PITCHING-IN ISTHMIAN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
HORSHAM 2 CRAY VALLEY (PM) 1 - 22 FEB 2025 - ATT 1,480
Goals: BT - Myles-Meekums 17, Hammond 29 (pen)
CV - Beere 89

The Hornets struck twice in the opening half hour to go in at the interval with a deserved two goal lead. The Millers though were the better team in the second half, a cracking volley from Tom Beere pulled a goal back on 89 minutes but this proved too late as the Hornets held on to take all three points.

The opener came in the 17th minute, Reece Meekums tapping home a cross from the lively Ola Ogunwamide and the second followed just before the half hour, veteran striker Chris Dickson using his experience to get a vital touch to the ball as Valley keeper Harrison Chamberlain's outstretched hands made contact to bring him down. Hornets skipper James Hammond made no mistake from the resulting penalty. A mistake at the back almost immediately after saw Chamberlain make a good save to prevent Ogunwamide increasing the lead further. A Freddie Parker stopping header into the arms of Hornets keeper Lewis Carey from Marcel Barrington's cross was probably Valley's best chance of the half.

The second half was dominated by Valley but despite greater possession they were unable to create more than half chances as the final ball often failed to find its intended target. With ten minutes or so remaining substitute Julian Anau made a good run down the left flank and his cross found fellow substitute Adam Coombes who was well positioned but couldn't direct his header and it went wide. Valley though did pull a goal back in the 89th minute a cracking volley by Tom Beere from just outside the box, latching on to a headed clearance. The Hornets though saw out time for a vital win between the two play off contenders.

Millers: Chamberlain, Williams, Chambers (Coker 88), Oshilaja (c), Bowry, Barrington (Coombes 67), Black (Ademiluyi 88), Beere, Cumberbatch (Anau 56), Shomotun (Aileru 68), Parker
Cautions: Chambers, Coker

Hornets: Carey, Elliott, Sparks, Philpot, Strange, Hammond (c), Hester-Cook (Daly 69), Ogunwamide (Ajakayle 82), Agyemang (Barker 73), Myles-Meekum (Rodrigues 82), Dickson (Fenelon 77)
Cautions: None

Referee: Jake Woodman
Assistants: Matthew Pollington and Nicholas Bone

Alternative match report courtesy of Cray Valley (PM) supporter Preston Willott.
The Preston Perspective
"Millers Buzzed by the Hornets"

Horsham 2 - 1 Cray Valley PM
Att : 1,480
Isthmian Premier Division

This mouth watering clash pitted the teams placed 3rd and 4th in the division against each other and was witnessed by the biggest crowd of the day by some margin in the Isthmian Prem

Horsham's relatively new ground is situated just off the A24 and although a little way out of town is well served by bus routes and those arriving by car can use the Park 'n' Ride near the ground to take a short stroll to stadium situated in a very picturesque West Sussex setting.

With the match underway, both sides looked to get their passing game going , but it was the home side who settled the quicker and quickly grew in confidence more so than the Millers and it wasn't a great surprise when they took the lead on 17 minutes with Myles-Meekum poking in gleefully from close range following a great ball in from the flanks.

12 minutes later it was 2 - 0 as the Millers conceded a penalty , the on-loan 'keeper Chamberlain adjudged to have brought down the advancing Dickson. As I was at the opposite end and didn't have a clear view of the incident I cannot comment and it really is a little irrelevant anyway ; you play to the whistle and a penalty still has to be converted and my hopeful prediction that the fellow would blast it over the bar proved incorrect as the Hornets skipper Hammond smashed it on target straight down the middle and that was that

Only minutes later it was very nearly 3 0 , as Chamberlain pulled off an amazing save to keep the deficit as it was. As we trudged along the pitch as the half time whistle approached I have to admit I was a little worried that come the end of the game we could be looking at a 4 or 5 nil trouncing, such was the ascendancy of the hosts and we'd seemed a little hesitant at trying to run in to spaces and I felt we'd afforded a little too much respect to our hosts in some areas.

However the thing that had impressed me the most with Horsham was their defence. Without a doubt for me personally the most well drilled and well disciplined set of defenders I've seen all season in the Isthmian ; they all knew their jobs, knew what was expected of them in given situations and there was no 'freelancing' their way out of trouble ; an almost Rugby Union-esque 'kick it into touch' ethic which had me very impressed ( and worried lol )

Fortunately from a Millers perspective , the second 45 was a much much tighter affair, as if Steve Mckimm had been reading the script from Corelli Barnett's "Engage the Enemy More Closely" in the dressing room at half time to the players as we restricted them to far fewer chances, and made far more of some of our attacking play and as I finished off my Cheeseburger and tucked into a chocolate bar, I was cautiously optimistic on the balance of play that we'd force our way back into the match.

However i'd reckoned without the Hornet's defence which stuck doggedly and resolutely to it's task and as both sunlight and time ran out and I'd noted we were in the last 5 minutes I sadly began to accept that it just wasn't going to be our day.

However, as I've noted before , Steve Mckimm teams never really know when they're beaten , and on the 89th minute , after another foray was headed clear , the ball fell to Tom Beere who hit a sweet volley into the far corner , and as Freddy Parker dashed into the net to grab the ball to get back up the centre-circle we sensed that just maybe we could nick something in the 5 minutes of injury time.

Sadly Beero's goal was to prove a consolation and nothing more, as the ref blew to draw the game to a close. We'd "won" the second half at least, kept them honest, given them a little scare but over the 90 minutes Horsham deserved the 3 points

I'd still really enjoyed the day ; I found Horsham to be a very friendly , welcoming and well run club with a lovely ground and good facilities. One of the rewards for our promotion last season was days like these, coming to bigger, better grounds and pitting ourselves on the pitch against clubs like Horsham and Billericay , sides with huge resources and genuine ambitions for National South football next season, so to be going toe to toe with these clubs , and be 4th in the table is a huge statement for the achievements made on and off the pitch at Cray Valley PM

So I wish Horsham well for the rest of the season , I'd seen their play-off semi-final defeat at Chatham at the end of last season and they were unlucky that night , so maybe they could go one better this season ? Good luck to them

As for us, whilst some of us were grabbing a cheeky beer in Horsham town centre pubs, the Gaffer was making it clear in his post match interview that our sights are firmly set on cementing a play-off place of our own ........ and who knows what may happen then ???

C;mon Yooouuu Millers !!!!!

Match Highlights courtesy Hornets TV and Your Instant Replay
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/videos/highlights--horsham-v-cray-valley-pm--22225-208710.html

Opposition match report courtesy of Horsham FC website:
https://www.horshamfc.co.uk/matches/2024-25/45852/cray-valley-pm/

Post Match Interview: Steve McKimm
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/videos/post-match-interview--steve-mckimm-gives-his-thoughts-after-a-21-loss-away-at-horsham-fc-22225-208709.html

Match Photos: Romana at Inspire Socials
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/photos/horsham-v-millers-22225-photos-inspire-socials-1131338.html