Wands aim to conjure Cup magic

Cray Wanderers manager Tim O’Shea has urged supporters to “bring their voices” as the club prepares to welcome League One promotion-chasers Stockport County to Flamingo Park on Sunday.

The Wands are playing in the first round for the first time in the club’s 166-year history, following victories over Step 2 sides Maidstone United and Bedford Town, and O’Shea is under no illusions that the crowd will play a part in encouraging the players.

“My message to the supporters would be, ‘bring your voices and enjoy the occasion’”, O’Shea says. “We want the players to react positively, we know that our band of loyal supporters will bring the atmosphere as they have all season. There’s going to be possibly 2,000 Cray supporters there on Sunday, all playing their part.”

Cray come into this tie following an impressive 4-1 victory away to Brentwood Town in their previous Isthmian Premier Division match, a result that O’Shea believes will help his team.

“It was an extremely positive result and it will give them confidence,” the former Lewes boss says. “The boys have been magnificent all season and they applied themselves brilliantly in this game, they got what they deserved.

“It’s probably the best way to come into a game like Sunday.”

Sunday’s tie, which will be shown live on BBC Two, also brings an unfamiliar challenge for The Wands’ opponents, with the game being played on an artificial surface.

But O’Shea acknowledges that the pitch is unlikely to give his team an advantage.

“I'm sure that doesn't really give you that much of an advantage when you’re taking on a top League One side,” he emphasises. “We train on it, we're used to it, it’s a fantastic surface for playing.

“But Stockport like to move the ball around really well, so I don't think it's too much of a disadvantage.”

 

O’Shea knows his side will have to be disciplined against higher-league opposition, joking that the plan may involve “getting the buses parked by the ground and putting them in front of our goal”.

But while Cray will need to defend resolutely, the manager is determined to offer more than simply a defensive obstacle.

“We want to carry a threat, we want to give the supporters something to be excited about,” he says. “It’s going to take a lot of effort on Sunday, but the boys are excited and we’re ready.”

 

Away from the pitch, chairman Gary Hillman has seen it all at The Wands. In the post since 1994, he has guided the club through periods of uncertainty, multiple promotions and the long-awaited move to Flamingo Park in 2024.

“The finances [involved in the run] are very welcome, but exposure is something you can’t buy,” he explains. “People will see the game on TV and hopefully it brings some of the community to watch us.

“Our attendances have gone from 150-200 when we were at Bromley to an average of 700-800 now. If we can get up to 1,000, it will really make a difference, not only to the club but to the team on the pitch as we look to take the club to the next level.”