CRAY VALLEY (PM) HAD A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT STATEMENT in the promotion race as two top contenders met in this competitive opening day fixture.
The 26th minute dismissal of U’s skipper Jack Dixon for an assault on Millers’ midfielder Connor Dymond, resulted in the hosts leaving the field as the happier of the two sides.
Attacking the newly named “Steve Smith Stand”, the Millers had the first opening as Dymond won the ball in midfield before passing to Francis Babalola on the edge of the 18 yard box. Babalola found Denzel Gayle, whose shot was parried away by Hastings custodian Louis Rogers.
The hosts gave a debut to former Carshalton Athletic winger Raheem Sterling-Parker, and it was he who had their first opportunity – his drive from the left requiring a finger tip save from Millers’ keeper Andy Walker.
A 23rd minute pass from Dixon found Sterling-Parker on the right hand edge of the penalty area, Sterling-Parker’s drive requiring a last ditch clearance from Cem Tumkaya as Hastings pushed forward.
Then came the sending off incident.
A foul on Sterling-Parker on the halfway line led to a mass altercation – Dixon getting involved ultimately received his marching orders.
As “The Arrows” were looking to reorganise, a spell of Millers pressure saw striker Ade Yusuff’s effort denied on the goal-line following Tumkaya’s cut-back, before interplay across the Hastings 18 yard line between Yusuff, Hassan Ibrahiym and Gayle saw the latter’s cross narrowly evade Yusuff at the far post.
Cray Valley finished an increasingly tetchy first half in the ascendency, but with nothing to show for their efforts.
The half time introduction of new signing Kieron McCann saw the visitors take a more positive approach - Yusuff’s goal-line cut back being cleared for a 48th minute corner for the visitors - , before Ryan Worrall’s 53rd minute free kick for The Arrows was pushed over the bar by Walker for a corner.
Worrall’s resultant corner kick was headed against Walker’s crossbar by Gary Elphick as The U’s threatened to make the breakthrough.
Minutes later, pressure by The Millers saw Ibrahiym find McCann, whose low shot was saved by Rogers at the near post.
Then, on the hour mark, Gayle’s cross evaded all in the box before finding Danny Smith at the far post. Smith’s return saw Yusuff’s header pushed over the bar for a corner.
As the visitors pushed on, Dymond saw a header from Smith’s corner strike the bar - Tumkaya firing narrowly wide from the rebound.
Meanwhile, Hastings continued to send a succession of long throws and dead balls into the Valley area without seriously troubling Walker – while the visitors attacks were dealt with by the home rearguard, centre back Elphick particularly prominent
So the final whistle saw Hastings “celebrating” a hard earned point, while The Millers were left to rue a missed opportunity.

MILLERS’ STAR MAN – Connor Dymond

HASTINGS : Rogers, Black, Worrall, Elphick, Stone, Elliott, Dixon, Pope, Chalmers, Sterling-Parker (Capon 70), Ward

MILLERS : A.Walker, Dymond, Smith, Hickey, Tumkaya, Gayle, Babalola (Adeyemo 70), Morath-Gibbs, Warren (McCann 46), Ibrahiym (Flack 81), Yusuff
Not Used : Sains, King-Elliot

Pic : Denzel Gayle takes on Hastings’ Benn Ward courtesy of club photographer Dave Cumberbatch.