Valley rang in the New Year in style with a comprehensive win at local rivals VCD.
Two goals in each half, shared among four different scorers emphasised the dominance of an all round team performance in which every player could stake a claim to be named Man Of The Match.
After seeing off an initial burst from a home side seeing their first action since early December, ex Vicker Sonny Black was brought down by Jack Holland just inside the penalty area – Adam Coombes comprehensively dispatching his spot kick high to Harry Brooks’ right.
After the frustration of the Boxing Day stalemate against Corinthian, the Millers more creative players came to the fore – Denzel Gayle wide on the right playing the ball inside to Dan Bennett who set up Ade Adeyemo to fire the second low beyond Brooks from the edge of the area.
Through all this, the Valley defence stood firm – goalkeeper Chris Lewington continuing his fine vein of form as the back four provided a solid foundation for those in front of them.
VCD loanee Soul Kader came into the game on the back of a “goal-a-game” record from his seven appearances, but he was thwarted by Lewington shortly after the break as he cut in from the left, only to have his low drive pushed for a corner.
As Valley pushed forward for the crucial third goal that would settle the issue, Gayle fired narrowly wide after cutting in from the right before being denied by Brooks seconds later as he burst through the middle – Kershaney Samuels suggesting why he is still to break his Valley duck as he put the ball into the car park from the follow-up.
A pre-match tribute to Brazilian legend Pele was a suitable prelude to Valley’s third which did eventually arrive on the hour.
Tom Chambers on the left played a sumptuous crossfield ball to Gayle on the right – the fleet footed wideman crossing for Bennett to volley past Brooks, climaxing a moment of “pure, delightful football”.
Mitchell Nelson continued to show his class at the back with another elegant performance only to concede a free kick on the edge of the Valley area – Vickers veteran Karl Dent failing to mark his 200th appearance for the Club in style by firing against Lewington’s crossbar, before having a later effort saved low down by the Valley custodian.
Gayle completed the scoring in stoppage time – slotting the ball low past Brooks after being put through by Hassan Ibrahiym.
The win puts Valley into 3rd place in the league on the back of an eleven game unbeaten run, and while the frontline will rightly take the plaudits – 35 goals placing Valley second only to Ramsgate in the scoring charts -, enormous credit should go to a defensive structure that has conceded just two goals in six games since Tommy Osborne replaced Kevin Watson at the helm.

MATCH RATING: - ***

MILLERS MAN OF THE MATCH – See the teamlist below !!

VICKERS : Brooks, Holland, Temiyato, Bingham, Bath, Oluwafikayo, Makhosini, Mahony (Phillips 82), Kader, Dent (Allassani 65), Tanner (Banjoko 62)
Substitutes Not Used: McNeill-Nash, Ross
Caution : Makhosini

MILLERS : Lewington, Chambers, Williams, Tumkaya, Gayle ©, Black, Coombes (Ibrahiym 60), Samuels, Nelson, Bennett, Adeyemo (Anau 75)
Substitutes Not Used : Dymond, Asaam, Majek
Cautions : Nelson

Referee : Joseph Dann-Pye
Assistants : Gavin Bailey and Andrew Crossley

Main Pic: Millers defend the Vickers free kick, courtesy Dave Budden.

Video highlight: Second Gol scored by Ade Adeyemo
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/videos/millers-2nd-goal-v-vcd-athletic-185912.html

Video highlight: Third Goal scored by Dan Bennett
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/videos/milllers-3rd-goal-v-vcd-athletic-185885.html

Video highlight: Fourth Goal scored by Denzel Gayle
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/videos/millers-4th-goal-v-vcd-athletic-185886.html

Match Photos Suman Birta
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/1-10701599/photos

Other match report courtesy of Mark Doig - Kent Sports News see link below.
https://www.kentsportsnews.com/vcd-athletic-0-4-cray-valley-pm-02-01-2023/

Photos courtesy Dave Budden Photography - Kent Sports News
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/photos/vcd-athletic-v-millers-2123-photos-dave-budden-1045116.html