THE AWAY END - Cray Wanderers

CRAY WANDERERS

Nickname: The Wands
Manager: Tim O’Shea
Stadium: Flamingo Park
Capacity: 2,500

Cray Wanderers have made a flying start to the new campaign, collecting seven points from their opening three matches to sit second in the table ahead of this afternoon’s trip to New Lodge.

Tim O’Shea, who replaced Neil Smith on an interim basis late last season, impressed enough during his short spell to be handed the job permanently over the summer.

He has kept faith with the core of last year’s squad, including experienced skipper Tom Bonner and lively forward Josh Williams, who no doubt attracted attention from higher up the pyramid.

There have also been some familiar arrivals in Kent. Veteran striker Chris Dickson, now 40, returns having scored nine times in 27 games for the Blues in 2022/23. He is joined by winger Ashley Nzala, fresh in the memory of Billericay supporters after making 51 appearances and netting nine goals for us last term.

All three of Cray’s opening fixtures have been at home. They began with a 2–0 victory over Canvey Island thanks to goals from Dickson and Williams, followed by a 1–1 draw with Folkestone Invicta in which Nodirbek Bobomurodov struck. Last weekend they edged a dramatic contest against Wingate & Finchley, winning 3–2 against opponents reduced to nine men.

The Wands proved a tough nut to crack last season, with Nzala’s stoppage-time equaliser earning us a point in Kent back in December, before O’Shea’s men left New Lodge with a 2–0 win in April. That record will surely add extra motivation for the Blues this afternoon.

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