First Team
Matches
Tue 10 Mar 2020  ·  South East Division
Cray Valley (PM) FC
First Team
G Tomlin (40' Pen), (55' Pen), F Babalola (56')
3
2
Whyteleafe
A Sesay (14'), R Gondoh (35' Pen)
Millers fightback to make it eight wins on the spin

Millers fightback to make it eight wins on the spin

David Carter12 Mar 2020 - 13:17
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ACTION MAN BABS TAKES THE SPOILS

Another all action performance from Francis Babalola saw the Millers frontman power a header from an Ashley Sains cross past Leafe keeper Tyler McCarthy, to rocket Cray Valley PM into 3rd place in the League table.
A surprisingly dry day enabled Referee Michael Begley to deem the wet pitch playable - one of the Officials easier decisions on a night when many rash challenges by the visitors went unpunished - before prolonged wind and rain arrived shortly before kick off.
So on a slippery, sticky surface, it was to the credit of both sides that we witnessed an open, entertaining game of football.
Despite Millers' 4-0 demolition of Leafe just weeks before, these were two evenly matched teams slugging it out for much needed promotion points.
With popular wideman Denzel Gayle making his 150th appearance, the home side started the match playing into the teeth of the worsening conditions as early blows were exchanged, before Whyteleafe took a 14th minute lead.
Interplay between Andrew Sesay and Emmanuel Mensah saw Mensah fire the ball across the area for Ryan Gondoh to convert.
After a 26th minute corner had agonisingly evaded the home strikers, Leafe extended their lead 10 minutes later.
Gondoh was taken down in the area by a combined challenge from Cem Tumkaya and Gayle, before getting up and scoring the resultant penalty.
With the deteriorating surface making a passing game increasingly difficult, the Millers finally got a foothold on the game 5 minutes before half time.
Gavin Tomlin was brought down on the edge of the area before cooly slotting home the spot kick, despite the antics of McCarthy.
With the Millers emerging from the break in a much more positive mindset, Tomlin was again brought down in the penalty box - Referee Begley again pointing to the spot.
McCarthy and his fellow defenders then resorted to despicable gamesmanship by attempting to scuff up the penalty spot.
Tomlin exercised his disdain for their actions by firing firmly into the roof of the net.
2 minutes later, after 56 minutes, the turnaround was complete, Sains disposessing Sesay to fire in the cross for Babalola to head home.
With Whyteleafe enjoying the majority of possession as they sought an equaliser, the Valley midfield remained compact - superbly marshalled by Lee Noble -, ensuring that Walker's goal was rarely threatened.

Millers ;- Walker, Sains, Tumkaya, Gayle, Babalola, Tomlin, Flack (King-Elliott 74), Noble, Morath-Gibbs, Blanks, Ibrahiym

MOM - FRANCIS BABALOLA (CRAY VALLEY PM)

Report by Richard J Green

Match details

Match date

Tue 10 Mar 2020

Kickoff

19:45

Attendance

82

Competition

South East Division

League position

3
Cray Valley PM
7
Whyteleafe
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