Cray Wanderers play their first Saturday home match of the season tomorrow as the Wands welcome Eastbourne Borough to Flamingo Park for the first ever meeting between the two sides.
Cray come into the game in 16th place with two points but perhaps unfortunate not to have picked up more following the opening three games.
Last Saturday the Wands headed to Colston Avenue to face current league leaders Carshalton Athletic and was a good match that could have gone either way with Alex Hernandez off the mark for the season with a second half equaliser after the Robins led at the break. However, Carshalton retook the lead in the 58th minute and despite going close on a couple of occasions and being denied a stonewall penalty couldn’t nab a point in the end. The Wands went into the game without Soul Kader and Quade Taylor with knocks but were able to field new midfield signing Sammie McLeod who had a hand in the Cray goal.
Cray end August with the bank holiday weekend games at Maldon & Tiptree and at home to Welling United but first will focus on the considerable challenge of Eastbourne Borough who are one of the favourites for promotion at the first attempt after relegation from the National South last season.
The two clubs have certainly moved in different circles, but the 2004-05 season saw Cray Wanderers play in the Isthmian League for the first time while Borough were one of the founder members of the new Conference South. Eastbourne are one of five clubs in the Isthmian Premier this season along with Carshalton Athletic, Lewes, St Albans City and Welling United who played in the inaugural league following a move from the Southern League.
Manager Steve King has recruited well in the summer with ex-Wands keeper Lewis Carey, defenders Giles Phillips, Matthew Hayden, Elliott Johnson, midfielders/wingers, Josh Rees, Tyrone Wilson, Yannis Drais, Terrell Egbri, Max Sheaf, Owen Bellamy, Sam Oguntayo and forwards, Liam Nash and Darren McQueen all added to the squad and all featured in last Saturday’s game with Brentwood Town. Another ex-Wand Freddie Carter at the back is part of a strong side.
So far Eastbourne have started efficiently and stand in 4th place with seven points with a 2-2 draw at Aveley on the opening day followed by 3-2 wins at home vs Three Bridges and last Saturday vs Brentwood Town with Kai Corbett scoring the first hat-trick of the season.
Cray have played sides from the town of Eastbourne in the past but not Borough who were formed in 1965 as Langney Sports. The club played in local leagues in East Sussex before joining the Sussex County League in 1983. The team were Division 3 Champions in 1986-87 and were promoted from Division Two the following season. The Sports were Sussex County League Cup Winners in 1989-90; They remained in the were Sussex County League Division One Champions in 1999-2000 and were promoted to the Eastern Division of the Southern League.
In the summer of 2001, the club changed its name to Eastbourne Borough and won the Sussex Senior Cup in 2001-02 beating Lewes in the Final. In 2002-03 Eastbourne won promotion to the Premier Division and finished 11th in 2003-04. With non-league restructuring the club were moved to the new Conference South for 2004-05 and finished 5th beating Cambridge City in the playoff final but were denied promotion after a super playoff against North playoff winners Altrincham. In 2007-08 Borough won promotion to the Conference after finishing second and beat Braintree Town and Hampton & Richmond Borough to play at their highest level in their history. In 2008-09 a 13th placed finish was achieved, their highest ever league placing and another Sussex Senior Cup success.
The club stayed in the Conference until 2010-11 when they were relegated and remained in the Conference/National South until last season. Under Danny Bloor’s management Eastbourne finished sixth in 2021-22 but lost to Oxford City in the playoffs.
They finished 3rd as recently as 2024-25 missing out on the title by one point from Truro City but were beaten by Maidstone United in the Semi-Final at Priory Lane. Last season was a difficult one and ended finishing 24th and relegation to the Isthmian League for the first time. The club have also reached the 1st Round of the FA Cup on four occasions, the last being in 2020-21 where they were beaten at home by Blackpool.
So, a club with this calibre will be a major attraction for all clubs in the division especially the visits to East Sussex where Cray will make their way in March 2027.
This promises to be a great occasion and perhaps our first heavyweight contest of the season.
Admission £15 adults, £10 concessions, £5 U18s-17s on the gate or online at www.cray-wanderers.com/tickets/. Printed Match Programme £3 with printed team sheet. Golden Goal tickets £1, hot and cold food/drinks and bars. Large outdoor screen will be showing Millwall v Norwich City from 12.30 and Brentford vs Tottenham from 5.30 pm.
Images courtesy Natalie Stribbling