Cray Wanderers vs. Lewes – Saturday 14th August, 3pm – Match Preview
After the frustrations of the last couple of seasons Isthmian Premier Division football returns on Saturday and following the euphoria and optimism of the European Championship Finals and the inspiration and desire of the Olympic Games it’s now time for non-league football with fans to return with optimism renewed and invigorated. What a start to the season as Cray Wanderers face Lewes at Hayes Lane in the opening game on Saturday both sides with new management in place with Danny Kedwell in the hot seat at Cray Wanderers with ex-Wands boss Tony Russell now at the Rooks having been appointed in the spring. Kick off Hayes Lane is 3pm.
Herne Bay | England | 31 July 2021 | MBS Stadium
Herne Bay v Cray Wanderers
Pre-Season Friendly
(Photo: © Jon Hilliger / HilligerPix)
It has been a largely positive pre-season for Cray and for Danny who after being appointed in April had to work with a clean sheet of paper and in a short time has assembled a squad with some experienced players like skipper Dean Beckwith, Assistant Player-Manager Andy Drury, winger Anthony Cook, goalkeeper Jack Turner and central defender Ejiro Okosieme. Also the emphasis on the summer has been attaining some promising young players who are hungry and determined like defenders Harvey Brand, Joey Taylor, Abdul Saccoh, Freddie Cray, midfielders Cameron Brodie and Jack Hanson, wingers Anis Nuur and Jamie Yila. Meanwhile up front Sadik Balarabe and Fjord Rogers have impressed in pre-season. The members of the squad to remain from last season are defender Martin Onoabagbe and midfielders Charlie Allen and Lee Lewis.
Herne Bay | England | 31 July 2021 | MBS Stadium
Herne Bay v Cray Wanderers
Pre-Season Friendly
(Photo: © Jon Hilliger / HilligerPix)
Danny has also assembled a high class back up team for the season ahead as well as raising the possibility of the occasional cameo appearance himself. Andy Drury has a wealth of experience in the Football League and non-league football as Assistant Manager, coach Jon Main formed an exceptional partnership with Danny during their AFC Wimbledon days in the non-league and also a former Wands player back in the 2005-06 season and goalkeeper coach George Howard who also played one game for Cray Wanderers in the 2010-11 season. Experienced physio Paul Smith has also worked with Danny during his Gillingham days and gives Danny and the squad reassurance.
Cray Wanderers – On the bench – l-r George Howard, Andy Drury, Danny Kedwell, Jon Main – Pic Ozay Booth
Certainly the start to the season could have been easier as after Lewes, Cray head to Hornchurch on Saturday 21st August and then a week later at home to Worthing and this will be a good test of the squad and where the team is at in the early weeks and where if possible the team needs strengthening.
After six seasons at Cray Wanderers, Tony Russell departed in March and heads to the Dripping Pan along with his coaching staff and it is expected several ex-Wands players may well be facing Cray and who would have played in the last league match back on 28th October. The likes of keeper Lewis Carey, defenders Ben Mundele, Mitchell Nelson, Tom Carlse, midfielders Bradley Pritchard, Karl Dent and Kyron Richards and forwards Joe Taylor who scored 58 goals for Cray and Freddie Parker need no introduction to Wands fans and their abilities. Pre-season results have gone well and they finished off a successful few weeks with a 2-1 home win against Dartford last Saturday with Taylor amongst the scorers. Russell became manager at Lewes after Hugo Langton left in March and many of last season’s squad have moved onto Whitehawk.
The last two seasons have seen Lewes in 16th place before the season was null and voided and then 18th last season before the curtailment of the season. Overall the clubs have met 12 times in the league with Cray winning two, Lewes eight and two draws. The last time the sides played at Hayes Lane was on 18th January 2020 with Cray winning 2-1. Cray did beat Lewes in the FA Amateur Cup in November 1968 when Cray won 5-2 at Grassmeade in a replay following a 1-1 draw while Lewes won 2-1 at home in the FA Trophy in October 2011.
Cray Wanderers vs Lewes – January 2018 – Pic: Jon Hilliger
Lewes were founded in 1885 and were members of the Sussex County League from the 1920’s winning the title in 1964-65 and were moved to Division Two of the Athenian League. They were promoted in 1967-68 and two seasons later were promoted to the Premier Division. In 1977 they transferred to Division Two of the Isthmian League earning promotion in 1979-80. They had a meteoric rise following relegation to Division Three in 1993-94 where they stayed until promotion in 2000-01. The following season they won Division Two and also reached the 1st Round of the FA Cup for the first time where they were beaten by Stoke City. In 2003-04 they won promotion from the Isthmian Division One South and after league restructuring following a series of playoff victories were elevated to the Conference South and finished fourth in their first season. After a couple more FA Cup 1st Round appearances in 2007-08 Lewes were promoted to the Conference where they remained for one season. In 2010-11 they were relegated back to the Isthmian League where they met Cray Wanderers in League competition for the first time. They were relegated to the South in 2015-16 before consolidating and then achieving promotion behind Carshalton Athletic to the Premier in 2017-18. Lewes finished 11th in the 2018-19 season.
Since 2010 the club have been fan owned and also have an equality system with a flourishing women’s team on equal pay with the men’s team. They are a well supported club in an area with many clubs and certainly have lived through some good times and bad times but always will be well backed.
You probably couldn’t have scripted that this would be opening game but it is and should be a great game. Admission: Adults £10, Concs £5.00/U16s – available online at www.cray-wanderers.com/tickets/ or pay on the gate.
