In a curtailed 2020/21 season due to Covid-19 with only 5 league games completed the highlight for the Millers was undoubtedly the FA Cup campaign in which the club reached the first round proper for the first time. A total of 19 goals were scored in those 6 games. It was though of course a great shame that no fans were allowed at either the Maidenhead or Havant & Waterlooville ties.

Although the competition prize money was halved due to the impact of Covid-19 it proved to be invaluable in terms of financial income for the club, earning £27,726 in total plus a £12,500 bonus for a TV appearance on the BBC digital channel at Havant & Waterlooville.

Preliminary Rnd v V C D ATHLETIC H 6-0
1st Rnd Qualifying v BURGESS HILL TOWN H 3-1
2nd Rnd Qualifying v HARROW BOROUGH A 5-1
3rd Rnd Qualifying v AVELEY H 2-0
4th Rnd Qualifying v MAIDENHEAD UNITED A 3-2
1st Rnd Proper v HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE A 0-1

Top scoring clubs in 20/21 FA Cup
1st. Cray Valley (PM) 19
2nd. Skelmersdale United 15
3rd=. Cray Wanderers, Hartley Wintney, Leiston, Markske United, Newark, Taunton Town & Weston-Super- Mare 14
Finalists Leicester City 12 and Chelsea 11 with just the final still to be played.

Cray Valley (PM) goals scored by:
Ade Yusuff 6
Connor Dymond 4
Francis Babalola 3
Ade Adeyemo 2
Denzel Gayle 2
Hassan Ibrahiym
Matthew Warren

Chairman Frank May writes in a special commemorative edition of the Millers magazine taking an in-depth look at our memorable run in the Emirates FA Cup to the First Round Proper!

"Who would have thought just seven years after making our first appearance in the FA Cup, (a 1-1 draw against Lancing at Badgers in August 2013) our small football club in SE9 would make it into the First Round? And following on so quickly from our appearance at Wembley in the Buildbase FA Vase, it has certainly been a couple of years to remember. And of course we cannot forget winning the Southern Counties East Football League Championship in such an exciting, if nerve wracking, manner. The draws for the FA Cup are always eagerly anticipated and you always hope to A) get a home draw, and B) face opposition from a different league. We did receive home draws in the first two rounds but didn't get unfamiliar opposition. I think it is fair to say that no-one expected the campaign to begin so emphatically against our friends from VCD Athletic which took us onto a tie with Burgess Hill Town. Another convincing win followed before we found ourselves travelling to Harrow Borough. The Southern League Premier side were dispatched by five goals to one in another memorable performance by the players which also bettered our previous best run in the competition when, in 2018, we crashed to a 0-5 defeat at National League South side Oxford City. A home tie against Isthmian League North Division Aveley gave us a chance of reaching the next round and two goals from Ade Yusuff provided the opportunity to travel to Maidenhead United and that never to be forgotten day on the banks of the Thames to reach the First Round Proper! We weren't at our best at Havant & Waterlooville but gave the NL South side a good game and Matty Warren almost took the game to extra time bit his last minute, 20 yard shot came crashing back off a post! (a bit of deja vu there.) It was a shame that our supporters had to watch on TV rather than actually being there. I hope you enjoy looking back at the memories and here's ti making many more! FM "

FA CUP Match Reports and Photos:

First Round Proper: Saturday 8th November 2020
Havant & Waterlooville 1 v Cray Valley (PM) 0
Goals: H&W - Gomes 18
Attendance: No spectators allowed - Covid 19
The Millers bow out against National South League side Havant & Waterlooville with their heads held high.

MILLERS : Walker, Dymond, Hickey (Morath-Gibbs 64), Sains, Tumkaya, Gayle, Adeyemo (Hill 78), McCann (Babalola 70), Warren, Ibrahiym, Yusuff
Subs Not Used : Blendell, Farmer, King-Elliot, Beerling

Gomes heads the only goal of the game to end the Millers cup dreams

Match Report:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/2-10328959/report
Photos:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/2-10328959/photos
Video: BBC Match Highlights
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dmawgqk6Yj0

Fourth Round Qualifying: Saturday 24th October 2020
Maidenhead United 2 v Cray Valley (PM) 3
Goals: MU - Parry 21, Sparkes 29
CV - Yusuff 31,Dymond 45, Babalola 90
Attendance: No spectators allowed - Covid 19
A memorable victory at National League side Maidenhead United, coming from two goals down with Francis Babalola hitting the winner in the 90th minute.

MILLERS : Docherty, Dymond, Smith, Sains, Tumkaya, Gayle, Adeyemo (Babalola 75), McCann, Warren, Ibrahiym, Yusuff
Subs Not Used : Hickey, Farmer, Hill, Morath-Gibbs, King-Elliot, Beerling

Babalola celebrates the winner in the 90th minute

Match Report:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/2-9959431/report
Photos:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/2-9959431/photos
Video: Match Highlights
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1i_jZdD8hc

Third Round Qualifying : Tuesday 13th October 2020
Cray Valley (PM) 2 v Aveley 0
Goals: CV - Yusuff 48, 90
Attendance: 301

Ade Yusuff scoring the first of his double and celebration to follow with manager Kevin Watson and goalkeeping coach Craig Gibson.

MILLERS : A.Walker, Dymond, Hickey, Sains, Tumkaya, Gayle (King-Elliot 84), Adeyemo (Warren 70), Babalola, Ibrahiym, Yusuff
Not Used ; Smith, Farmer, Docherty, Thomas

Match Report:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/2-9679281/report
Photos:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/2-9679281/photos

Match Report courtesy of Aveley FC:
https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/aveley/teams/435/match-centre/2-9679281/report

Second Round Qualifying: Saturday 3rd October 2020
Harrow Borough 1 v Cray Valley (PM) 5
Goals: HB - Keita (pen) 43
CV - Yusuff (pen) 32, Dymond 57, Gayle 60, Adeyemo 80, Warren 85
Attendance 153

MILLERS : A.Walker, Dymond, Sains, Tumkaya, Gayle (King-Elliot 67), Babalola, McCann, Morath-Gibbs (Hickey 46), Warren, Ibrahiym, Yusuff (Adeyemo 77)
Subs Not Used : Smith, Flack, Farmer, Kempston

Matthew Warren about to execute a cheeky back heal for the fifth goal

Match Report:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/2-9200162/report
Photos:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/2-9200162/photos
Video: Match Highlights - Courtesy of Harrow Brough FC website
https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/harrowborough/videos/vs-cray-valley-163357.html

First Round Qualifying: Wednesday 23rd September 2020
Cray Valley (PM) 3 v Burgess Hill Town 1
Goals: CV - Connor Dymond 26, Francis Babalola 38, Denzel Gayle 45
BHT - Alex Laing 66 (pen)
Attendance: 154

MILLERS: Andy Walker, Denzel Gayle (Danny Smith 80), Kieron McCann, Liam Hickey (Ashley Sains 27), Kalvin Morath-Gibbs, Cem Tumkaya, Matthew Warren, Connor Dymond, Francis Babalola (Ade Adeyemo 87), Ade Yusuff, Hassan Ibrahym.
Subs not used: Ryan Flack, Joe Docherty, Ryan King-Elliott

Babalola about to score the second in a commanding first half display

Match Report:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/2-8691677/report
Photos:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/2-8691677/photos
Video: The Millers take the lead! Connor Dymond's opener in this Emirates FA Cup tie!https://www.facebook.com/275921759208681/videos/919177821909723

Other Match Report: Courtesy of Stephen McCartney - Kentish Football
https://kentishfootball.co.uk/news/crayburg230920

Preliminary Round: Saturday 12th September 2020
Cray Valley (PM) 6 v VCD Athletic 0
Goals: CV - Dymond 12, Yusuff 24, 52, Ibrahiym 30, Babalola 58, Adeyemo 83
Attendance: 182

MILLERS : A.Walker, Dymond, Smith, Hickey, Tumkaya (Sains 55), Gayle, Babalola (Adeyemo 65), Morath-Gibbs, Warren (Farmer 74), Ibrahiym, Yusuff
Subs not Used ; Flack, F.Walker, Docherty, King-Elliot

Birthday boy Connor Dymond's header opens the scoring for the Millers.

Match Report:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/2-7548650/report
Photos:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/2-7548650/photos

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