No one wants to go down - it's not good for the CV, says Cray Wanderers boss Ian Jenkins

CRAY WANDERERS boss Ian Jenkins is feeling relaxed ahead of their must-win game against Lewes at Hayes Lane on Saturday.



The Wands are in the bottom six in the Ryman Premier League table, with 33 points from 32 games – two places and four points ahead of Lewes.

But confidence is high going into the crunch game.  The Wands came away from Metropolitan Police with a 4-2 win last weekend and knocked League Two outfit AFC Wimbledon out of the London Senior Cup (Sponsored by Coventry Scaffolding) Quarter-Finals after winning a seven goal thriller last night.

Former Lewes striker, Paul Booth, 36, has fashioned an impressive strike partnership with 21-goal striker Leigh Bremner and the pair will be vital in the club’s bid to maintain their Ryman Premier League status at the end of the season.

Jenkins has taken the pressure off ahead of Saturday’s game against Lewes.

He said: “I said in my programme article – I’ve started writing one up again – people say it’s a six pointer but I don’t agree with that!

”I just think if teams go out and if we play like we play and they play like they can play it will be one of those games anyway.

”Obviously if you do win it you do go that much further away from the team below you. 

”We look to win every game we play so whether you’re playing a team, a top team or a bottom side, a six pointer is just an old cliché isn’t it?”

Jenkins would love Booth – who is on loan from Ryman League Division One South leaders Maidstone United – to pop up and score the winner against his old club.

”He gets fined for playing against his old club anyway so I told them in the dressing room if anyone plays against their old team gets fined – but he’s looking forward to it.

”We’ve had a chat about their certain players. He knows about them and they’re struggling with injuries and things like that. 

”They’re fighting for their lives so it’s going to be a tough game.”

Jenkins, who has been with Cray Wanderers as a player and as manager for 20 years does not want to suffer his first relegation, but he insists that he has enough quality in the side to climb the table in their last ten games.

The Wands are twenty points behind fifth-placed Canvey Island and Jenkins said:  “We’ve got ten games and if we win eight or nine of them you never know do you, you could still get in the play-offs.  I had a few laughs and smiles looking at me (in the dressing room) but you think why not?

”Let’s get ourselves up as far as we can where we should be.”

Jenkins added: ”No-one wants to go down do they? It’s not good for the CV is it? 

”At the end of the day we’re a side that should be in this division. We shouldn’t be going down. 

”I’m looking at the table, it’s looking a lot healthier than the last time I spoke to you.”

When asked how many points his side need to collect to ensure safety, Jenkins replied: “I don’t look at points. I just look at the league table on the Sunday morning when I get the paper to see where we are and then address it for the next game.

”If you start thinking about points it’s a nightmare. That’s all you’re worrying about.  You just have to take each game as it comes. It’s an old cliché and just see how we get on.”

Jenkins revealed he has no funds available to him to bring in new faces ahead of transfer deadline day at the end of the month.

”Financially we’re done now so we’ve got no more money,” revealed Jenkins.

”We’ve got Boothy and we’ve got Longy (Sam Long, from Margate). If we can keep everyone fit for the next ten games we’ll be fine.  I won’t bring no more in unless someone gets injured for the rest of the season and I’ll use their money.”

Meanwhile, Jenkins got his wish and he will take his side to Kingstonian in the London Senior Cup Semi-Final after Alan Dowson’s men won 4-2 at Dulwich Hamlet in the Quarter-Finals tonight.

The Wands suffered a 9-3 humiliation at Kingsmeadow in their league game on 9 February.

The winners will face Wingate & Finchley or Bromley – who meet each other at Summers Lane on 9 April - in the final.
 
Visit Cray Wanderers’ website:  www.pitchero.com/clubs/craywands

Cray Wanderers  v  Lewes
Ryman Premier League
Saturday 16^th March 2013
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Hayes Lane, Bromley, Kent BR2 9EF