Cray Wanderers played the fourth of seven pre-season friendlies on Saturday with a 1-0 win vs Tonbridge Angels at an always constantly sunny Flamingo Park.
Here is a review of the first part of pre-season as we reached the halfway point of the pre-season schedule.
After last season’s seventh place finish in the Isthmian Premier (which this season would earn a playoff place) expectation is perhaps lowered a little but can still go into the remainder of pre-season after two back to back victories against National South opposition.
The management team remained the same with Tim O’Shea committed once more for a fifth season involvement with the club. Tosh will be joined once again by Assistant Mark Stimson with Roy Brooke as coach. Alfie George goes back to the beginnings of Tosh’s involvement and is the goalkeeping coach. Ally Maloney is one of the most respected physios around and Lee Norman is a new addition as Kit Man but continuity is a key to Cray’s on-field progress which has seen three top ten finishes in the last four seasons.
Cray were able to retain the services of some key playing personnel with Defenders Crossley Lema, Quade Taylor and Frankie Morgan, midfielder Frankie Raymond, wingers Ola Ogunwamide and Lateef Adaja and strikers Alex Hernandez and Daniel Ajakaiye all committed for the new season.
Additions to the squad include goalkeeper Henry Molyneux from Chatham Town, central defenders Charlie Paye and Rob Strachan from Bromley and Erith & Belvedere respectively, midfielders Alfie Payne (Dulwich Hamlet), Mitch Chapman and George Brooke are joined up front by former Folkestone striker Ade Yussuf.
Departing Flamingo Park are Harry Seaden, Adrian Gyamera, Ralfi Hand, Remi Sutton and Jordy Mongoy while Tom Bonner finally announced his retirement at the end of last season.
One of the big stories over the spring was that AFC Whyteleafe will be groundsharing with the Wands this season who were promoted from the Isthmian South-East last season and the first pre-season game saw the team sides meet in a free entry friendly on 4th July. The new tenants ran out 3-1 winners with Charlie Paye netting for Cray.
The next match saw a trip to the idyllic setting of Dover Athletic and the Crabble on 11th July and Cray went in front with a Yussuf penalty before National South Dover turned the game around and ran out 3-1 winners but Cray were not disgraced and put in a good performance.
The first midweek match on 14th July saw the Isthmian Premier League champions Folkestone Invicta visit and it was the champions who took the lead through Joe Pigott. Cray though deserved parity and in the second half levelled through Yusuff scoring against his former club. The Wands then took the game by the scruff of the neck and goals from Frankie Morgan (another ex-Invicta player) and U23s player Tade Kpotie ensured a fine 3-1 win on a muggy night.
Finally to Saturday 18th July vs Tonbridge Angels who are an established side in the National South and an early Rob Strachan header earned a 1-0 win and continued the momentum from Tuesday night.
Cray will complete their pre-season schedule with home games vs Cray Valley PM (21/7) and a Crystal Palace XI on Saturday 25th July. The Wands finish things off at Faversham Town on 1st August.
With the fixtures now announced Cray will begin the season with a visit to North London against Wingate & Finchley on 8th August followed by a home match with Cheshunt on 11th August. The opening six games sees a visit to Carshalton Athletic on 15th August, at home to Eastbourne Borough on 22nd August and over the bank holiday weekend, travel to Maldon & Tiptree on 29th August and at home to Welling United on 31st August.
The remaining pre-season games will give an opportunity to set the hoped for starting eleven plus a look at squad strength in depth including some fine young players in the U23s who won the SCEFL Development League last season and the U18s were Kent Youth League Premier champions.
All in all things are looking rosy for Cray who are going into an eighth straight season in the Isthmian Premier and can do so in an upwardly mobile fashion.
Part two of this review to follow after the Faversham Town game.
Pics: Natalie Stribbling