TABLE TOPPERS LEAD LANCED BY RESILIENT VISITORS

PITCHING-IN ISTHMIAN LEAGUE SE DIV
CRAY VALLEY (PM) 1 LANCING 2 - 18 DEC 2021 - ATT 135
Goals: CV - Dymond 64
L - Goldsmith 6, Diallo 90

Report by Richard J Green

Daniels-Yeomans strikes at goal just before the interval

Substitute Ismalia Diallo’s stoppage time winner brought lowly Lancing a hard earned victory over table topping Valley at the Artic Stadium.
With new signing Raheem Sterling-Parker on the bench, Ade Adeyemo and Rory Hill returned for the Millers after missing last week’s trip to Whitehawk – Matt Warren and Joe N’Guessan being unavailable.
The visitors took an early lead as Gabriel Robinson’s cross into the Millers’ area was only partially cleared by Cem Tumkaya – the ball kindly falling at the feet of Darius Goldsmith who rifled past Chris Lewington.
As Lancing successfully packed men behind the ball, Valley struggled to create any clear-cut chances during the early stages – one notable opportunity falling to Nathan Green as his strike from Francis Babalola’s low cross was pushed for a corner by goalkeeper Alieu Secka.
Indeed, the lead could have been extended on the stroke of half time as Lewington saved Finn Daniels-Yeomans drive with his feet.
Valley emerged for the second half in a much more positive fashion – Jack Sammoutis and Hill setting up Babalola through the middle only for the striker to again be denied by Secka.
Just after the hour, excellent hold up play by substitute Marcel Barrington saw the ball fall to Hassan Ibrahiym whose thunderous shot narrowly cleared Secka’s crossbar.
Moments later however, parity was restored as Secka failed to deal with a cross under pressure from Connor Dymond – the ball falling kindly for Dymond to fire home.
After Alex Brefo headed a chance narrowly over for the hosts, Lewington was called into action at the other end – saving well from Will Berry’s towering header before saving low down from Harrison Parker.
Ibrahiym had a low shot well saved by Secka before the Millers were reduced to ten men in the last minute of normal time.
Tumkaya took possession in centre field before, realising the ball was running away from him, lunged into a tackle on Daniels-Yoemans. As the Lancing skipper fell to earth in a heap, referee Jamaal Horne administered a second yellow card to the Valley defender.
The final act was still to come however - Diallo heading a deep cross from the right beyond the flailing Lewington in the first minute of stoppage time to clinch the points for the visitors.

MILLERS’ STAR MAN: – Francis Babalola – A typical hard working performance bereft of any quality from a stifled midfield

MATCH RATING: - ****

MILLERS : Lewington, Dymond, Green, Blanks ©, Tumkaya, Sammoutis, Adeyemo (Gayle 77), Babalola, Brefo, Hill (Barrington 57), Ibrahiym
Substitutes Not used : Semakula, Sterling-Parker
Cautions : Blanks
Dismissal : Tumkaya (2 cautions)

LANCERS : Secka, Parker, Juwara, Daniels-Yeomans ©, Berry, Hendy, Robinson (Ojo 75), Goldsmith, Daniel (Sisimayi 86), Louis, Lewis (Diallo 66)
Substitutes Not used: Evans
Cautions : Parker, Ojo

Referee : Jamaal Horne
Assistants : Dane Johnston and Dumitru Vasile

Match video by Michael Brown - @BSportsphotos

Match Highlights - https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/teams/228820/match-centre/1-9409706