Cray Wanderers v Phoenix Sports – Kent Senior Cup 2nd Round – Tuesday 29th October, 7.45 pm – Match Preview
Cray Wanderers continue a run of home Tuesday night games in the Kent Senior Cup 2nd Round with Phoenix Sports the visitors to Flamingo Park. Kick off 7.45 pm with the tie to be decided on the night on penalties if level after 90 minutes. The winners of the tie will be at home to Welling United or Maidstone United in the Quarter Finals.
Cray will come into the game after a 1-0 win at Cheshunt on Saturday with Charlie Edwards’ winner moving the Wands off the bottom of the table and three unbeaten in the league but the likelihood for the visit of Phoenix Sports will be like the previous round with a chance for fringe or U23s players to have a run out and get some minutes.
Cray advanced in the 1st Round with a fine 2-1 win at Chatham Town with goals from David Smith and Anthony Cook and make it through to the 2nd Round. In that game U23s player Ed Mare, Bobby Parkes started the game and Tom Borders off the bench in a match where Ike Orji and Toby King made their debuts.
It has been a difficult season so far for Phoenix Sports but Darren Anslow’s side showed they can rise to the occasion in the previous round after beating Isthmian Premier Folkestone Invicta on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Anslow took over last month from Keith McMahon and the former Cray Wanderers Reserves/Academy team manager recently enlisted the aid of another former Wand in Bradley Pritchard to the midfield as well as a few recent additions to the squad.
Phoenix currently sit bottom of the Isthmian South-East with one point from 12 games played and on Saturday were beaten 0-5 at Merstham making it ten league games without a win. Away from home Phoenix lost at Hythe Town (1-2), Erith Town (0-2), Sittingbourne (0-4), Lancing (0-2), Littlehampton (0-4) and Merstham (0-5). At home Phoenix drew with Three Bridges with defeats against Eastbourne Town, East Grinstead Town, Sheppey United, Herne Bay and Ramsgate. However with the game being a cup tie and the pressure off Phoenix will be looking to make it a tough evening.
The teams met in the Kent Senior Cup as recently as last season in the 1st Round at Phoenix Sports on 26th September 2023 with Cray edging an exciting encounter 3-2 with goals from Anthony Cook, Cameron Black and an injury time goal from Gary Lockyer with Alfie Eldridge and Isaac Thompson scoring for Phoenix.
Phoenix came a long way in a short space of time following their placing in the Kent Invicta League in 2011-12. Promotion as champions was confirmed the following season and after a season of consolidation won the Southern Counties East League title in 2014-15 gaining promotion to the Isthmian League North for the first time. They finished 14th in 2015-16 and did even better coming eighth the following season. Phoenix were then moved to the Isthmian South where they finished 11th in 2017-18 and then 9th in 2018-19 in the Isthmian South-East. In 2021-22 Phoenix finished 19th and were relegated to SCEFL Premier before bouncing back straight away earning promotion after finishing second behind Erith & Belvedere in the SCEFL Premier in 2022-23 and won a promotion/relegation playoff at near neighbours VCD Athletic. Last season Phoenix finished in 16th place with 38 points.
This should be an entertaining cup tie under the lights with both teams looking to head into November with some momentum and an incentive with a National South side awaiting in the Quarter Finals at home.
Admission £12 adults, £6 concessions, U16s free on gate or online via the ticketing page.
THE PRE-MATCH THOUGHTS/PROGRAMME NOTES OF NEIL SMITH
The Wands return to cup competition tonight after a gruelling run of four league games since 15th October as Phoenix Sports are the visitors in the 2nd Round of the Kent Senior Cup. Here Neil Smith looks back to the 1-0 win at Cheshunt on Saturday which ended a run of nine league games without a win and at the same time made it three without defeat.
Hello Neil. A hard fought win against Cheshunt on Saturday one where perhaps we got a bit of luck with the winning goal but luck that was lacking in the previous three games. Also three clean sheets in a row, another positive to take from the recent run.
That’s right, that is a positive. We have played well in the games where we drew 0-0 against Hastings United and Whitehawk as we have created chances and the obvious problem was that we didn’t put them away. Even against Cheshunt we had chances and their keeper made a great save to deny Kenny Coker and you start to wonder if it is going to be another of those moments.
Fair play to the boys, they have trained very hard and we tend to get stronger in the second half of games. Charlie with the winner, closing down and would you call it luck or hard work. He’s had to work for that and put himself on the line, got the block and it goes in. The boys have been frustrated as they have been playing well but not been able to score. That isn’t just a forward’s thing!, it is a collective but as you say we have also had three clean sheets. Credit to the defenders as when they do their jobs well you have something to build on.
Cheshunt had had a good run, Preston Edwards had been in charge but a new manager Mel Gwinnett comes in, the team changes a little bit and then we have to try and work them out and in the first half we had to make some tweaks here and there but it was a good win. Any win is a good win after the run and form we had. I don’t think it has been the performances more the lack of goals. You can see a solid group of boys who believe in one another and maybe we just needed a bit of luck.
Let’s look ahead to tonight and the visit of Phoenix Sports. Can we expect some of the fringe players/U23s to feature as against Chatham Town in the previous round?
Absolutely, there will be a few U23s players in there and some players who haven’t had minutes, maybe even another couple of new faces as well. That is what we will look to do and look to build some more momentum after Saturday.
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
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.
