8:48am Thursday 1st January 2009
By Jerry Dowlen
Despite a run of disappointing results in the final weeks of 2008, Cray Wanderers have much to look forward to in 2009.
On the field, promotion from the Ryman Division One South is the club's number one ambition.
The Wands nearly reached the Ryman Premier Division at the end of the 2007-08 season, only to fall at the last hurdle with a dramatic 1-0 away defeat to Tooting & Mitcham in the promotion play-off final on 3 May.
Tooting duly joined champions Dover Athletic in the Ryman Premier, with the Wands just missing out.
Despite the loss of star players Ross Lover and Michael Power during the close season, the Wands vowed to come back stronger in 2008-09 and achieve promotion in their fifth year of Ryman League football.
The Wands have duly established themselves as play-off contenders, sitting third in the table at the halfway stage of the season as 2008 comes to an end.
Cray were holding second place until a disastrous December saw them suffer three defeats, ending with an Xmas holiday 2-4 home defeat against runaway leaders Kingstonian who are now in pole position for the one automatic promotion place that goes to the team finishing top.
Cray manager Ian Jenkins knows that his team will need to regain its best form in 2009 in order to achieve the minimum target of finishing in the play-off places.
The teams finishing second to fifth will play off in May for the second promotion slot.
That looks like being a very tight race, with several clubs in the mix.
It was a different story last season when Cray enjoyed a remarkable run of 26 unbeaten games in the Ryman League, securing their play-off place long before the end of the campaign.
Off the field, Cray are making preparations to celebrate the club's 150th anniversary in 2010.
Cray are the second oldest football club in the world. The oldest club Sheffield FC reached its 150th anniversary in 2007.
Cray meanwhile continue to progress their project announced last year to acquire land in St Mary Cray and build a permanent new ground that will be their own home.
The Wands have been ground-sharing with Bromley FC at Hayes Lane since 1997, while keeping their headquarters at Oxford Road in Sidcup where they play reserve team matches in the Kent League.
Cray return to first team action away to Merstham on Saturday 3 January (3pm).
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