League football takes a break for Cray Wanderers for at least the next two Saturday’s as the FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round draw certainly gave the Wands one of the ties of the round with National South league leaders Maidstone United visiting Flamingo Park.
It is the first time The Stones visit Flamingo Park in a competitive match and the third FA Cup meeting between the teams. Kick off 3pm. Please note the tie will go to a replay if level after 90 minutes which would be due to be played Tuesday 22nd September.
Cray advanced to this round after a tough victory against Lewes, 1-0 in a replay at Flamingo Park decided by Alex Hernandez’s early second half header and now sets up a chance of a cup upset against Maidstone United who have a rich FA Cup history with the original club that folded in 1992 reaching the 3rd Round on five occasions and the second incarnation of the club reached the 2nd Round three times and made national headlines by reaching the 5th Round in 2023-24 as a National South club beating Steyning Town, Winchester City, Torquay United, Chesham United, Barrow, Stevenage and famously now Premier League Ipswich Town before going out at Coventry City.
The Wands come into the game in 15th with nine points from eight matches with a game in hand but have a number of matches against pre-season favourites and went toe to toe with Enfield Town last Saturday only going down 3-2 and on Tuesday met St Albans City in a very early candidate for match of the season.
Cray fell behind to St Albans after two minutes and trailed at the break but stormed out of the traps early in the second half to take a 2-1 lead. Work experience loan forward Jakob Lowe netted just thirty seconds just after half time.
Five minutes later Soul Kader made it three goals in four matches to give Cray the lead. St Albans fought back and went back in front in the 84th minute but Tim O’Shea’s side finished the game strongly and could have scored three times before in the 95th minute substitute former Folkestone Invicta and Truro City midfielder Seidou Sanogo was on hand to level and earn Cray a deserved point and heart to take into the FA Cup tie and made it five unbeaten at home.
Maidstone United are one of a number of exciting and ambitious clubs in a hugely congested National South and after finishing eighth and just outside the playoffs last season after nine matches lead the way at the top of the league with 19 points two clear of Weston-super-Mare.
The Stones do come into the game after a defeat after a run of seven matches unbeaten at Braintree Town last Saturday. The Iron won 2-1 with the Stones goal coming from a 95th minute penalty from Tom Leahy.
That defeat ended a run of four successive away wins with victories at Walton & Hersham (3-0), Dorking Wanderers (3-2), Hampton & Richmond Borough (4-1) and Tonbridge Angels (1-0). Craig Fagan’s side at home were beaten on the opening day by Farnborough (1-2), and beaten Salisbury (2-1) and Weston-super-Mare (1-0) and drew with Folkestone Invicta (1-1). Subject to any replay their next scheduled fixture will be at home to Truro City next Saturday.
This will be the third meeting between the sides in the FA Cup although there are a vast number of years between each tie. The first ever meeting was at Maidstone on 6th October 1902 in what was Cray Wanderers first ever season in the FA Cup with Maidstone winning 2-1. One of Cray’s top players at the turn of the century, Jack Moody scoring for the Wands.
The next meeting was a famous one for Wands fans came nigh on 50 years ago on 9th October 1976 at Oxford Road as London Spartan League Cray under Jimmy Wakeling’s management accomplished what many would say was the biggest giant killing act beating Southern League Premier Maidstone 2-1 with Patsy Carey and Brian Fitzpatrick scoring in a tie also in the 2nd Qualifying Round. Maidstone would be founder members of what is now the Conference three seasons later.
This promises to be a great occasion, 3 pm on a Saturday, a big not all ticket crowd with a distinctly amber and black hue.
Ticket Prices: £15 adults, £10 concessions, £5 U18-17s, U16s free with accompanying adult.
Please note you can pay at the gate but to save time tickets are available online at www.cray-wanderers.com/tickets and other Wands home matches.
There will be printed match day programme £3, Merchandise on sale, Golden Goal Tickets £1, hot and cold food/drinks, bars – Live football on the large TV Screen including Millwall v West Ham and in the upstairs bar.
This promises to be a great day and in keeping with the traditions of this remarkable and unique tournament and should be a match to savour.
Pictures supplied by Natalie Stribbling and Ben Keyes.