Canons keeper Steve Phillips spread himself full length to thwart Adam Coombes’ close range 67th minute header and deny Valley victory on the South Kent coast.
Referee Jack Woodman waited until half hour before kick-off to declare the drenched Reachfields pitch playable, but to their credit both sides produced a game of fluctuating fortunes.
With centre backs Kiki Oshilaja, Antone Douglas and Finn O’Mara unavailable for various reasons, it was left to captain Connor Dymond and Cem Tumkaya to man the back line, with Barney Williams and Tom Chambers out wide while Ayo Majek produced his best performance yet in shielding the Valley defence .
But it was the hosts – defending an unbeaten home record this season – who made the early running – Marcus Goldsmith’s 9th minute header from a left wing free kick striking Dymond amidships, prompting penalty appeals from the hosts.
And after a quarter of an hour, Hythe took the lead.
Liam Smith found Josh Stirman on the right – the former Corinthian winger’s cross being headed beyond Valley keeper Chris Lewington by Johan Caney-Bryan for the striker’s eighth goal of the season.
With incessant precipitation from the heavens above, the hosts kept up the pressure – mainly from a succession of dangerous long throws from Marvin Hamilton – before Valley restored parity in the 26th minute.
After himself being fouled midway in the Canons’ half, Hassan Ibrahiym’s free kick from the left was flicked on for Daniel Bennett at the far post to slide home.
Caney-Bryan continued to prove a handful for the Valley rear guard, but it was the visitors who came closest to taking a half-time lead.
Chambers deceived the Hythe defence by floating a delicious left wing cross to the head of Williams on the 18 yard line – the Valley man’s header striking the foot of the post with Phillips beaten before Tumkaya was denied an opportunity to poke home the rebound.
The second half was played out to a cocophany of gunshots on the firing range behind the goal the Millers were attacking, while the combatants on the boggy surface searched in vain for a killer strike.
Goldsmith evaded the challenge of Williams to fire over Lewington’s goal, before Smith’s dangerous cross from near the byeline was cleared off the line by the Valley defender.
At the other end, Majek fed the busy Williams on the right – Williams’ low cross was met by the head of the falling Coombes on the six yard line, calling on Phillips to spread himself and save at close range.
Try as they might to find a winner, Valley were unable to find a way through, and were left indebted to a fine save low down by Lewington after Phillips’ late free kick from the half way line was blasted goalwards by Frannie Collin before taking a deflection.
After the match, Valley assistant manager Tommy Osbourne said “we had to work hard for our point today under very difficult conditions. We’re disappointed we didn’t win the game, but that’s one of those games you can lose so it’s another game unbeaten and we can move on from that”.

MATCH RATING: - ***

MILLERS’ MAN OF THE MATCH – Barney Williams

CANONS : Phillips, Smith, Goldsmith, Steventon, Fregene, Allan, Stirman (Miller 46), Hamilton, Caney-Bryan (Smith 66), Collin, Mahoney (Ngandu 80)
Substitutes Not Used : Itauma, Miege
Caution : Steventon

MILLERS : Lewington, Dymond ©, Chambers, Williams, Tjumkaya, Coombes, Majek, Samuels (Anau 80), Bennett (Black 80), Adeyemo (Gayle 64), Ibrahiym
Substitutes Not Used : Edgar
Cautions : Coombes, Black, Ibrahiym

Referee – Jack Woodman
Assistants – Nick Monkton and Nik Garside

Pic : Adam Coombes close range header is denied by the spreadeagled frame of Canons keeper Steve Phillips

Match Photos: Suman Birta

Video: Millers equalising goal: https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com