NEW BOYS ON TARGET AS MILLERS STORM THE FOXES DEN
EMIRATES FA CUP – PRELIMINARY ROUND
GLEBE 0 CRAY VALLEY (PM) 3 - 20th Aug 2022 - ATT 146
Goals: CV - Bennett 7 (pen), Adeyemo 54, Chambers 59

By Richard J Green

A Dan Bennett penalty and goals from the “returning” Ade Adeyemo and Tom Chambers saw Valley move into Monday’s First Qualifying Round draw with a three goal display against a resilient Glebe side at Foxbury.

More than a few eyebrows were raised as early as the 7th minute, when referee Josh Osofa pointed to the spot as a cross came in from the Millers’ left – the official deeming a contentious handball warranted punishment. Bennett duly stepped up to oblige and open his Valley account.
The hosts fought back immediately however – Chris Lewington being called into action to deny a Harry Gamble header following a free kick.
Efforts from Greg Benbow and Jack Mahoney followed as Glebe looked to get back on terms in an even first half, before Adeyemo’s 20 yard effort thumped against Oliver Pain’s crossbar shortly before the break.
Before the hour however, the match was effectively over as a contest.
In the 54th minute, some excellent interplay through midfield finished with Connor Dymond’s through ball being dispatched low to Pain’s right by Adeyemo from within the six yard box, before Dymond played a precision pass through to Chambers on the left – the left back firing beyond Pain in virtually the same spot to further extend the lead.
Tackles started flying in as the hosts accrued four yellow cards in a short period of play– their best effort on goal coming when James Dyer struck the foot of Lewington’s post in the 76th minute.
Youngster Tyller Davis-Whitlock – on as a substitute - should have marked a dream debut with a goal when he fired wildly over Pain’s crossbar from six yards, before Riley Asaam’s close range shot was parried to safety in the closing stages.
So job done then, a potential banana skin avoided, and dreams of Cup glory live on for at least another two weeks.

MATCH RATING: - ***

MAN OF THE MATCH – Connor Dymond

FOXES : Pain, Holland (Lankahear 68), Benbow, Bath, Snelling (Hvid 17), Cray, Cox, Hever, Gamble, Maloney, Pilbeam (Dyer 60)
Substitutes Not Used : Duncan, Green, Nika, Rooney
Cautions : Holland, Hvid, Cox, Cray, Lankahear

MILLERS : Lewington, Dymond ©, Chambers (Davis-Whitlock 82), Oshilaja, Tumkaya, Gayle (T Williams 67), Black, Adeyemo (Asaam 67), Samuels, Douglas, Bennett
Substitutes Not Used : Ibrahiym

Referee : Josh Osofa
Assistants : Mark Baxter and Thomas Marshall

Pic – Tom Chambers hammers home Valley’s third to seal the victory

Match Photos by Suman Birta
More photos can be found on our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3556917921109032&type=3

Link to Club Twitter: Video - Dan Bennett scoring the opening goal from the penalty spot: https://twitter.com/crayvalleypm/status/1560992573442899969?s=21&t=O5ozW1ebo_vo6n58hQGfkg