings United the visitors. On Tuesday night we went down to defeat against Chatham Town at Flamingo Park. What are your thoughts on the game and the end result?
I thought up to 37 minutes we did everything we prepped ourselves for. Obviously we had a tough game on Saturday while Chatham Town had the weekend off so we knew they would come at us. We started ever so well, Stefan Ilic had a great debut, but it was a set play that killed us. The second goal three minutes later was from a corner and we don’t know how it was as no-one touched the ball.
We still believed we could get something out of the game but then gifted them a third goal before we got one back before half time to make it 3-1. The boys at half time were saying they could do this and turn it around. As I say Stefan was outstanding as was Toby King but losing Darion Dowrich early on wasn’t great. However, the fourth goal then kills it. It is a bit like a 2-0 result, the next goal is so vital so to give it away like we did although we will look at it to see if it was offside. Again, we should be better than that. The boys though didn’t throw the towel in and kept on going. They are looking for the next goal so we were going to get hit on the break from time to time.
It wasn’t good enough defensively from us where we have been so strong in recent weeks. Against Tonbridge we were excellent but looked a bit weak against Chatham from set plays.
It seemed that Freddie Sears for Chatham was the real difference maker on the night with his hat-trick and you could see he had been an ex-pro.
That’s right, he had been at West Ham and was scoring goals like that for them so at our level you can’t give players of his ilk too many chances so took those that came his way and that is why he will probably be the top scorer in the division so only needs three or four touches and I think he never had any other shots on goal.
We don’t have too long to dwell on Tuesday night so on to the next game today vs Hastings United, a side we have already played this season in the FA Cup.
Yes, it is a bit like Chatham Town as we had already played them in the Kent Senior Cup and one where they want to get one over us. It will be the same with Hastings United and we expect nothing other than a tough game. I know they lost on Tuesday night but it may be a different side to the one which played in the FA Cup tie.
For us it is not about them now, it is about us as a group of players, us as a club, me as a manager, my coaching staff and getting the best out of the players that they can produce. They have shown they can do it but we need to be more consistent and can’t put in a performance like we did against Tonbridge and then go and lose to Chatham, who no disrespect are a very good side we should be doing better and although I felt it wasn’t a 4-1 game it is when you pick the papers up the next day.
DIRECTIONS TO FLAMINGO PARK
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 700-800 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.
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.
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
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 ranges of takeaway outlets as well as Fish & Chip and a Pie & Mash shop.
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 ranges of takeaway outlets as well as Fish & Chip and a Pie & Mash shop. Alternatively if you travel from Sidcup there are a wide ranges of pubs to choose from.
