Cray Wanderers look to keep up their unbeaten start to the season away from home in the Isthmian Premier as they travel to Brightlingsea Regent this Saturday.
Cray made it six unbeaten and moved up to 4th in the league table after a 1-0 win at Wingate & Finchley on Tuesday night. Joel Rollinson kept up his goal a game ratio with a third minute strike, his second in two games to set Cray on the way to victory. The Wands had chances in the first half to extend their lead but in the second half the defence came into play with Mitchell Nelson and Jay Leader superb at the back to help fend off a lively Wingate & Finchley side.
Tony Russell’s side move on to 28 points from 16 games played with Joe Taylor impressive up front with 19 goals for the season.
Despite injuries to the likes of Tom Murphy, Tom Phipp and Jerome Federico in recent weeks the club have knuckled down well and with Rollinson adding some punch already and with the likes of Lee Lewis, Bradley Pritchard all playing well in midfield the team are looking strong.
Cray will be without a match on the 23rd November due to Hornchurch’s continued participation in the FA Trophy so will be pleased for the rest but first will need to negotiate another tough trip to the Essex coast to take on Brightlingsea Regent.
Brightlingsea who finished 13th in their second season in the Isthmian Premier have made a slow start to this campaign and are without a win in 8 league games and lie 21st on 9 points.
That said Brightlingsea were the first side this season to beat Hornchurch and will provide a stern test.
The club changed manager in October with ex-Colchester United midfielder Kem Izzet taking over from Tom Rothery. The club have also added to their side in recent weeks with George Bugg (Witham Town), Reece Dobson (Coggleshall) and Morisi Gelashvili (East Thurrock United) coming to the club. The top scorer is Billy Hunt with 3 goals in the league.
At home Brightlingsea’s only win came against Hornchurch (1-0) on August Bank Holiday Monday. They drew with Merstham (0-0) and Wingate & Finchley (1-1) and were beaten by Bowers & Pitsea (2-4), Horsham (0-4), Lewes (2-3), Enfield Town (0-2) and Kingstonian (0-2) in their last league game on 2nd November.
Away from home Regent won at Corinthian Casuals (1-0), drew at Margate (0-0) and were beaten at Haringey Borough, East Thurrock United, Folkestone Invicta and Worthing.
In the FA Cup Brightlingsea were beaten in the 1st Qualifying Round at Cheshunt and in the FA Trophy lost 1-2 in the 1st Qualifying Round at home to Royston Town.
Games between the sides have been few and far between with just the four in the Isthmian North. Strangely all four games being won by the away side with two wins apiece.
The last time the two sides met was on 5th March 2016 at Brightlingsea with Cray winning 2-1 with goals from Lea Dawson and a Grant Basey penalty.
This should be another entertaining game as Cray look to maintain their playoff push and a great start to the season.
Admission costs: £11 adults, £7 concessions £4 U16S