PITCHING-IN ISTHMIAN LEAGUE SE DIV
ASHFORD UNITED 3 CRAY VALLEY (PM) 1 - 26th FEB 2022 - ATT 360
Goals: AU - Burdon 54, Collin 77, Lockyer 87
CV - Adeyemo 57

Richard J Green Reports

Valleys push for automatic promotion suffered a blow as fellow contenders Ashford United hit them with three second half goals at The Homelands Stadium.
Valley’s starting line-up saw a return from injury for young defender Alex Brefo with Chris Lewington returning between the sticks, while Ashford suffered a pre-match injury to Jack Richards which had him replaced by Luke Burdon just before kick-off, with leading scorer Johan Tor-Horst also absent.
After a quiet opening to the game, Valley were indebted to Lewington - saving low to his left to push a defleted Josh Wisson free-kick for a corner, before keeping out an effort from Burdon – Connor Dymond clearing Jack Steventon’s follow-up drive off the line.
Ade Adeyemo burst through the middle only to have his fierce 20 yard drive parried to safety by Ashford keeper Damian Niemczycki, before Lewington was again called into action – saving low from Gary Lockyer before again denying Burdon after the Nuts & Bolts striker dispossessed Cem Tumkaya.
Valley almost took the lead on the stroke of half-time however. A neat pass from Hassan Ibrahiym found Marcel Barrington who’s low drive across goal was so close that Millers’ Chairman Frank May leapt to his feet in premature celebration.
Shortly after a stricken Brefo was replaced by Denzel Gayle, the deadlock was broken - Bradley Simms’ long cross from the right being headed past Lewington by Burdon from close range.
Three minutes later however, Valley equalised. Adeyemo hit a firm drive from 30 yards which somehow avoided the clutches of Niemczycki before finding the back of the net.
Within minutes, Ashford almost retook the lead from an almost identical move to their first goal – this time the cross evaded Tumkaya’s leap before being headed over the bar.
Sensing Valley’s achilles heal in Brefo’s absence, a similar move did eventually lead to a second Ashford goal – this time the cross being headed back across goal by Burdon for Frannie Collin to beat Lewington.
Vain efforts to equalise saw the Valley backline stretched in the closing stages as a crossfield ball – this time from Burdon on the left – found Gary Lockyer on the right to cut inside and cooly finish past Lewington.
Defeat leaves Valley nine points behind leaders Hastings United with nine matches remaining, while Ashford sit one further point back with a game in hand. With up-coming games against all fellow play-off contenders – including Hastings – Valley’s fate remains very much in their own hands as we enter the promotion run-in.

MILLERS’ STAR MAN: – CHRIS LEWINGTON – Kept Valley in the game with several excellent first half saves

MATCH RATING: - ***

NUTS & BOLTS : Niemczycki, Simms, Diallo, Wisson, Friend, Steventon, Kwayie, Collin, Lockyer, Burdon, Trespaderne (Hull 85)
Not Used : Richards, Hook, Hanson
Cautions : Trespaderne, Kwayie, Lockyer

MILLERS : Lewington, Dymond ©, Green, Semakula, Tumkaya, Barrington, Adeyemo, Babalola, Brefo (Gayle 53), Edgar, Ibrahiym (Sammoutis 66 (N’Guessan 90)
Not Used : Sterling-Parker, Day

Referee – Harry Wager
Assistants – Ben Al-Shakh and Edward Smith

Pic – Ade Adeyemo fires Valley’s second half leveller at Homelands Stadiumt