So close but so far! Great game at the Artic Stadium today - for the neutral - with an action packed finale. We'd lost it, won it, then lost it again!

PITCHING IN ISTHMIAN LEAGUE SE DIV
CRAY VALLEY (PM) 2 SHEPPEY UNITED 2- 22 APR 2023 - ATT 787
Goals: CV - Bennett 84, Adeyemo 90
SU - Mfula 36, Allsopp 94

Report by Steve Chapman

In front of a record crowd at the Artic Stadium of 787, taking advantage of free admission, a draw would not benefit either team as they sought a play off spot if Hythe Town won their remaining fixture but that's exactly how it ended!

Sheppey went ahead on 36 minutes when ex Millers striker Warren Mfula capitalised on a mistake by Mitchell Nelson, running onto the through ball, continuing and firing past Chris Lewington for his 20th league goal of the season.

The Millers kicking towards the quaggy end in the second half hit the woodwork twice in the space of five minutes. First from a Hassan Ibrahiym corner and then a Dan Bennett shot from just inside the box.

Just as it looked though as if Sheppey had secured a place in the play offs the Millers turned the game on its head with two late goals from Dan Bennett and Ade Adeyemo only for Sheppey to score a dramatic equaliser in added time.

The Millers deserved equaliser in the 84th minute came after Denzel Gayle’s right-footed chip was clawed away by Prall, stretching high to his left, however, the ball fell to Bennett, who clinically lashed his right-footed drive into the roof of the net, his 17th league goal of the campaign.

In the 90th minute of normal time, Prall was rooted to the spot as Adeyemo twisted and turned before clinically drilling a low left-footed shot across the keeper to find the bottom far corner from 25-yards. Cue wild celebrations for what looked like the winner.

The board went up showing seven minutes of added time, surely the Millers at this point just had to see the game out. They were unable to do so, as in the 94th minute a long ball over the top out wide released Bradley Schafer on the left and his cut back found an unmarked Eddie Allsopp in the middle, his first time left footed hook beat Lewington’s outstretched left hand to find the back of the net.

Still time for one more chance and it fell to Millers top scorer Bennett who struck the shot well but it was saved by Prall.

The result ensured both sides will be competing against each other again next season. A feeling of anti climax and what might have been descended on the Artic Stadium, heartbreaking.

MILLERS: Lewington, Chambers, Oshilaja, Tumkaya, Gayle (c), Black, Coombes (Ibrahiym 51), Nelson, Bennett, Anau (Williams 71), Adeyemo
Substitutions Not Used: Majekodunmi, Medhurst, Bennett J
Cautions: None

ITES: Prall, Gale, Majoyegbe, Hamill, Wilkins, Mfula (Embery 81), Allsopp, MacArthur, Diallo (Shaffer 71), Del Morgan, Wisson (Beard 73)
Substitutions Not Used: Leonard, Willis
Cautions: Hamill, Majoyegbe

Referee – Chris Williams
Assistants – Richard Marus and Charles Roberts

Footnote: Thank you to Cllr Leo Fletcher, Mayor of Royal Borough of Greenwich, and the Mayoress, Jacqui Power, for visiting us today to present a trophy in recognition of The Cray Valley U18s winning the Isthmian Youth East Division and making the draw for our half time raffle.

Also thanks to our Selkent U9’s who were our mascots today.

Photos: James Kingman Photography
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/photos/millers-v-sheppey-united-22423-photos-james-kingman-photography-1058765.html
Main pic: Elation on the face of Ade Adeyemo after scoring in the 90th minute only for Sheppey to equalise in added time.

Video: Link for RYG Sports Filming Twitter - Ade Adeyemo puts Cray Valley ahead.
https://twitter.com/rygsportsfilm/status/1649853495032291328?s=46&t=Jmob3oAp0K2g4Oa4PPcfMA

Video: RYG Sports Filming - Full match highlights
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/videos/highlights-cray-valley-pm-v-sheppey-united-189796.html

Other match report together with manager comments courtesy of Stephen McCartney of Kentish Football.
Cray Valley (Paper Mills) 2-2 Sheppey United - We were three minutes away from making the play-offs, it's a bitter pill to swallow, says Cray Valley boss Tommy Osborne
http://kentishfootball.co.uk/news/crayshep220423

Video: Manager Tommy Osborne speaking after the game.
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/videos/tommys-viewpoint-189681.html