EMIRATES FA CUP - PRELIMINARY ROUND
CRAY VALLEY (PM) 2 AFC GREENWICH BOROUGH 4 - 22 AUG 2026 - ATT 293
Goals: CV - Dickson 35 (pen), 68
AGB - Jones 15, Payne 32, 80, Ryan 55

The Millers bow out of the FA Cup at their first hurdle this season which will be hugely disappointing to Kevin Lisbie and all at the club. Credit to Boro who fully deserved the win and took full advantage to progress into the next round. The Millers were forced into one change with young U18 goalkeeper Noah Smilingis playing his first senior game following the late withdrawal due to injury of regular first team keeper Prince Adegoke. Aside from that they were almost at full strength with just the injured Denzel Gayle unavailable for selection.

Boro took the lead in the fifteenth minute, Tom Jones free kick from outside the box deceiving Smilingis and added a second just after the half hour mark, Stefan Payne firing home into the far bottom corner of the goal as he broke clear of the defence. The Millers pulled a goal back three minutes later through Chris Dickson from the penalty spot.

Boro extended the lead ten minutes after the interval Brad Ryan with the finish at the third attempt as the ball bounced around in the area. Chris Dickson scored his second of the afternoon in the sixty-eighth minute to give the home side hope of maybe forcing a replay. That hope though was extinguished ten minutes from time when Stefan Payne added his second to complete the scoring.

Lisbie in his post match interview bemoaned a lack of energy in the performance and a failure to protect the young debutant keeper. A cup run is always welcomed but was not to be on this occasion. Next week gives another opportunity, this time in the FA Trophy when the Millers travel to take on fellow Isthmian South East side Erith Town.

Millers: Smilingis, Turner, Ekpiteta (c), Okoye, Smith (Leahy 59), Stewart (Otote 52), Agyemang, Whitby (Deighton 46), Sankoh (Muwonge 82), Shokunbi (Dua 46), Dickson
Subs not used: Ming, Jeffrey
Cautions: Okoye, Smilingis, Dickson

Boro: Balogun, Panyi, Evans, Sesay, Penney, Ryan, Obilana, Jones, Horsley-Mckay, Payne, Shanibare Subs: Pinto, Pitterson, Vendrells, Revill, Wylie, Tanner, Komos
- substitute and caution details not available

Referee: Daniel Davis
Assistants: Charles Nicolls and Gemma Day

Chris Dickson scoring from the penalty spot. Photo: Alan Coombes

Post Match Interview: Kevin Lisbie
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/videos/kevin-lisbie-postmatch-interview--fa-cup-exit-vs-afc-greenwich-borough-22826-220549.html

Additional match report from Cray Valley supporter Preston Lee-Willott
"Cray Crumble in Cup Clash"
"The Preston Perspective"
Cray Valley PM 2 - 4 AFC Greenwich Borough
FA Cup
After 3 encouraging performances in the league, supporters could have been forgiven for thinking that today's encounter against lower league visitors could be the springboard to getting wins under the belt and maybethe start of a little cup run to boost morale.
Sadly we were wrong.
We did have the better of the opening quarter of an hour to be fair, with greater possession and better chances although still not getting much on target which has been the story of the season thus far. The best opportunity fell to James Stewart whose shot was agonisingly wide of the post.
On approximately the quarter hour mark though, against the run of play, the visitors were awrded a free kick in a promising position, and the shot somehow got palmed into the net from the hands of our own 'keeper for the opener.
These things can happen in football though and no panic buttons got pushed but worse was to follow shortly afterwards as a long ball from the back and the visitors No.9 had the beating of our centre back and blasted a shot past the 'keeper for a well taken goal.
Shortly after that though, a lifeline for the Millers as a penalty was awarded and Chris Dickson stepped up and calmly stroked home having sent the 'keeper the wrong way
The visitors had the ball in the net again ........... but fortunately the lino's flag was raised . . . . and we breathed a sigh of relief.
The half-time scenario was that Greenwich had had fashioned 3 chances ....... and got the ball in the net each time. For all the possession we'd enjoyed, the chances had hardly tested the 'keeper.
We hoped for better in the second 45 , but whilst we were still waiting for burgers, it was 1-3 ; as i didn't see the goal i obviously cannot comment.
There was huff and puff from the men in errrr Ochr-ish Butterscotch ( and it's a sad day when Isthmian clubs start choosing not to play in home colours at home ) but still not a great deal to really test the 'keeper.
And then .... another lifeline ; a sloppy pass in defence from Greenwich Borough was gleefully collected and passed to the unmarked Chris Dickson who made no mistake and reduced the arrears and we were set up for a grandstand finish . . . . . . except we weren't
A bit of carelessness from the unfortunate Smilingis, the U18's keeper, thrust into the limelight due to the late withdrawal of regular keeper Prince Adegoke, had his pocket picked quite glaringly and a Greenwich player slotted happily into an empty net to pretty much take the game away from the Millers with some 10 minutes remaining.
What was concerning in that last 10 minutes was that for the most part it looked more like Greenwhich might add a fifth .... rather than ourselves pull one back ; it really was a disappointing and underwhelming end to a lacklustre afternoon's work
The cherry on the icing of our cake of lacklustreness was the fact that after the final whistle, with the exception of Montel Agyemnag, none of the players came over to acknowledge the supporters.
I hope someone has "a word" as they say . . .

Match Action: Photo Alan Coombes

Prior to the game the new sponsor / naming of the stadium was announced and will now be known as the Mayne Arena.

Photo Inspire Socials: Mal Turner in action with new signage in the background.
More details here: https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/news/welcome-to-the-mayne-arena-2993658.html