We're not going to Oxford just for a day out, says Cray Valley boss Kevin Watson

CRAY VALLEY (Paper Mills) manager Kevin Watson says he is not taking his side to Oxford City for a day out on Saturday but to produce a FA Cup giant killing act.

The Millers are in sixth-place in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division table with three wins and a draw from their opening five games.

Oxford City play three levels higher than Watson’s side and are currently in the bottom six in the Vanarama National League South table with 11 points from 10 games – a point and a place lower than Dartford.

Watson travelled up to Oxford to watch their 2-1 home defeat to Bath City last Saturday, before watching his side beat Hailsham Town 2-0 to reach The FA Vase First Round 24 hours later.

“I went there, it’s quite a long way, an artificial pitch, a bit of a different game sometimes,” said Watson, who takes Cray Valley to this stage of the competition for the very first time in their sixth season playing FA Cup ties.

“We have to asses the squad to see who we have available.  We’re not going to go there with a full-strength squad. There will be people missing Saturday, which is frustrating.  I’d like to go there with a full-squad with the predicament of making some selections but they’re a good team, a typical National League South team, some good players, physical.

“It was worth going because I felt I learnt some things about them. It was quite an even game with them and Bath City, a nice ground. We’ll organise a coach down there and go down there trying to enjoy the occasion but we’re going there to try to get a result.

“We’re not going there just for a day-out. If we were going for a day out we’d probably go to the seaside or something, we’d not be going to go to Oxford necessarily, so we’ll go there to try to conduct ourselves in the right manner.”

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

Oxford City  v  Cray Valley (Paper Mills)
The Emirates FA Cup Second Qualifying Round
Saturday 22 September 2018
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Marsh Lane, Marston, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX3 0NQ