Cray Valley suffer Isthmian League Premier Division play-off semi-final defeat to Dartford
BY MARK DOIG
Steve McKimm’s Cray Valley PM came desperately close to winning at Dartford in their Isthmian Premier League play-off eliminator.
Having been 2-0 up they looked as though they were going to hold on for a hard-fought victory before conceding an equaliser with the last kick of the match.
They came close to going ahead in the opening stages from a training ground corner routine. Four Millers stood in a Conga-type line before the first three ran forward and Danny Waldren drifted to the far post. Nobody picked him up and he headed into the goalmouth where Dartford goalkeeper Jacob Marsden had to scramble it away from Dan Bowry.
In the seventh minute, the Millers again won a corner and went through the same routine. This time Waldren went for goal and his header beat Marsden to put the visitors ahead.
Denzel Gayle, Cray Valley’s longest-serving player, had a shot pushed out by Marsden before Dartford’s Jeremiah Pinder poked wide first time from Sam Okoye’s cross. Tom Beere fired a free-kick just over for the Millers then the hosts had a chance when Josh Hill met a deep free-kick but could not hit the target with his header.
Shortly after the start of the second period Cray went 2-0 ahead. Once again, they stood in a line for a corner and even before Beere had delivered it, Waldren peeled off to the far post. Incredibly, he was again given time to rise and head it back inside the far post.
Olly Box fired a first-time shot wide of the near post for the Darts before Cray had a chance to go three up with a swift break involving Gayle and Matty Vigor but Kenny Aileru shot wide of the far post.
Then came the turning point with just over 20 minutes remaining. One of the assistant referee’s spotted an off the ball incident in the penalty area and alerted the referee. After they had conferred, Cray’s Crossley Lema was dismissed and a penalty was awarded. Samir Carruthers stepped up and sent Harrison Chamberlain the wrong way to convert.
Before Cray Valley had settled into their adjusted formation, a scramble in their penalty area ended with a defensive header coming back of the crossbar. However, having escaped that, they did not look too troubled again and looked as though they were going to win it until conceding a free-kick in the seventh minute of stoppage time. Sam Odaudu struck it low and it took a massive deflection to take it into the roof of the net.
Extra time was now required, and in the fourth minute, the hosts went ahead. Odaudu crossed and Hayden Bullas fired home. Eight minutes later, Dartford scored again when Chamberlain could not hold on to Hill’s shot and George Whitefield bundled it home.
Gayle was unable to continue after extra-time half-time, and Cray’s only remaining substitute, goalkeeper Toby McKimm, had to come on as an outfield player.
Despite only having 10 men on the pitch, including McKimm, the Millers pulled one back three minutes from time with a brilliant trademark Adam Coombes finish. Sadly for them, they could not fashion another chance and it proved to be a consolation.
Although there will be disappointment for the Millers, reaching the play-offs in their first ever season at that level is a tremendous achievement and something on which they can build.
PICTURES: ROMANA RULE
