Cray Wanderers resume their rivalry with Thamesmead Town on Saturday as the reverse fixtures from the opening day of the season takes the Wands to Princes Park Dartford for a 3 pm ko.
This will be the third meeting of the season with Tommy Warrilow’s Thamesmead having met in the league on 12th August and in the Kent Senior Cup a few days later with Cray winning impressively 3-0 with a young side.
Both sides come into the game in good form, Cray unbeaten in seven with Thamesmead winning their last three and unbeaten in four games.
Cray will be looking to build on last Saturday’s fine win and performance against Corinthian Casuals at Hayes Lane, a result which looks better by the day as Casuals went on to win at league leaders Lewes on Wednesday night. There was a slickness and potency about the performance with Cray taking their chances with some well worked team goals and a Karl Dent free kick blockbuster. The link up play from the two wingers and Michael Power gave Cray a real cutting edge whilst the midfield nullified the potential breakaway threat from the visitors by winning the midfield battle.
Defensively, Cray were given more of an examination in the last twenty five minutes as Corinthian Casuals threatened a comeback but they managed to withstand that and grabbed the win with vital blocks and tackles. A special word for Nick Blue too who seems to be back to his absolute best this season and made two very good saves at key moments of the game to help secure the three points.
Perhaps the most pleasing aspect from a supporters point of view last Saturday was that you could have made a case for man of the match from so many candidates such was the quality of the display.
As Tony Russell mentioned after the game, away games in the Bostik South are always tough and four of the next five league games are away from home. With a free week to iron out any niggles and knocks they can go into the game against Mead which are always hard fought affairs fully prepared.
Thamesmead were perhaps more happy with the 2-2 draw on the opening day of the season than Cray as they grabbed a point in injury time through Tashie-Jay Kwaiyie, his second of the game and has five goals for the season making him joint top league scorer with ex-Wand Alex Teniola. Cray had twice led through goals by Dent and Michael Frieter.
Thamesmead were relocated from the Isthmian North for this season and also started a ground share arrangement with Dartford and have fared respectably well so far and lie 12th with 17 points but have played perhaps a couple of games less than some of the other teams. Their home form has seen them beat Hythe, Horsham and Herne Bay with an injury time winner on Wednesday night. They have drawn with Sittingbourne and were beaten at Princes Park by Ramsgate and Greenwich Borough. Away form has seen wins at Phoenix and Chipstead, the point at Cray and two defeats at VCD and Hythe.
In the FA Cup they had a decent run winning 8-0 at East Preston and then comfortably beat Lewes 3-0 at home and then took Billericay Town to a replay in the 2nd Qualifying Round before being beaten. In the FA Trophy Thamesmead pulled off an impressive win at AFC Hornchurch after a replay and now face Brightlingsea Regent at home on Sunday week. In the Velocity League Cup, Thamesmead defeated Phoenix Sports 4-3 at home and will take on AFC Sudbury at home in the next round in November.
This should be a great match and something of a clash of styles with a few ex- Cray players and an ex-manager and Assistant manager on the bench adding to the spice.