PITCHING-IN ISTHMIAN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
CHESHUNT 4 CRAY VALLEY (PM) 4 - 28 DEC 2024 - ATT 383
Goals: C - Wood 12, 90+3, Vasiliou 44 (pen), Braney 51
CV - Bowry 3, Parker 30, Gayle 46, Beere 54

The Millers took the lead on four occasions but each time were pegged back by the Ambers with a late goal meaning Valley had to settle for a point in an eight goal thriller. Denzel Gayle making his first start since picking up his injury in the second game of the season immediately caused problems on the right his low cross almost presenting Freddie Parker with a tap in but the Ambers keeper R'avan Constable got a vital touch on the ball and away for a corner. Tom Beere swung the corner in and Dan Bowry headed Valley ahead in the third minute with his first goal for the club.

Shortly after Gayle put in another menacing low cross, just evading a sky blue shirt at the far post. However on 12 minutes the Ambers restored parity, Vas Vasiliou raced away down the left, his ball into the centre was blocked by Bowry but it fell straight into the path of Tommy Wood who fired home. Gayle followed up with another low dangerous cross and later had a good chance only for his shot to hit the side netting. In what was proving to be an open game even in the early stages saw the Ambers also go close, Vasiliou hitting the wall with a free kick and then smashing the rebound over the top.

On the half hour Parker restored Valley's lead, latching on to a long ball over the top, he cleverly chipped the out coming keeper and ran past to tap into an empty net. Chances followed at both ends, Parker with a shot just wide of the post, Valley keeper Max Ovenden making good save with his legs as the Ambers went close and then Barney Williams capped a fine move by putting t in a dangerous looking low cross which flew across the six yard box. On the stroke of half time the Ambers were given the opportunity to level once again, this time from the penalty spot after a foul by Gayle finding himself the wrong side of the attacker. Vasiliou despatched the penalty to make it 2-2 at the interval.

Within a minute of the re-start Valley were back in front, Gayle finding the back of the net, his shot taking a slight deflection on the way. Five minutes later a Valley free kick in their own half somehow resulted in an equaliser for the Ambers Tobias Braney. It was proving to be a goal feast and three minutes later Tom Beere drilled at pace a free kick from 25 yards out into the top corner of the net, giving the keeper no chance to make it 4-3 to the visitors.

A lull in the scoring followed until a dramatic finale in added time. The Ambers had been pressing in the final period of the game and with the clock ticking past 90 minutes Ovenden produced an excellent save as the ball looked destined for the net. However the referee's whistle had blown, Valley captain Kiki Oshilaja who had been showed a yellow not long before was shown a second yellow and subsequent red for a shirt pull and as a result the award of a second penalty in the game to the Ambers. This time Vasiliou saw his shot saved by the legs of Ovenden. Ambers had a corner though and from it Wood emerged to force the ball home for a dramatic equaliser and the game finished 4-4.

Valley extend their unbeaten league run to 14 games, no mean feat but will be unhappy at their defending, losing the lead four times, albeit they were up against a resilient Ambers side. The games come thick and fast over the holiday period and next up is a trip to the War Memorial Sports Ground to play Carshalton Athletic on New Year's Day.

Ambers: Constable, Bryan-Waugh (Muyembe 40), Roberts (Murphy 81), Thomas (c), Gauthier (Akolbire 43), Da Silva, Vasiliou, Granville, Wood, Munns (Hall 70), Braney (Thomas 73)
Cautions: Munns, Granville

Millers: Ovenden, Williams, Oshilaja (c), Bowry, Chambers (Waldren 63), Gayle (Ademiluyi 47), Black, Anau (Coombes 76), Beere, Shomotun (Barrington 75), Parker (Coker 84)
Caution: Oshilaja
Dismissal (second yellow) Oshilaja 90+2

Referee: Benjamin Bowles
Assistants: Stephen Macken and George Rampling

Video: Goal Cam - Four goals for Cray Valley (PM)
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/videos/goal-cam-207346.html

Excellent alternative Match Report Courtesy of Cray Valley Supporter Preston Willott from his Facebook page
Don't Look Back in Amber !!!
Cheshunt 4 - 4 Cray Valley PM
Att : 383
Obscure Hat : Holstein Kiel

Not for the first time this season, the Millers took part in an 8 goal thriller that left everyone pretty breathless. 4 times we took the lead, and 4 times the hosts found a way to get back on the level terms, with the final equaliser coming from a corner right at the death just after Max had brilliantly saved a penalty, and from a Millers perspective, that was a difficult one to take.

However, such disappointment shows just what a meteoric rise the club have had in recent seasons to even feel disappointed at sharing the points away from home at an Isthmian Premier fixture, and must be taken in the wider picture that we are sitting third in the Premier Division with recent performances against Dover and Wingate & Finchley confirming we are indeed now a serious candidate in the promotion race ....... and we must also recall and remember the Gaffer did warn us back in September after the Whitehawk reverse that there would be ups and downs along the way this season

Cheshunt's ground clings to the side of the A10 , and having looked at the plethora of engineering works in and around Liverpool Street station , decided to run the gauntlet of the M25 and the Dartford crossing for this one. I expected it to be bad, and it didn't disappoint, but having allowed plenty of time for that we were still at the Theobalds Lane ground in plenty of time on what was clearly going to be a cold grubby grey day

The ground boasts a good bar and a covered fanzone, with a burger bar knocking out "gournet burgers" ( 7.5/10 ) and the matchday programme was well worth a read. Opposite the main stand is a much older edifice that is set some way back from the pitch that would indicate that there was once a running track around the pitch, but for those who love structures with a hint of brutalism about them, it was a gem !

It only took 4 minutes for Cray to open the scoring , a Dan Bowry header from a corner and following several blistering runs down the wing from Denzel Gayle whipping in crosses for Freddy Parker to aim for I did complacently think we were perhaps in for a comfortable afternoon, but on the 12th minute in what was their first meaningful attack, relegation threatened Cheshunt equalised courtesy of Tommy Wood

Normal service soon resumed though , with Denzel ripping down the right flank. The goal was coming , and following a piece of rather slapstick defending, Freddy said "thankyou very much!" and made the home 'keeper look a bit stranded off his line as the ball was gleefully tickled into an ungaurded net !

I'm not quite sure how we conceded a penalty just before half-time but we did and the hosts converted it to send us in on level terms at the break

I have to admit I missed our 3rd goal shortly after the restart as I was still acquiring teas and coffees, but was reliably told it was Denzel Gayle getting a reward for all his exploits down the wing

Shortly afterward Cheshunt equalised again , but Cray Valley kept pouring forward looking to exploit any weaknesses, and on 54 minutes a thunderbolt free kick from Tom Beere found the top corner of the net and the home 'keeper time to reflect on whether he should have formed a wall ........... not that we were complaining !

Just as we thought we were going to see the game out, we conceded a penalty and a second yellow card for Kiki and we got the toes and fingers crossed that Max may be able to pull off a save ....... and he did ! And I might not have been the only supporter thinking complacently "job done!" when the resulting corner kick saw that man Tommy Wood find a gap at the near post to rescue a point for his side.

Sure it was disappointing, but that's football, it was still a point away from home in the busy festive period against a side fighting for its survival, and if anyone had offered me back in August before our season kicked off against Dartford a 4-4 all draw to see the year out to leave us 3rd in the table, I'd have ripped an arm off !! Wouldn't you ??

So we sign off 2024, and if 2025 is half as good as the past 12 months, we'll be in for a treat !! COYM !!!!!!!!!! oh, and a Happy New Year !!!!

Post Match Interview: Steve McKimm
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/videos/post-match-interview--steve-mckimm-gives-his-views-on-the-millers-44-draw-away-at-cheshunt-fc-207313.html

Match Photos: Inspire Socials
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/photos/cheshunt-v-millers-281224-photos-inspire-socials-1126254.html