CAFC vs Cray Valley PM – Preview
Carshalton Athletic take on Cray Valley PM in the Isthmian Premier Division on New Year’s Day at Colston Avenue.
Carshalton Athletic
Peter Adeniyi’s side suffered back-to-back defeats in the Isthmian Premier Division following a slender 2-1 defeat at home to Chichester City on Saturday. Despite Fabio Saraiva levelling the tie with six minutes until time, Ethan Pritchard dealt the killer blow in the dying embers of the game.
The Robins remain seventh in the league on 32 points; however, Chichester now sit level on points with us.
Cray Valley
Cray Valley PM … against Cheshunt on Saturday in the Isthmian Premier Division.
The Millers sit third on 42 points after 21 games, level on points with Billericay Town FC. The Greenwich-based side remain seven behind runaway leaders Dover Athletic. Valley’s season did not get off to the best of starts, losing their curtain raiser 2-1 to Dartford. That said, they bounced back by winning 2-0 against Cray Wanderers, which in turn spurred on the Millers to win four matches on the trot versus Cheshunt, Folkestone Invicta, ourselves, and Badshot Lea, the latter in the FA Cup First Qualifying Round. A three-match winless run ensued at the hands of Whitehawk, Chatham, and Billericay, respectively. Valley then returned to winning ways in the Kent Cup First Round against Ashford United. After the momentum garnered had been briefly disrupted with a 1-0 loss to Hendon, they managed to put together a five-match unbeaten streak overcoming Ramsgate (in the FA Trophy Third Qualifying Round), Canvey Island, Chichester City, Bognor Regis, and Sevenoaks (in the Velocity Cup Third Qualifying Round).
The Greenwich-based side would endure another winless streak, albeit a momentary one that lasted three matches, with Brentwood and Dover knocking them out of the FA Trophy and Kent Cup, respectively, and Dartford holding the Millers to a goalless draw. However, the Paper Mills would respond by going six unbeaten, winning 10-5 on aggregate over Cray Wanderers, Hendon, Hastings United, Potters Bar Town, Bowers and Pitsea, and Dover Athletic. They crashed out of the Velocity Cup the following week 5-4 on penalties to Hastings United. Heading into our tie, Valley are three unbeaten following an eight-goal thriller with Wingate and Finchley, which they won 5-3; they also beat Dulwich Hamlet 4-2 and ground out a 3-3 stalemate with Chatham.
Cray, last time out, secured 39 wins, 12 draws, and just five defeats, including four cup competitions, in 56 competitive matches. Finishing on 95 points from 38 matches in the league, the Millers suffered defeat only once, the 5-4 loss at home to Three Bridges. 103 league goals were netted, conceding just 32 to boast the best defensive record in the division. Their away form was formidable, remaining unbeaten throughout the campaign, winning 18 out of the 19 games with one draw against Ramsgate. While remarkable cup runs were the cherry on top, reaching the second round of the FA Trophy and the first of the FA Cup, forcing League One’s Charlton Athletic to a replay.
Summer 2023 was one of transition, with ten new players, nine retained from the previous season, and a whole new management team stewarded by McKimm.
The start of his tenure was largely dominated by cup competitions, with 13 cup games taking place in and amongst a couple of league victories. Wins over Uxbridge, Northwood, and, unfortunately, Carshalton Athletic, over two legs, teed up a fourth qualifying round tie versus Enfield Town, where they managed to progress to the first round. Similarly, they overturned Broadbridge Heath, Hartley Wintley, and the Robins, yet again, in the FA Trophy qualifying rounds to secure a place in the first round.
In the FA Cup, Valley’s opponents were the mighty Charlton, and they recorded a famous result against the Addicks with a 1-1 draw to give them a chance of a giant killing at the Artic Stadium in the replay. However, it was not to be, and the visitors hammered the Millers 6-1, despite Kyrell Lisbie equalising for 1-1 before the break.
The following Saturday, Hampton and Richmond Borough then knocked Cray out of the FA Trophy second round.
With the cups out of the way, the focus returned to the league. In seventh place on 18 points, with leaders Ramsgate 13 ahead, having played four more games. The Rams happened to be their next opponents at the Arctic Stadium, and it finished a 1-1 draw. Crucially, McKimm’s team went on to win their next five matches.
Just as their outstanding away record looked threatened on New Year’s Day, new signing from Beckenham Town, Danny Waldren, propped up with a 94th-minute winner over Sevenoaks to steer Valley to second after 15 games and nine points behind Ramsgate with three games in hand.
By the end of February, Cray were finally top of the division on 64 points after 26 games, one point ahead of Ramsgate, having played the same number of games.
Their first and only defeat of the campaign against Three Bridges at the start of March was a thrilling 5-4 defeat. Valley came from 2-1m behind at the interval to 4-2 up within 13 minutes of the restart. Bridges pulled a goal back to still lead 4-3, but a 94th-minute equaliser and 97th-minute winner meant late heartbreak.
The loss galvanised a determination to succeed, especially now that the Rams had the upper hand, albeit by the barest of margins. With eleven matches remaining, seven victories followed, including a 6-0 and 5-0 thumping of Beckenham and Burgess Hill, respectively.
When Valley clashed with Ramsgate in mid-April, both teams were on 85 points going into the crunch tie. Given the fact that Valley would have three games left and the Rams two after the match between the two title rivals, the latter would likely require a win. In front of 2,563 at Southwood Valley, Cray were leading 2-0 with five minutes until time; however, Jordan Green and Alfie Paxman rescued a point for the Rams in the dying embers of the game. It finished 2-2.
A 4-2 victory at home to Herne Bay, a 4-0 win at Hythe, and a 2-0 on the final day at Horndean enabled captain Arthur Lee and the team to lift the trophy.
Pre-season preparations began in early July, fulfilling seven friendlies, winning four, drawing one, and losing two. In the summer, McKimm said, “Preseason’s been preseason; my motto in the preseason is, ‘Do they understand what we want to do on the football pitch with the ball and without the ball?’ and ‘Are they fit enough to last 90 minutes?’, and they’ve ticked all of them boxes”.
Likely line-ups
Carshalton Athletic
Henry, Sankoh, Atewologun, Udoka, Read, Saraiva, Saunders-Henry, Bradford, Ifeanyi, Smith, Frimpong
Cray Valley
Ovenden, Williams, Oshilaja, Black, Coombes, Coker, Vigor, Waldren, Shomotun, McKimm, Bowry
Team news
Carshalton Athletic
Captain Paris Hamilton-Downes remains sidelined through injury for at least the next couple of weeks. Chima Udoka made his first start for the Robins on Saturday and will partner Fikayo Atewologun at the heart of the Reds backline for the foreseeable future. Despite Tommy Bradford returning to the starting XI, Michael Dada was absent owing to injury.
Cray Valley
Clem Asiedu had to sit the Chatham fixture out, following an injury picked up at Dulwich Hamlet the Saturday before last, Elliott McKimm came in for Asiedu at left full-back, it was the only change to The Millers starting XI.
Pre-Match Analysis
Only three teams in the Isthmian Premier Division have netted more times than The Millers 41, Chatham (44) and Dover Athletic (56). Valley also boast a respectable goals conceded in the league of 28. The Greenwich-based side have suffered just three losses; it is only Dover who have fewer – two. McKimm’s side create a lot of chances which results in a number of goals; however, the manager wants to see his side eradicate the individual errors at the back.
Key Player
Forward Freddie Parker is Cray Valley’s top scorer with 15 goals in the 2024-25 league campaign and therefore their key player. Parker joined Valley July 2023, he made 37 appearances in the 2023-24 campaign and netted 16 times (seven league and nine cup).
He has been a prolific goalscorer for a couple of seasons, scoring 21 goals in 46 appearances for his previous club Sevenoaks, which he joined at the end of February 2022.
The Gaffer
Steve McKimm will be a familiar name to the Robins faithful having been manager of the Reds for the 2022-23 season.
McKimm’s career began at Sutton United, where he was Head Coach under Paul Doswell between 2012 and 2014.
In his playing career, the central midfielder took to the pitch for Malden Vale, Hendon, Molesey, Dulwich Hamlet, Farnborough Town, Hayes, Kingstonian, Gravesend & Northfleet and Margate, before joining the U’s in May 2008.
He became manager of Tonbridge Angels in May 2014, beginning a tenure at the Longmead Stadium alongside his right-hand man Barry Moore. The duo guided the Angels to a Premier Division play-off semi-final in 2015/16 before winning promotion to the National League South in 2018/19.
Successful cup runs ensued, reaching the FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round in 2016/17 and the First Round Proper in 2020/21 for the first time since 1973. For the first time in the club’s history, they also made the FA Trophy Fifth Round in 2021/22 before losing on penalties to Bromley.
A 16th-placed finish would result in the Angels parting company with the pair at the end of the campaign; however, they were immediately back in work, taking the helm here at Colston.
Match Details
Date: Wednesday, January 1st, 2024
Venue: Colston Avenue
Kick-off: 03:00 pm
Admission: £11, £8, £5 (online prices) on the gate is a pound dearer.
Tickets: Buy online tickets here
For our full matchday guide please click here
