In the previous season when Covid 19 struck for the first time everyone was taken by surprise, this time around there was a sense of inevitability of the outcome. The fact that it came so soon with only five league games being played, the last on the 27th October after a month later than usual start was of course disappointing but as the second wave of the virus hit the country and further lockdowns ensued the decision to curtail the season was the only course of action possible. It later proved possible to play a couple of London Senior Cup games in the spring to finally bring the season to a full close.

FA CUP
From a club perspective despite only playing 5 league games, the season will ironically live long in the memory due to their FA Cup run. The club reached the first round proper for the first time having first entered in season 2013/14. Starting in the preliminary round on the 11th September 2020 five victories were achieved through the qualifying rounds, before a narrow defeat in the first round proper on the 8th November 2020 brought the campaign to an end. Full details of the six matches including the memorable away win at National League side Maidenhead United can be found in a separate section entitled FA Cup Campaign 2020/21.

PITCHING IN ISTHMIAN LEAGUE - SOUTH EAST DIVISON
Second season at step 4.
League table
Just five games played - P5 W1 D3 L1 - position at time of curtailment 12th /19 *
* Guernsey unable to participate due to Covid 19
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/league-table

Appearances: (all competitions - total 15)
Babalola 13, Tumkaya 15, Ibrahim 14, A-Warren 14, Gayle 12, McCann 12, Yusuff 12, Adeyemo 12, Walker 11, Sains 11, Dymond 10, Morath-Gibbs 10, Smith 9, King-Elliott 10, Hickey 8, Hasler 4, Docherty 4, Hill 3, Farmer 3, Flack 2, Lisbie Kevin 3,
+ LSC only Semakula 2, Barrington 2, James R 2, Lisbie Kyrell 2, Lisbie Kyrece 1, Beerling 1, Sammoutis 1

Goals:
Yusuff 7, Dymond 4, Adeyemo 4, Babalola 3, Hasler 3, Ibrahiym 3, A-Warren 2, Gayle 2, Barrington 2, Hill 1, Smith 1, Lisbie Kevin 1

DEVELOPMENT U23 TEAM

Just the four league games after a late start and early end to the season due to Covid-19. After lockdown ended the team played a few friendly matches in April / May with a view to planning ahead for season 2021/22.

Manager Marc Mortlock gives his thoughts on the season and the youth set up now acting as a thriving source of new players in this news article May 2021.
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/news/the-lords-edge-millers-in-seven-goal-thriller-2614214.html

Link to the four league Isthmian Development South Division matches played:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228829/fixtures-results

LADIES TEAM

SECWFL Division 1 East P6 W3 D0 L3 GD 0 PTS 9 4th /10
SECWFL Spring Round Robin P5 W3 D1 L1 GD+6 PTS 10 2nd/6
Other (friendlies) P6 W4 D2 L0 GD+12
In nine games at the home venue of Oxford Road the team in all competitions were unbeaten winning seven and two draws.
All matches: Plus match reports
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228830/fixtures-results

Results full time: (excluding friendlies)
https://fulltime-league.thefa.com/index.html?selectedSeason=986216501&selectedFixtureGroupAgeGroup=0&selectedDivision=265663220&selectedCompetition=0

YOUTH TEAMS

With Louis Dean on board as Youth Development Manager the club continued to expand it's youth set up and entered around twenty teams across the age groups, 5 in the Kent Youth League and remainder in the Selkent. The season was of course curtailed early due to Covid 19 and saw just a limited return in the spring. However the structure is now in place and we look forward to season 2021/22.

FIRST TEAM SEASON MATCH BY MATCH
In date order.

Sat 12-Sep 2020 - FA Cup - see separate section

Sat 19-Sep 2020 ISTHMIAN SE DIV
Hastings United 0 v Cray Valley 0
H- Dixon sent off 27
Attendance: 400
MILLERS : A.Walker, Dymond, Smith, Hickey, Tumkaya, Gayle, Babalola (Adeyemo 70), Morath-Gibbs, Warren (McCann 46), Ibrahiym (Flack 81), Yusuff
Subs not Used : Sains, King-Elliot

Tumkaya goes for goal with the header

Match Report:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/1-6359187/report
Photos:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/1-6359187/photos

Blogger: Many games have I seen
https://manygameshaveiseen.blogspot.com/2020/09/hastings-united-0-v-0-cray-valley-pm.html

Weds 23-Sep 2020 - FA Cup - see separate section

Sat 26-Sep 2020 ISTHMIAN SE DIV
Cray Valley 2 v Sittingbourne 1
Goals: CV- Smith 39, Ibrahiym 50
S- Drury 76
Attendance: 243

MILLERS : A.Walker, Smith, Sains, Tumkaya, Gayle (King-Elliot 73), Babalola, McCann, Morath-Gibbs, Warren (Farmer 81), Ibrahiym (Flack 65), Yusuff
Not Used : Aarons-Royal, Adeyemo

Goalmouth action Cray Valley v Sittingbourne 26th September 2020

Match Report:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/1-6359195/report
Photos:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/1-6359195/photos

Sat 3-Oct 2020 - FA Cup - see separate section

Tues 6-Oct 2020 ISTHMIAN SE DIV
Cray Valley 1 v Faversham Town 2
Goals: CV- Adeyemo 76
FT- Chambers 2, Oluwasemo 90
Attendance: 148

MILLERS : A.Walker, Dymond (Smith 21), Hickey (King-Elliot 71), Sains, Tumkaya, Gayle, Adeyemo, Babalola, McCann, Warren, Ibrahiym
Subs not Used : Flack, Farmer, Aarons-Royal

Adeyemo celebrates his equalising goal before Town score a late winner

Match Report:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/1-6359215/report
Photos:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/1-6359215/photos

Sat 10-Oct 2020 ISTHMIAN SE DIV
Whyteleafe 2 v Cray Valley 2
Goals: W- Hibbert 27, 40
CV- Hasler 59, 90
Attendance: 279

MILLERS : A.Walker, Smith (Babalola 45), Sains, Tumkaya, Gayle, Adeyemo, McCann (King-Elliot 78), Hasler, Morath-Gibbs (Dymond 66), Ibrahiym, Yusuff
Subs not Used : Farmer, Docherty

Two goal Sam Hasler on debut lines up a shot - Cray Valley at Whyteleafe 10th October 2020

Match Report:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/1-6359233/report
Photos:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/1-6359233/photos

Tues 13-Oct 2020 - FA Cup - see separate section

Sat 17-Oct 2020 THE FA TROPHY 2ND ROUND QUALIFYING
Whyteleafe 0 v Cray Valley 0 (Whyteleafe won 3-2 on penalties)
Attendance: 227

MILLERS : A.Walker, Smith, Hickey, Sains, Tumkaya, Babalola, Hasler, Farmer (Ibrahiym 67), Warren, King-Elliot (McCann 70), Yusuff
Subs not Used : Adeyemo, Thomas, Gayle

Pre match team huddle watched on by the travelling committee

Match Report:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/2-7549234/report
Photos:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/2-7549234/photos

Sat 24-Oct 2020 - FA Cup - see separate section

Tues 27-Oct 2020 ISTHMIAN SE DIV
Whitstable Town 1 v Cray Valley 1
Goals: WT- Jadama 2
CV- Hill 90
Attendance: 271

MILLERS : Docherty, Dymond, Smith, Tumkaya, Gayle (Hill 87), Babalola, McCann (King-Elliot 82), Hasler, Warren, Ibrahiym (Lisbie 63), Yusuff
Subs not Used : Farmer, Morath-Gibbs

Rory Hill jumps for joy as he celebrates his late equaliser.

Match Report:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/1-6359251/report
Photos:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/1-6359251/photos

At this point the league season was paused due to Covid 19 with only the Cups continuing. The league season subsequently curtailed with no further games played.

Sun 8-Nov 2020 - FA Cup - see separate section

The only competition that remained open for Cray Valley was the London Senior Cup.

Sat 5- Dec 2020 LONDON SENIOR CUP FIRST ROUND
Cray Valley 4 v Corinthian-Casuals 3
Goals: CV- M A-Warren (14'), S Hasler (45'), A Yusuff (83'), H Ibrahiym (95'
CC- K Cadogan (31' Pen), (50'), J Dos Santos (41')
Attendance: 133
MILLERS : Walker, Sains, Tumkaya, Gayle (Hill 55), McCann (Babalola 63), Hasler, Morath-Gibbs, Warren, King-Elliot (Adeyemo 79), Ibrahiym, Yusuff
Subs Not Used : Aarons Royal, Farmer

A fabulous entertaining game of football with a late winner adding to the drama in what proved to be the last official game of 2020 for Cray Valley.

Hasan Ibrahiym hits the 95th minute winner

Match Report:
Error:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/2-10669003/report

Photos:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/photos/millers-v-corinthian-casuals-51220-photos-dave-cumberbatch-965605.html

Blogger: Tea, Cake and Football - Grounds of the UK - Report, Photos and Video
https://teacakeandfootballgroundsoftheuk.wordpress.com/2020/12/05/cray-valley-paper-mills-fc-v-corinthian-casuals-fc-5th-december-2020-artic-stadium/

The London Senior Cup was then itself paused with Cray Valley due to play in the next round away to the winners of Harrow Borough v Glebe.

After a break of 143 days due to the Covid-19 lockdown, the London Senior Cup resumed for Cray Valley who made the short trip Glebe on Tuesday 27th April 2021 for a place in the semi-finals of the London FA Senior Cup with quarter-final opponents Brentford B having withdrawn from the competition. The Glebe game was played behind closed doors with no spectators allowed in accordance with Government / FA guidelines.

Tues 27-April 2021 LONDON SENIOR CUP SECOND ROUND
Glebe 1 v Cray Valley 4
Goals: G- F Nyhus 53
CV- Marcel Barrington 11, 58 Kevin Lisbie 47, Ade Adeyemo 50
Attendance: Behind Closed Doors - Covid 19

MILLERS : Docherty, Beerling, Tumkaya (Sankoh 45), Morath-Gibbs ©, James R, King-Elliot, Semakula, Warren, Adeyemo (Kempston 66), Kevin Lisbie (Kyrell Lisbie 70), Barrington
Subs Not Used : Kyreece Lisbie, Cotter

Marcel Barrington scores twice on debut

Match Report:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/0-5004420/report
Photos:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/0-5004420/photos

Sat 15-May 2021 LONDON SENIOR CUP SEMI-FINAL sponsored by Sportsguard
AFC Wimbledon 2 v Cray Valley 0
Goals: AFCW- Andrews 78, 89
Attendance: Behind Closed Doors - Covid 19
A missed penalty in each half when the scores were level proved crucial as Cray Valley Paper Mills’ London Senior Cup run was ended at AFC Wimbledon at the semi-final stage.
MILLERS: Docherty, Kyreece Lisbie, Tumkaya, Morath-Gibbs (capt), James R, King-Elliott, Semakula (Sammoutis 65), Warren, Adeyemo (Ibrahiym 80), Kevin Lisbie (Kyrell Lisbie 65), Barrington, sub not used Dymond.

Matt Warren in action Cray Valley at AFC Wimbledon 15th May 2021
Match Report:
https://www.pitchero.com/admin/club/76256/teams/228820/fixtures/0-5035029/report

Photos:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/photos/dons-v-millers-london-senior-cup-15521-photos-michael-brown-975300.html

Video Match Highlights courtesy of Michael Brown of Brownie Photography
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plai7sEuz_8

Other Match Report and photos: Kent Sports News by Mark Doig and photos Dave Budden
https://www.kentsportsnews.com/afc-wimbledon-2-0-cray-valley-pm-15-05-2021/

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