We've got to be at our best in all departments, says Joe Francis

CRAY WANDERERS’ assistant manager Joe Francis says his players must up their game to create a FA Cup giant-killing on Saturday.



Chelmsford City – fourth place in Blue Square Bet (Conference) South - arrive at Hayes Lane for this Third Qualifying Round tie and after watching the Essex side lose 1-0 away to Sutton United in midweek, Francis knows the Wands are in for a tough game.

Francis said: “It’s a massive game, probably the biggest game since this time a couple of years’ ago, was it this time last year, with Dartford.  Same round, similar sort of circumstances. We’re playing a team who’s playing a League above us and doing really well in that League.

“I went to see them play the other night at Sutton so it was important to form my own impression and they’re a very good side, well organised, got good players with no obvious real weaknesses, so it’s going to be a tough ask for us on Saturday.

“It’s a real opportunity for us to make a mark. That’s all you ever want in any sporting competition, let alone football.” 

With such a big FA Cup tie facing them, manager Ian Jenkins made many changes for their 4-2 home defeat to Ryman League Division One South side Maidstone United in the Kent Senior Cup Sponsored by Portablefloodlights.com First Round tie on Tuesday night.

Francis added: ““We put out all those players who haven’t been playing and lots of different youngsters in from our under 18 side. It was an opportunity to play them. We’ve got our minds on bigger things but they performed well.”

Francis, who was on his scouting mission and therefore missed the game, is delighted that left-winger Jack Clark has returned to the club, following a short spell with rivals’ Carshalton Athletic.

“Clarky’s come back, which we’re really pleased about,” said Francis.

“It was really unfortunate the way we lost him to Carshalton but money talks and we’re really pleased that he’s come back because he gives the side some balance on the left-hand side and he’s a good player.

“All the other players respect him so it’s great to have him back.”

Unfortunately Clark is unavailable for Saturday’s FA Cup tie because he is cup-tied but Francis wants a big performance from his side to cause a giant-killing at the weekend.

Cray Wanderers have never reached the FA Cup First Round in their proud history before and the Kent club are only two wins away of creating history for themselves.

Francis said: “Yes, but it could be one win away. It depends who you’re playing.

“I was impressed with Chelmsford. Even by their own admission they didn’t play as well as they’ve been playing all year.

“They’ve got players who can hurt you all over the pitch and they’re a disciplined side.  They’re not fourth in their League for no reason!

“We’ve got one or two things up our sleeves.  I think what we have to do we’ve got to rise to the occasion. We’ve got to be 20% better than what we have been because we haven’t been firing on all cylinders, so we need to be up for the challenge philologically and then we have to transfer that in real action on the pitch.

“We have to be really disciplined. We’ve got to play with a really good shape without the ball and even when we’ve got it we’ve got to be mindful they’ve got place in their side and they can break.

“We’ve got to be at our best in all departments.”

Francis has challenged his experienced players to stand up and be counted.

“Absolutely – and that’s what we’re looking forward to.  The experience that we’ve got in the side relish challenges like that.  That’s what we’re hoping. When you look forward and you’re motivated you can achieve great things and that’s what we’re hoping for on Saturday.”

After receiving some depressing news two days before their 3-1 home win over Thamesemead Town in the last round, that Bromley Council rejected the club’s planning application to build a new stadium at Sandy Lane in St Paul’s Cray, Francis wants a good news story to come from the club in the shape of a FA Cup giant-killing act.

“It would be nice to have a good crowd down there, get a few people down there to come and watch. It will be nice change for everybody at the club. 

“It will be just be nice to have a bit of an occasion for Cray Wanderers that’s positive and hopefully we can do ourselves justice.”

Cray Wanderers go into the game sitting in fourteenth-place in the Ryman Premier League table, with one win and three draws from their first six games and they resume their League campaign with a trip to Enfield Town on 13 October.

Francis played for Enfield during his playing career and the north London club were a giant of non-league football during the 1990’s.

“Those were the days,” he recalled.  “Enfield was probably the biggest club at that level then, or one off.

“I went over there and was skipper for a little while – remember (their manager) George Borg?  We had a lot of good players there then.  There’s a lot of change since then.  It would be nice to, although it’s not back to Southbury Road, we’re going back to that neck of the woods.”

Francis, whose former club’s also include Charlton Athletic, Welling United, Bromley, Kingstonian and Cray Wanderers, added: “I only had the one season at Enfield.  It’s not like going back to, let’s say, going back to Bromley with Cray or going back to Welling, because I had three seasons at Welling and three or four at Bromley.  I was at Kingstonian as well so you’re always reminded that you were there, even in your own head, but it’s just another game.  A game you just want to win.”

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

Cray Wanderers  v  Chelmsford City
The FA Cup with Budweiser Third Qualifying Round
Saturday 6^th October 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Hayes Lane, Bromley, Kent BR2 9EF