Kent Cup Final is Another Success Story for Jenkins

8:41pm Friday 29th February 2008

By reaching the final of the Kent Senior Cup this season, Cray Wanderers have written yet another chapter in their relentless success story under manager Ian Jenkins.

Cray's route to the final began with wins against Maidstone United and Whitstable Town by 2-1 and 3-0, followed by last Tuesday night's astonishing 6-1 defeat of the holders Bromley in the semi-final at Hayes Lane.

Jenkins is the first manager in living memory to take Cray Wanderers into a Kent Senior Cup final, for the club's only previous appearance in the final was in 1901!

The Wands were defeated on that occasion, but Jenkins will hope that his in-form side can lift the cup when they take on the winners of the Margate v Ebbsfleet semi-final that is to be decided on 31 March.

Cray do not yet know the venue or date of the final, but it will likely come at the end of a season that Jenkins hopes will also culminate in the Wands winning promotion from the Ryman Division One South into the Ryman Premier.

Cray's improving fortunes under Jenkins began in earnest with two consecutive Kent League championships in 2002-03 & 2003-04, earning promotion for the club into the Ryman Division One.

That rise in status brought with it a return to playing in the Kent Senior Cup for the first time since 1975.

Jenkins and his players, and Cray supporters will undoubtedly look forward to their big end-of-season game in the Kent Senior Cup final come the end of the season.

But the shrewd Cray manager will certainly be impressing on his players the continuing first priority of seeking promotion to the Ryman Premier.

Cray currently sit third in the Division One South table, unbeaten in nineteen League games and playing some cracking football. A continuation of that form should secure at least a place in the end-of-season play-offs, although Jenkins hasn't given up hope of overhauling the long lead enjoyed by table-topping Dover Athletic who will gain the one automatic promotion place if they are still top by 26 April.

So Jenkins will duly tell his players to come off their high after Tuesday night's heroics against Bromley and ensure that it is "business as usual" for tomorrow's trip to Whitstable Town (Saturday 1 March, 3pm) in the Ryman League.

Cray have already beaten Whitstable three times this season, but Jenkins is acutely aware that no complacency can be allowed, for his team are there to be shot at by opposing teams who all want to be the first to topple the Wands' impressive long-running unbeaten rrecord.

Cray can duly expect a battle at Belmont Road and although he will be one hundred percent focused on the ninety minutes action tomorrow there is likely to be a Jenkins Ear for the result of the Dover versus Tooting game also taking place tomorrow, for these are the two clubs currently sitting above the Wands in the promotion race.