We just have to sort our home record out, says Cray Wanderers boss Ian Jenkins

CRAY WANDERERS boss Ian Jenkins says his side has the perfect opportunity to start to climb the Ryman Premier League table.


The Wands put in a poor performance last night and went down to a deserved 2-0 defeat to Essex based Concord Rangers.

Concord’s first goal could have gone down to any of three players but the dubious goals panel awarded it as an own goal from Cray Wanderers keeper Andy Walker who pushed Reece Harris’ inswinging corner into his own net after being put under pressure by Steve King.

Concord Rangers doubled their lead just three minutes later when striker Tony Stokes’ looping shot dropped into Walker’s net in the 20^th minute.

King was solid at the heart of Concord’s defence and kept Leigh Bremner and Paul Vines quiet and their win puts them in fourth-place in the table, leaving the Kent side marooned in 12^th place with 25 points from 19 games.

But six of their next eight opponents this month are sides that are lower than his side, starting with Hendon’s visit to Hayes Lane on Sunday afternoon.

Jenkins can’t put his finger on his side’s poor home form at Hayes Lane after his side have won only two of their nine league games at the 74-year-old stadium.

Landlords Bromley, meanwhile, have won only three of their ten league games on home soil and as a result are sitting in the bottom three in the Blue Square Bet (Conference) South table.

Midfielder Simon Osborne, who played for both clubs, has even joked that he will put his boots back on and play for both clubs on dual-registration terms in a bid to try to improve their form at Hayes Lane!

Jenkins said: “I can’t ever see us dragged down into a relegation battle. I think we’re far too good for that!

“I know it’s an old cliché but I can’t see that happening.

“I didn’t know there’s teams below us coming up but anyone in this league, four or five places below us, are not just good enough to get promoted but go and win it!

“I don’t think it’s out of sight yet – we’re only fifteen points off top spot. At this time of the year there’s still something to go for.

“We’re good enough. We’ve got a good side. If we can win a few of them – we’ve got to start against Hendon – if we can get three points there, because you’re playing teams around you as well, so you’re getting away from them.

“Concord are good, they’ve gone up to fourth now!”

Jenkins wants his side to replicate their results away from home at Hayes Lane.

The Wands’ away form is impressive, with four wins and five draws from ten league games.

Jenkins, the club’s most successful manager, said: “If we can match our away form with our home form, we are the form side at the end of the day. We’ve still got the best away record apart from Bognor I think.

“We’re great away from home. It takes care of itself. Where ever we go we just get together a little bit more. We just have to sort our home record out!”

Only 155 supporters watched their defeat to Concord Rangers last night and Jenkins admitted his supporters do not put any pressure on his side.

But when asked why Bromley and Cray Wanderers do not win at Hayes Lane, Jenkins jibed: “I don’t know what it is mate – is it you?

“I don’t know. I haven’t got a clue! There’s no pressure on us from the supporters.  They don’t get on your back. You can hear a few moans and groans going on when certain individuals get the ball on the pitch but you have to deal with that.

“There’s no crowd pressure or anything else. I think it’s the rub of the green sometimes. When teams play well against you, you have to hold your hands up, like last night.”

Visit Cray Wanderers’ website: www.pitchero.com/clubs/craywands  

Cray Wanderers  v  Hendon
Ryman Premier League
Sunday 6^th January 2013
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Hayes Lane, Bromley, Kent BR2 9EF