CAFC vs Cray Valley PM – Preview
After a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Dartford at the weekend, Carshalton will be eager to bounce back on bank holiday Monday against an in-form Cray Valley.
The Robins Review
The Robins suffered their first defeat of the season after falling to a 1-0 loss against former National League South side Dartford on Saturday, despite a dominant display.
For Peter Adeniyi’s side, two very impressive first half performances against a new-look Folkestone Invicta and 23/24’s play off finalists Wingate and Finchley, secured the Reds a draw and win in quick succession for their first two fixtures.
Meanwhile, last Saturday’s trip to West Sussex to take on Chichester City saw our lads claim a first victory of the campaign after coming alive midway through the second 45 thanks to a trio of smart substitutions.
Ahead of a Bank Holiday visit to the Artic Stadium, Carshalton will have hopes of changing their fortunes following a trio of defeats to the Valley last season. Despite being a league below the Robins, Cray drew us in two cup competitions, the FA Cup and Trophy. We forced the replay in the former but were overcome first time of asking in the latter.
Of course, knockout football is a completely different entity to league and Adeniyi will be eager to make amends.
Cray Valley PM
Cray Valley ran out 1-0 winners against Folkestone Invicta on Saturday following a 74th minute goal from Adam Coombes.
Despite being the new kids on the block in the Isthmian Premier following their South East 23/2triumph, the Valley have taken to step 3 like a duck to water.
They were thrown straight into the deep end on the opening day, taking on former National League South outfit and one of the favourites to go up Dartford FC.
The Millers lost 2-1 in a game that was steeped in controversy, and despite being dominated in the first half, a harsh sending off, a handball on the line that went unnoticed, and a brilliant strike from nowhere, punished, rather unfairly, what was a spirited Cray performance.
Next up was Cray Wanderers in El Craysico as it had been dubbed by the two sets of supporters. An historic evening, it was the first time that the teams had met in a first-team competitive fixture of any kind. Therefore, there was an excellent attendance of 840.
The Millers provided a more polished display away at the Flamingo Stadium, showing no signs of the nerves against the Darts. The Wands ran out comfortable 2-0 winners after two goals within five minutes of each other on the hour mark.
Following victory in the local derby, they travelled to Cheshunt and McKimm maintained his fantastic away record with Valley, going 39 matches undefeated after winning 4-2. Three goals for the better heading into the break, the game was done and dusted in the first half; however, proceedings got a bit edgy towards the backend.
So far, so good. Valley will have hopes of continuing to carry the momentum of last year’s memorable campaign into this season.
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, conceded just 32 to boast the best defensive record in the division. There 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 was 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, 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, focus returned back 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 Artic 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 Years 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.
There 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 re-start. 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 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’s 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, 4-0 win at Hythe, and 2-0 on the final day at Horndean enabled captain Arthur Lee and the team to lift the trophy.
Pre-season preparations began early July, fulfilling seven friendlies, winning four, drawing one, and losing two. On the summer, McKimm said: “Pre-season’s been pre-season, my motto in pre-season is ‘do they understand what we want to do on the football pitch with the ball and without the ball?’, ‘are they fit enough to last 90 minutes?’, and they’ve ticked all of them boxes”.
Likely line ups
Carshalton
Foley, Sankho, Hamstead, Atewologun, Read, Saraiva, Vose, Jackson, Ifeanyi, Bradford, Gody
Cray Valley
Ovenden, Williams, Chambers, Idris Oshilaja, Tumkaya, Black, Parker, Ademiluyi, Coker, Vigor, Waldren
Team News
Carshalton
Kwaku Frimpong remains a long-term absentee for Adeniyi following an injury sustained during pre-season.
Cray Valley
Denzel Gayle will not be available, the 31-year-old heard a pop in his groin in the 2-0 win over Cray Wanderas. McKimm revealed that Gayle will have a scan, but it is not looking promising for him or the team because the club’s longest serving player was their standout in the Cray derby.
Captain Arthur Lee has been suffering from back spasms, he is expected to be in contention for the Carshalton fixture.
Attacking midfielder Hassan Ibrahim was sent off on the opening day, but it was just a one game ban.
Pre-match analysis
Speaking to Millers TV after the 2-1 defeat to Dartford, McKimm said: “If you can get a win or the result [that is all that matters]. Look at the end there, we’ve had two almost cleared off the line really going for it, we’re not sitting back and just saying we’ll take 2-1 [loss], we’re going for it, leaving ourselves exposed at the back because Max [Ovenden] went up, and if they’d scored, they scored.”
Valley scored 103 goals last season, while having the second-best defensive record in the league.
Describing the Cheshunt match, the coach said: “When a team puts that many balls into your box, from corners to throw ins, it’s another set piece, we had to do that on numerous occasions and defend for our lives. First half we didn’t give them any chances from it, second we did because we weren’t defending tight enough, sometimes you switch off, but you look at what we’ve done going forward, numerous opportunities to extend the scoreline.”
Key Player
Striker Freddie Parker joined Valley July 2023, he made 37 appearances in the 2023-24 campaign and netted 16 times (seven league and nine cup).
Parker has been a prolific goalscorer for a couple of seasons, scoring 21 goals in 46 appearances for previous club Sevenoaks, who he joined at the end of February 2022.
Similar to our Steve Gody, the 23-year-old is a product of the Millwall academy before he departed the Tigers for Isthmian Premier side Lewes.
In the absence of 29 goal Kyrell Lisbie, after the 20-year-old son of former Colchester striker Kevin Lisbie completed a transfer to National League newcomers Braintree in July, Parker has stepped up and scored three goals, including a brace against Cheshunt.
Carshalton will be desperate to prevent the forward adding to his tally.
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.
Last Meeting
Both sides met three times last season in the space of just one week following a FA Cup replay after a six-goal thriller, unfortunately, it would go the way of the Valley, winning 2-1. We also played Cray in the Trophy and were narrowly defeated 2-1, again.
Match Details
Date: Monday, 26 August 2024
Venue: Artic Stadium
Kickoff: 3:00 pm
Admission: Admission (online prices): £12, £7 (65+), £7 (16-17), £5 on the gate is a pound or two dearer.
Matchday information and tickets
