Tuesday night was only my second pre-season friendly of the summer and the final one to watch with holiday looming at the end of this week and the season beginning in and around that week too.
Foxbury Avenue was my destination as Neil Smith’s Cray Wanderers headed down the road to take on Glebe, whose campaign begins this coming weekend in the Roy Vinter Shield whilst Wanderers have to wait until 12th August for their first league action.
The hosts had a topsy turvy campaign and will hope to be featuring in the new Step 5 play-off’s as a minimum whilst the Wands go into the new season on the back of reaching the Isthmian Premier Division play-offs and with a host of new signings for Smith they will expect to be there once again.
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As mentioned above the Foxes are at the end of their pre-season campaign and with two more weeks for the Wands to fine tune their system and performance it was to be an intriguing evening especially with the sides separated by two divisions.
The hosts kicked up the slope in the first half and the early exchanges were fairly even, good in possession from both sides and good recovery when without the ball. Of course the touch was better from the Wands as you would expect but Glebe had pace within their ranks to test their visitors on the counter and with lethal marksman Jamie Philpott leading the line always a chance of a goal.
However, it was the visitors who struck first, Wands getting much joy down their left hand side a cross into the box from Jamie Mascoll wasn’t dealt with and George Porter had an easy tap in at the far post after only five minutes.
At that point, an avalanche of goals might have been expected, Frankie Raymond controlling the midfield alongside Sammy Wood always had the time to pick a pass or a player in space without Glebe putting too much pressure on.
Interesting to watch Louis Collins play a little behind Porter for Cray, whether that’s a tactic going forward or just for the evening will be on my watchlist, hopefully Collins settles at Hayes Lane.
But despite the early goal, chances didn’t come freely for either side for the remainder of the half, Wands back line not too troubled by Glebe’s pace whilst the home side also dealt with the neat, intricate passing in front of them, Wands with a solitary goal half time lead, Glebe with one chalked off for offside.
A few changes for both sides, resulted in Wands extending their lead five minutes into the half, Porter making a nuisance of himself in the six yard box resulting in the centre half bizarrely chipping the ball over his own keeper from an acute angle.
The scoring was completed on 67 minutes when a surging Yahya Bamba run was halted inside the box and Anthony Cook made no mistake from the spot. Glebe themselves had chances to break as substitutions had opened the game up a little more but couldn’t find a way through and Wands saw out the remainder of the game with little of note to trouble them.
Only the second pre-season game I’ve taken in and by the time I return from holiday Step 5 and some of 6 will be underway. Judging by what I saw last night both these sides should be somewhere near the top of their respective leagues if they perform like that.
Glebe look ready to go, Wands still with time to perfect things but were looking quite on their game last night. Great to see so many familiar faces too, Glebe are once again taking my programme writing service for the second consecutive year so if you attend any home game at Foxbury Avenue there will be a column in there from me.
Good to catch up with Neil Smith, Tim O’Shea and Alfie George after the game and the company of Bromley fan Eddie Mackintosh is always welcomed, a man who also keeps one eye on Glebe and Holmesdale as the season goes on.
