Cray Wanderers return to Isthmian Premier action this evening following the weekend’s suspension as Neil Smith’s side head to Folkestone Invicta.
Kick off at Cheriton Road is 7.45 pm.
Cray will be looking to maintain a four game unbeaten run in the league and in 7th place in the table but perhaps an improvement in performance from the FA Cup defeat to Bognor Regis Town last Wednesday.
The Wands had been more than a match for the Rocks in two meetings early in the season but on Wednesday Bognor showed their qualities to advance on the night. However, there have been many reasons to be positive with the performances of what is still mostly a new team of players and the likes of Jalen Jones, Sinn’kaye Christie, Shaun Rowley, Mitch Chapman, Tom Derry and Dan Bassett amongst others have impressed in the early weeks.
Cray’s last league game was a 1-0 win at home to Margate on Bank Holiday Monday and a good performance but on Tuesday the Wands will have to show the same tenacity and resolve to that at the last away league game at Bishop’s Stortford where Cray picked up a point.
Folkestone Invicta under the astute management of the evergreen Neil Cugley have started the season well and have won their last four games in league and cup and are unbeaten in the league after five games and in 3rd place. New summer signings included forwards Kadell Daniel and Ibrahim Yussuf and both have scored three goals so far.
After beginning with a 1-1 draw at Enfield Town and a goalless draw at home to Hastings United, Folkestone beat Wingate & Finchley 2-1 at home and then showed resilience to come from 0-2 down to win 3-2 at Billericay Town. This was followed by a 2-1 win at home to Herne Bay on Bank Holiday Monday. Folkestone advanced in the FA Cup with a 3-1 win at home to North Greenford United with goals from Josh Vincent, Olutade and Daniel and will now host Chichester City in the 2nd QR.
Folkestone Invicta had a very positive season in 2021-22 and were contenders for much of the season but in the end finished 6th and four points outside of the playoffs. Last season’s games between the sides were close affairs with a 2-2 draw at Hayes Lane on 24th November with Anthony Cook and Jai Reason scoring for Cray and Jordan Wright and Callum Davies for Invicta while Folkestone won 1-0 at Cheriton Road on 14th February with a Adam Yussuf goal.
The teams tend quite regularly to play in evening matches and there is something quite special about games under the lights there and hopefully can help to lift the mood after a difficult few days for the country and something for the supporters to cheer.
Picture supplied by Jon Hilliger.