Cray Valley boss Paul Gross: Let's hope we don't play like we did at Fisher!

CRAY VALLEY (Paper Mills) player-manager Paul Gross searches for an improved performance against Ashford United on Saturday.

The two Southern Counties East Football League rivals lock horns in Eltham in The FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round.

The Millers opened their campaign with a 3-0 home win over Lordswood last weekend, but suffered a 2-0 defeat at Fisher last Monday night.

Paul Chambers’ side, meanwhile, were without a game on the opening day of the season as their new artificial pitch was not ready in time to host Beckenham Town, but they got their campaign underway with a 1-0 win at newly-promoted side Hollands & Blair in midweek.

“Let’s hope we don’t play like we did (at Fisher)”, said Gross.

“Let’s hope the Cray Valley I’ve been watching over pre-season and the opening game of the season turns up and gives them a game because if we play like anything like that, it’s not going to be good enough!

“All I hope is the boys come in training on Thursday and we stick together as a group.

“Like I say, it’s a hiccup, it’s the second game in. Take from it what you will. It just drives me on to go into the next game and try and get a positive result.”

The winners of Saturday’s FA Cup tie will scoop £1,500 in prize money and earn a home tie against big-spending Ryman League Division One South early pacesetters Hastings United.

Gross said: “I don’t have to worry about the money, the club worries about the money! I’m sure they’d like it. I don’t think of that. I think about winning another game of football.

“But if we can get through it, if we can win, listen, if we can turn up and play like we did at Fisher, we can forget about the game and we can forget about the money!

“We’ve got to come out and be more positive so it’s another challenge for the lads. How can they bounce back?”

Cray Valley’s marquee summer signing from Faversham Town, striker Luke Harvey, suffered a dead leg and was forced off after only 16 minutes on Monday night

Fisher won the game 2-0, courtesy of an eighteenth minute penalty from striker Luke Haidarovic and a last-gasp strike from substitute Will Agbo.

Visit Cray Valley’s website: www.cray-valley.co.uk

Cray Valley (Paper Mills)  v  Ashford United
The FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round (Sponsored by Emirates)
Saturday 15^th August 2015
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Badgers Sports Ground, Middle Park Avenue, Eltham, London SE9 5HT