First Team
Matches
Tue 27 Oct 2020  ·  South East Division
Whitstable Town
T Jadama (2')
1
1
Cray Valley (PM) FC
First Team
R Hill (90')

Match Preview

David Carter27 Oct 2020 - 07:30
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BIG MATCH PREVIEW
WHITSTABLE v CRAY VALLEY (PM)
27 OCT 2020
PITCHING IN ISTHMIAN LEAGUE – SOUTH EAST DIVISION

By Richard J Green

Cray Valley (PM) make a return to league action after a 10 day break which has seen them reach the First Round Proper of the Emirates FA Cup while losing ground on the leaders in the race for promotion.
Languishing in 15th place in the table with just one win from four games played, Kevin Watson’s men face two difficult away games in the next week, beginning with this visit to The Belmont Ground.
The “Oystermen” earned promotion to the Isthmian League in 2017/18 after finishing runners-up to Sevenoaks Town in the SCEFL - finishing in a respectable 12th position the following season.
When 2019/20 season was ended, they found themselves in 14th position - well clear of any relegation fears.
Manager Lloyd Blackman has strengthened the side this season, making six signings – the most recent being former Miller Ryan Flack who will be keen to impress against his former Club.
Last season’s leading scorer Aaron Millbank leads the way this term with 4 of the Club’s 11 goals, while they hold the leakiest defence in the league – conceding 17 times in their 7 games.
Their home form is somewhat disturbing, a 4-1 opening day defeat to VCD Athletic and 6-0 hammering by Hythe Town bookending a single goal victory over Burgess Hill Town.
Having been denied by an injury time equaliser at high flying East Grinstead Town on Saturday, the Millers will need to ensure against any FA Cup distractions to return home with the points.

LAST SEASON
17 Sep 2019 Isthmian League SE Whitstable Town 1 (Elliott) Cray Valley (PM) 1 (Babalola)

1 Oct 2019 Kent Cup 1sr Rnd Whitstable Town 2 (Standard, Millbank pen ) Cray Valley (PM) 1 (James)

4 Feb 2020 Isthmian League SE Cray Valley (PM) 4 (Warren 2, Tomlin, King-Elliot) Whitstable Town 3 (Ufuah, Jadama, Standard)

NEWS FOR VISITING FANS
Whitstable Town play at The ‘Belmont Ground’, Belmont Road, Whitstable, Kent CT5 1QP
Postcode for the Club car park is CT5 4LN
Telephone Number: 01227 266012

The Club’s “Covid Statement” can be accessed at
https://www.whitstabletownfc.club/a/covid19-60189.html

ADMISSION PRICES
Adult £10
Concession £5

FROM THE ARCHIVES
By David Carter

Whitstable gained promotion to the Isthmian League in 2017/18 finishing runners-up behind Sevenoaks Town in the SCEFL Premier Division, finishing ten points clear of third place Crowborough Athletic. The Millers that year finished in 6th place, a strong finish in a transition season as Kevin Watson took charge. The Millers won both league games 2-1 that year although were beaten 1-0 in the Kent Senior Trophy at Whitstable on 10/2/18, through an unfortunate Sains own goal in the 17th minute.

Previous meetings in the SCEFL Premier Division

28/4/18 Cray Valley (PM) 2 (Lisbie, Flack) Whitstable Town 1 (Saunders)
16/12/17 Whitstable Town 1 (West) Cray Valley (PM) 2 (Lisbie, N'Guessan)

22/4/17 Whitstable Town 1 (Lee) Cray Valley (PM) 0
17/9/16 Cray Valley (PM) 4 (Everett 3, Gayle) Whitstable Town 1 (Pulman)

The encounter back in September 2016 is unique from a Millers perspective by that the fact Steve Chapman stepped up to run the line in the absence of a SECFL appointed official that day. Steve the current General Manager has a 25 year association with club as player and manager over the years. The full match report is re-produced below from our past seasons archive which can be found on this website.
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/a/past-seasons-archive-60404.html

Southern Counties East Football League
17th September 2016
Cray Valley (PM) 4 Cray Valley (PM) 1

Cray Valley (PM) ran out comfortable winners as a much changed Whitstable side put in a very disjointed performance at Badgers Sports Ground. Despite taking the lead through Ian Pulman, the home side replied almost immediately and went on to dominate with Ainsley Everett scoring a hat-trick. Denzel Gayle added a fourth and they also hit the woodwork and had a couple cleared off the line. Lee Winfield was sent off towards the end of an afternoon to forget for the Oystermen. The corner count of 8 -1 in favour of the home side gave some indication of the balance of play.

Whitstable manager Scott Porter made six changes to the side that lost narrowly at Chichester on Tuesday evening as the game got underway on a much cooler, breezy afternoon in Eltham. There was only one assistant assigned to the match, so after a number of unsuccessful phone calls one of the officials of the home club volunteered to run the line so that the game could go ahead. Dan Eason produced a good save from a well struck Richie Hamill free kick after an early foul by the returning Joe Kennett. Pulman and then Aaron Quain both had attempts that were comfortably saved by home keeper Jack Bradshaw as Whitstable started quite brightly. After 15 minutes Cray Valley were awarded a corner despite the assistant flagging for offside and although the ball was partially cleared, the ball fell to Peter Smith who shot straight at Eason. Then a header back by Callum Wraight was latched on to by Ben Hunt, but his shot went just past the far post. The same player then worked himself into another good position but blazed his shot over the bar with only Eason to beat.

Whitstable though then took the lead as Kane Rowland got up to win a header and the ball was collected by Darren Marsden, whose clever pass over the defender found Pulman and he chipped the ball over Bradshaw and in off the back post. The lead lasted just one minute as Kennett brought down Hamill twenty yards out and his free kick hit the post and rebounded to Everett who rolled the ball into the net. On 26 minutes Pulman managed to take the ball around Bradshaw but the angle was too narrow and his attempted cross was cleared. The home side were now getting on top and Hunt first had an effort blocked by Rob Gillman, then he got past Kennett but his cross was intercepted by Charlie Smith. He got through again after playing a 1-2 with Everett, but Eason saved. The pressure finally told as Denzel Gayle broke down the right and crossed to Everett who forced the ball past the diving Eason at the far post to give Cray Valley the lead. Hunt and Hamill had further efforts to add to the score, but it remained 2-1 at the interval.

Things did not improve much as play restarted and Jamie Wood volleyed just over after an early corner and Wraight was booked for blocking off Hunt as he tried to break clear. Charlie Smith had a couple of attempts on goal for the visitors without troubling Bradshaw. Whitstable made a couple of substitutions, but they did little to alter the balance of play although Harris Rodgers made a good run down the left but shot well over. On 67 minutes Hunt curled in a long range effort that beat Eason but came back off the post. The third goal came just afterwards though as Peter Smith won the ball in midfield and fed Everett in the box who finished well past Eason into the far corner. Gayle and Wood both had shots off target before Gayle burst clear from his own half and fired the ball past Eason into the roof of the net to make it 4-1.

On 83 minutes Charlie Smith lunged in on Gayle without really making contact, although as Gayle got to his feet he made an aggressive gesture that sparked a coming together of a number of players. A red card was shown to Winfield for his part in the incident and yellow cards were given to Smith and Gayle, who was perhaps fortunate to stay on the pitch. After play restarted a corner was met by substitute Leigh Bremner whose header was cleared off the line, although it must have been close to being given by the stand in assistant who gave the defender the benefit of the doubt. Wraight then blocked another Peter Smith shot and Bremner tried a spectacular overhead kick that flew over the bar with Whitstable by now in total disarray. The final whistle blew with the home side good value for their 4-1 win.

It was a very poor performance by Whitstable who were unable to cope with the pace and movement of the home side and offered little threat in return. Unless a fixture is rearranged for the weekend, there is now a ten day break before the next game.

Cray Valley (PM)
Jack Bradshaw, Peter Smith, Danny Smith, Jamie Wood, Ashley Sains (c), Joe Matthews, Ainsley Everett (Frankie Griffin 77), Jamie Miller, Ben Hunt (Leigh Bremner 68), Richie Hamill (Mehmet Piro 58), Denzel Gayle.
Subs (unused): Kyle McDowall, Malik Ouani.
Goals: Ainsley Everett 22, 33, 68, Denzel Gayle 81.
Yellow cards: Denzel Gayle 83, Mehmet Piro 90+2.

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Connor Hood, Callum Wraight, Joe Kennett, Rob Gillman (c), Lee Winfield, Charlie Smith, Kane Rowland, Ian Pulman, Darren Marsden (Michael Yianni 55), Aaron Quain (Harris Rodgers 58).
Subs (unused): Ollie Lee, Nick Treadwell, Craig Thompson.
Goal: Ian Pulman 21.
Yellow cards: Callum Wraight 50, Charlie Smith 83, Ian Pulman 84.
Red card: Lee Winfield 83.

Attendance: 45
Referee: Chris Myatt
Assistants: Joe Neanor & Steve Chapman (Cray Valley – only one SCEFL appointed assistant)

South East Division Fixtures

Tue 27 Oct 2020KO: 19:30
Phoenix Sports
1
East Grinstead Town
2
Tue 27 Oct 2020KO: 19:45
Ashford United
2
Sevenoaks Town
3
Tue 27 Oct 2020KO: 19:45
Faversham Town
1
VCD Athletic
0
Tue 27 Oct 2020KO: 19:45
Hastings United
2
Whitehawk
1
Tue 27 Oct 2020KO: 19:45
Ramsgate
1
Herne Bay
1
Tue 27 Oct 2020KO: 19:45
Whyteleafe
5
Burgess Hill Town
0

Head-to-Head

Tue 4 Feb 2020
Cray Valley (PM) FC
Cray Valley PM
4
Whitstable Town
3
Tue 17 Sep 2019
Whitstable Town
1
Cray Valley (PM) FC
Cray Valley PM
1

Appearances

Cray Valley PM
H Ibrahiym
H IbrahiymMidfield
4
K McCann
K McCannMidfield
4
F Babalola
F BabalolaStriker
4

Top Scorers

Cray Valley PM
S Hasler
S HaslerMidfield
2
H Ibrahiym
H IbrahiymMidfield
1
A Adeyemo
A AdeyemoStriker
1

Match details

Match date

Tue 27 Oct 2020

Kickoff

19:45

Attendance

271

Competition

South East Division

League position

7
Whitstable Town
12
Cray Valley PM
Team overview
Further reading

Team Sponsors

Club Sponsor - Barry Woodcock
Club Sponsor - Village Windows & Conservatories
Sponsor - Sutton Sports Medicine
Shirt Sponsor - Lebom
Stadium Sponsor - Artic
Main Shirt Sponsor Season 2021/22 - Lighthouse Chartering
Club Sponsor - Network Solutions Inc Ltd
Club Sponsor - Memoria Funerals
Club Sponsor - CSG Logistics
Team Sponsor - Axis Ductwork Ltd
Club Sponsor - Central Glass & Glazing
Club Sponsor - Tower Sports & Leisurewear