With the Isthmian Premier League season whittling down to the last five games Cray Wanderers play the first of an Easter Double header of matches on Saturday as Billericay Town visit Flamingo Park as seventh hosts fourth in the race for the play-offs. 

Both teams come into the game in the rudest of health with Cray just one defeat in eleven league games whilst Billericay Town have won thirteen of the last fourteen league matches and also won the Essex Senior Cup.  Cray have 61 points in seventh place, seven points behind Brentwood Town in fifth.

It promises to be a thrilling day in the race for promotion on Saturday.  Folkestone Invicta are almost certainly going to be champions but can dot the I’s and cross the T’s for the title if they win or maybe even draw at St Albans City with a fourteen point lead at the top.  2^nd placed Aveley on 71 points travel to 3^rd placed Chatham Town separated by a point with Billericay Town on 69 in 4^th. Brentwood Town in 5^th on 68 points visit 8^th placed Burgess Hill Town with 6^th placed Dartford, four points behind Brentwood Town travel to Carshalton Athletic who require points to steer totally away from relegation. 

The Wands produced one of the finest performances of the season last Saturday to win 3-2 at Aveley to keep Cray’s outside chance of the playoffs alive.  Cray took the game to the Millers and took the lead through Lateef Adaja’s eighth goal of the season in the fourth minute and deservedly held the lead at the break.  Twelve minutes after half time Remi Sutton netted his first of the season turning the ball in from a corner and were full value at that stage for the win.  However, Aveley fought back to level through two Liam Nash close range finishes to make it 2-2 in the 89^th minute. 

Cray though have shown their resilience especially over the last couple of seasons and in the second minute of added time Ola Ogunwamide’s charge down the right ended with a near post cross for Max Fiddes to slot home his fourth goal for Cray and his fifteenth of the season.  Cray held out for the win which earned the club the Isthmian Premier Performance of the Month for March.  The win made it three in a row and four out of five games.  Cray also maintained a fine away record of just two defeats in nineteen on the road.

The Wands have four more games to play after Saturday with three of those against sides at the other end of the league table with the Cray Classico at Cray Valley PM on Easter Monday followed by home games on 11^th and 18^th April vs Lewes and Welling United respectively.  Cray finish the season at Burgess Hill Town on 25th April.  Cray were almost back to full strength last Saturday with only Jordy Mongoy sitting out the game through injury.

Billericay Town have been on a fine run since losing at home to Hashtag United on 3^rd January. Since then Billericay have won all but one match which was at St Albans City in February and six straight wins.  The Wands produced another fine performance against one of the promotion contender’s way back on 29^th August with a 1-0 win at Billericay Town with only ten men after Quade Taylor’s harsh sending off but won with a Chris Dickson header which made it two wins in a row at the New Lodge and become one of only two teams to win there this season along with Dulwich Hamlet.  Since then Town have come under new management with Danny Scopes taking over from Gary McCann in September.

Last Saturday Billericay Town were comfortable 4-0 winners at home to Burgess Hill Town with an own goal, plus goals from Elliot Long, Frankie Merrifield and Alfie Cerulli.  Away form has picked up since the turn of the year with five wins in the last six games.  Billericay picked up wins at Hashtag United (3-2), Burgess Hill Town (2-1), Chatham Town (1-0), Potters Bar Town (5-0), Lewes (3-0), Cray Valley PM (4-1) and Dulwich Hamlet (1-0). They drew at Dartford (1-1), Chichester City (2-2), Whitehawk (0-0), Aveley (3-3) and were beaten at Carshalton Athletic (0-1), Brentwood Town (0-3), Folkestone Invicta (1-2), Canvey Island (0-1) and St Albans City (0-2).  Leading scorer is Frankie Merrifield with fourteen goals.   

Billericay Town secured silverware by winning the Essex Senior Cup for the fifth time against Great Wakering Rovers, 2-1 at Colchester United FC with goal scorers, an own goal and Teddy Collis on target.

The only other time the sides met at Flamingo Park was on 21^st December, 2024 and ended in a 1-1 draw with Josh Williams goal for Cray cancelled out by Ashley Nzala in added time.

With this being a super Saturday at the top end of the Isthmian Premier and so much to play for at the bottom this looks being a day to remember and with both teams playing well and in a rich vein of form this has the makings of a classic.

Admission:  £15 adults, £10 concessions, £5 U18s available on the gate or online at www.cray-wanderers.com/tickets. You can also purchase as part of 3 Game Bundle which includes the Lewes and Welling United games for £30 adults, £20 concessions.  A printed match programme, £3 (available on the turnstiles.

Image courtesy of Natalie Stebbing