THE MERCURY WAS HITTING THE 30 MARK as the Millers of Essex paid host to their counterparts from SE9 in our latest of seven scheduled pre-season friendlies.
With knocks and pulls ruling out many of the Valley squad, it was good to see Nat Blanks starting a match for the first time since rupturing his achilles tendon in similar conditions last summer at Glebe.
And after a lively, energetic start, it was the Millers of London who took the lead after just nine minutes as an excellent pass from Jack Beerling wide on the right found Jack Sammoutis in centre midfield 30 yards from goal. The Cray midfielder homed in on goal before curling a delicious shot beyond the keeper from just outside the penalty area.
Not to be outdone, our Essex counterparts levelled within two minutes – a fine run down the left wing resulting in a cross to the middle of the six yard box where Harry Donovan beat keeper Matt Blendell from close range.
With the hosts now making intricate moves in and around the visitors goal, they took the lead on the twenty minute mark when a fine three man interchange was finished by Jon Nzenga on the left.
As a free kick routine saw Nathan Green’s low cross narrowly evade Hill at the far post – a la Gazza in Euro 96 -, Sammoutis was controlling events in the middle of the park for Cray as his excellent run saw a low drive saved by the Aveley keeper.
Much of the attacking threat from Valley stemmed from the midfield artistry of Sammoutis - who himself is on the road back from an excruciating ACL injury after an absence of almost two years and happily completed a full 90 minutes.
The lead was almost extended by the hosts on the stroke of half-time however, as a curling free kick from the right floated against Blendell’s far post with the custodian beaten.
With the conditions taking their toll, the second half saw the usual plethora of substitutions as Valley dominated territorially but were unable to achieve parity despite efforts from Babalola, Adeyemo and Sammoutis.
Green, Hill, and substitute Ryan James were forced from the field with a variety of niggles, but generally it was another step on the road to 14th August when we start our league campaign at The Artic Stadium against Whitehawk.

MILLERS : Blendell, Beerling (Crispin 64), Tumkaya, Blanks (Semakula 45), Green (James 70), Sammoutis, Warren (Kyrell Lisbie 64), Hill (Kyreece Lisbie 70), Adeyemo, Barrington, Babalola

Match photos by Michael Brown - @BSportsphotos