Cray Wanderers welcome Chichester City to Flamingo Park in the Isthmian Premier this weekend with boss Tim O’Shea hoping that his side can turn some of their recent draws into wins against one of the best away teams in the division. 

The Wands are currently sixth in the table and have been beaten just twice in the league all season but have drawn eight of their fifteen games a fact that manager O’Shea admitted to us this week – he said, “We have drawn too many and in truth we may have been better off winning one and losing one as you would gain more points. 

“As far as momentum is concerned, the only defeat in this recent run is when Dartford beat us at Flamengo Park recently, and arguably that day we had the chance to get a point that day. We went to Cheshunt last weekend and felt that we had the chances but had to come away with a very late equaliser which was deserved. We have got momentum – it is still there – albeit that we have nipped out too many draws as opposed to turning them into wins.” 

“My mum would have won a few grand on us on the pools this year, and I am old enough to remember doing them!” O’Shea said, laughing! 

With so many draws, it does show that the Wands have been difficult to beat this season; “There is that,” O’Shea admitted, “We dug deep at Chatham and it’s another game (a 3-3 draw) that we deserved something from; the fact that it was another late goal 

“There is a certain belief, a certain we’re not done until its done but after fifteen games it shows that there is a dressing room that is coming together, and they believe that there is still enough time for us to give it a charge again. Fair play to the boys.” 

“If you’d have offered us a top six place after fifteen games, I would have taken it definitely – so would the Chairman, so would the Board, most people at the club would have said exactly the same. We are there and we are going to give it a right go and see what happens.” 

Chichester visits Flamengo Park on Saturday as memories of last season are rekindled when the two sides enjoyed battles chasing postseason football. “We got a late goal which gave us a 1-0 win, but they are a good side.  

“They are a great footballing team, well drilled, and I don’t think that they have been beaten away from home yet, so they obviously travel well. I know some will say that it’s a long way that they will be travelling as they come up from Sussex, but it won’t be the case – they have won the majority of their away games.  

“They have only played ten in the League so far and they are in a very false league position (currently fourteenth) – our league is gradually sorting itself out… Folkestone are going like a train at the moment and I think they will take some stopping, Billericay are improving with each game. 

“Dartford have done it too and are on a good run that have taken them right up there (into fourth place), there is still some sorting to be done but come Christmas, you’ll probably have the best idea!”