Match Preview - Cray Valley PM (H)

The Blues kick off the final six matches of the campaign with a home match against a Cray Valley PM side which has occupied a playoff place for the vast majority of the season, and will be desperate to cling onto it as the season reaches its conclusion next month.

Our Opponents

Cray Valley PM have been a member of the non-league pyramid for over 100 years. More recent history has seen some of their most successful years of their long history. The Millers started the 2000s in the Kent County League, promoted into the Kent County Premier Division in 2002/03, a level at which they remained for 15 years (later renamed the Southern Counties East Premier - step 5 of the non-league pyramid). In 2018/19, a successful season saw the Millers promoted as champions of that division as well as reaching the FA Vase final. In 2020/21, now members of the Isthmian South East division, the club reached the First Round Proper of the FA Cup for the first time, losing to Havant & Waterlooville.

Last season, The Millers managed to repeat this feat, reaching the FA Cup First Round again to set up an amazing local tie against Charlton Athletic, against whom they managed to secure a draw at The Valley to set up a home replay, where they succumbed 6-1 to the League One side. It wasn't just FA Cup action where the Millers had success last season, as they were able to balance their FA Cup exploits with league success too, and were crowned champions of the Isthmian South East division with 95 points from their 38 matches.

During the summer, Cray Valley lost one of their stars of last season in Kyrell Lisbie (son of Kevin) who moved into the NLS with Braintree Town. However, the Millers were able to keep much of the squad together, with six of the starting XI from the final game of 2023/24 starting on the opening game of this season. From that consistency, there has been much success, as the Millers are sat in 4th place with 65 points from 36 matches (W18 D11 L7). Apart from a very brief spell at the start of the season, Cray Valley PM have occupied a playoff place throughout the season so far. The chasing pack are hot on their tail, but if the season so far is anything to go by, Steve McKimm's side look likely to keep their spot and challenge for back-to-back promotions.

Head to Head

Prior to this season, the last time that these two sides faced each other was in 2014/15, in a London Senior Cup clash with the Millers securing a home 2-1 win in February 2015, Jack Read with the goal for the Blues on that day. In our league clash earlier this season, it was a cracker of a match with the final result ending 5-3 to the Millers back in December; from 2-0 down after half an hour, the Blues took a 3-2 lead with less than 10 minutes of normal time remaining thanks to goals from Ogo Obi (2) and Camilo Restrepo's first goal for the club. Not only did Cray Valley equalise, they went on to score two more in extra time to secure the win.

Last Time Out

Wingate & Finchley come into the weekend's game on an eight game unbeaten run, with our last defeat being away at Chichester on 1st February. Since then it has been an excellent string of results, most recently beating top of the table Billericay 3-1 at New Lodge last weekend.

Meanwhile, Cray Valley's result on Saturday was somewhat of a shock, losing 4-1 at mid-table Lewes. Only one defeat in the seven matches prior would've given the Millers hope on their travels to Sussex, but the Rooks scored two early and two late goals either side of Adam Coombes' penalty for Cray Valley to seal a convincing result.

Players To Watch

In recent weeks, Cray Valley's main goalscoring threat has been from 30-year old midfielder Tom Beere. Beere has four goals in his last five matches, but was missing against Lewes through injury. After signing for AFC Wimbledon as an 18-year old, Beere made his breakthrough in the 2014/15 season, appearing regularly in League Two. Since leaving the Dons, Beere has spent much of his career at this level and one above, having played for Tonbridge Angels, Carshalton Athletic and Cray Wanderers, before joining the Millers early in this season, where he is having one of the best goalscoring seasons of his career.

In our last meeting, it was a Freddie Parker hat-trick which ultimately sealed the win for the Millers, and Parker has got 20 goals in all competitions this season, including two hat-tricks. The 23-year old forward came through Millwall's academy and has also played for the likes of Cray Wanderers, Lewes and Sevenoaks.

For the Blues, one man that missed the away meeting was skipper Billy Cracknell. Cracknell has amassed 40 appearances this season and will be looking to ensure that the defence is up to the task on Saturday. As well as marshalling his side from the back this season, Cracknell was part of a group that took part in the March of the Day II walk last week for the Darby Rimmer Foundation - you can sponsor him here

We look forward to welcoming you to the Maurice Rebak Stadium on Saturday, gates will open at 1pm and cash and card is accepted throughout the stadium. A reminder that all draught beers are £4.50 before 2.15pm so get down early - you won't want to miss this one!

Photos courtesy of Martin Addison.