Cray Wanderers completed their pre-season fixtures with a quick fire double header of games against teams from the Isthmian Premier.

The first game took place on Thursday evening and a historic first Cray Wanderers home game on the 3G surface newly laid at Hayes Lane.  Then on Saturday afternoon, the Wands travelled to Surrey to face Merstham.

Against Dorking Wanderers who were promoted from the Isthmian South last season Cray got off to an electric start and went ahead with the first goal on the new surface after just 9 minutes when Karl Dent turned home following great play down the right from Brandon Scott.  Scott was unlucky not to score himself with a low drive tipped round the post and then curled a shot wide.

Dorking though are a durable and confident side and levelled with a curling free kick out on the left from Giuseppe Sole and ended the half with a couple more chances to score.

In the second half Cray were unlucky when Mike Frieter’s 35 yard chipped shot was pushed over the top by keeper Slavomir Huk.  It looked like the game was heading for a draw when with five minutes to go Dorking snatched a winner when from another free kick out on the left, the ball was turned in by Isaac Philpot and Dorking won the game 2-1.

At Merstham played in a mixture of sunshine and showers it was the home side which struck first after 3 minutes when Ryan Hall fired home.  Cray though played some sumptuous football in the first half and grabbed a deserved equaliser in the 14th minute when Scott’s fine ball through to Luke Medley down the right was dispatched at the keeper’s near post.

In the 32nd minute Cray went in front when this time down the left the ball was played through to Medley again who crashed home a fine cross-shot.

Five minutes before half time, Cray made it 3-1 when Mitchell Nelson scored with a fine first time finish from Karl Dent’s corner. 

In the second half, Cray had an element of control and went 4-1 up with a crashing header from Jay Leader which went in off the post from another Dent corner.

The Wands perhaps switched off in the last fifteen minutes and Merstham pulled two goals back both scored by Dan Bennett but Cray held on to win.

Cray now look forward to Saturday and the first game of the season at Hayes Lane against old rivals Thamesmead Town.