Cray Wanderers return to league action at Flamingo Park on Saturday following two games on the road as Hashtag United are the visitors. Kick off 3pm.

Cray will come into the game on the back of two successive draws at Lewes and Carshalton Athletic and in 7^th place in the Isthmian Premier league table last weekend which were opposites of one another. At Lewes the Wands had to dig deep to come back from 0-2 down at half time to pick up a point late in the game whereas last Saturday Cray had the two goal lead and had to withstand pretty incessant Carshalton pressure in the second half. 

Last Saturday, Cray took the lead via Alex Hernandez’s first goal for the club from the penalty spot and Josh Williams netted direct from a corner for his third goal of the season.  

It has been a fairly solid start to the season for Cray with twelve points from seven games and those two games on the road at least saw a point apiece whereas last season the Wands lost those games.

Injuries have been a factor in the early weeks and Cray haven’t really been at full strength since the win at Billericay Town on 23^rd August but hopefully this will soon ease although Frankie Morgan is likely to be out of the side until Christmas through injury.

Saturday’s game sees the Isthmian Premier’s oldest club face it’s youngest with Hashtag United only formed in 2016 and are playing their third season in the league.  Last season Hashtag finished in their highest ever league position of 8^th with sixty four points and three ahead of Cray in 10th place.

Jay Devereux’s side are 15^th in the league table with seven points after seven games and in their last fixture were beaten at Wingate & Finchley by the odd goal in three on 9^th September.  Adam Lovatt netted a first half leveller with the home side scoring the winner eight minutes into the second half.

Away form has been better than at home and have picked up wins at Lewes (2-0) on the opening day of the season and at Cray Valley PM (2-1) on 6^th September. They were beaten at Cheshunt (1-3) and Wingate & Finchley (1-2). At home United have drawn with Potters Bar Town (0-0) and were beaten by Chichester City (1-2) and Billericay Town (3-2). In the FA Cup, Hashtag like Cray exited at the 1^st Qualifying Round stage beaten by landlords Aveley (0-3).

Outside of a couple of friendly games the teams have only met on four occasions in the league with both clubs with two wins apiece.  Last season, Cray won home and away with a 2-0 win at Parkside on the opening day of the season with goals from Frankie Raymond and Donte Stewart.  The Wands then won their first ever league game at Flamingo Park on 2^nd November 2024 with a brace from Charlie Edwards and a Tom Bonner header.

Hashtag are a side with lots of experience and play an attacking brand of football so it should be a good game to watch between two sides that perhaps go under the radar a little bit in the Isthmian Premier.

Admission £15 adults, £10 concessions, £5 U16-U13s on gate or online at www.cray-wanderers.com/tickets/ and a printed match programme £3 available at the turnstile.  Merchandise available and hot and cold food/drinks and bars with big TV screen showing Premier League football before and after the game.