PITCHING-IN ISTHMIAN LEAGUE SE DIV
BURGESS HILL TOWN 1 CRAY VALLEY (PM) 4 - 20 FEB 2024 - ATT 282
GOALS: BHT - Hallard 69
CV - Ademiluyi 25, Black 31, Vigor 52, Della-Verde 78

Match Report by Ian Townsend from the Isthmian website:

We ended up with just one match in Pitching In Isthmian South East, and it saw Cray Valley PM hit top spot by crushing the Hillians in Mid Sussex

Cray Valley PM’s magnificent season continued at Burgess Hill Town last night, the Millers taking their unbeaten run to twenty six matches and finally completing their collection of games in hand over Ramsgate by replacing the Rams at the top of the table for the first time this season. It brought their away league record this season to 12 wins in 12 games.

If Cray Valley were at all nervous about the challenge facing them then those nerves could have been brought to the fore on ten minutes when Dan Perry was gifted a one on one chance, but Millers keeper Max Ovenden was equal to it. Almost immediately it was the visitors who were in the ascendency, Hassan Ibrahiym first hitting the bar and then the side netting, but it took until the twenty fifth minute for the opening goal to arrive- and it went to Michael Ademiluyi, a ball from Sonny Black seeing him put the Millers a goal up.

From then onwards the outcome was rarely in doubt. Black took only six minutes to make it two-nil, and the third arrived seven minutes into the second half, Matthew Vigor remaining cool to force home a rebound after an initial shot from Denzel Gayle. With twenty one minutes left the home faithful were given something to sing about, Reece Hallard finding the bottom corner- rather incredibly the first league away goal the Millers have conceded since August, a run of nine clean sheets - but if there had been any doubt about the outcome it ended twelve minutes from time, Lyle Della-Verde making it four-one from six yards out after good work from Freddie Parker.

Home substitute Darren Budd saw red late on, but too late to significantly affect the outcome.

Cray Valley are now a point clear of Ramsgate, who drop to second place. The sides have identical goal difference, too! The Millers and Hill meet again on April 6th, a week before Cray Valley travel to Ramsgate for what may turn out to be a critical encounter- but we’ve a long way to go before then!

Millers: Ovenden, Williams, Oshilaja, Lee (c), Chambers, Gayle (Ekpiteta 59), Black, Vigor, Ibrahiym (Della-Verde 58), Ademiluyi, Parker (Coombes 79) Subs not used: Waldren, Barrington
Cautions: None

Hillians: Dailly, Ward, Box, Allen (Budd 75), Spicer, Lawson, Overy (Hamstead 63), Rowe, Perry (Maryon 74), Hoffman, Hallard Subs not used: Jenkins, Taylor
Cautions: Rowe, Hoffman
Sent Off: Budd (83 min)

Referee: Joshua Langley-Fineing
Assistants: John-Patrick Kane and Nathaniel Roff

Match Highlights: Courtesy of Your Instant Replay and Burgess Hill Town
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/videos/highlights--burgess-hill-town-fc-v-cray-valley--200224-198979.html

Post Match Interview with Millers manager Steve McKimm
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/videos/post-match-interview--steve-mckimm-gives-his-thoughts-on-millers-41-victory-away-to-burgess-hill-town-20224-198982.html

Match Photos from Inspire Socials:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/photos/burgess-hill-town-v-millers-20224-photos-inspire-socials-1093887.html

Images courtesy of Chris Neal official photographer for Burgess Hill Town @cn_things
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/photos/burgess-hill-town-v-millers-20224-photos-chris-neal-burgess-hill-town-1093322.html