Erith Town 1-3 Cray Valley (Paper Mills) - Millers boss Graham Knight says he knew it would be a very difficult game, while Erith Town boss Jamie Wood says Adam Woodward is big on bringing youth forward into his first team squad

Erith Town 1 – 3 Cray Valley (Paper Mills)
Location	Bayliss Avenue, Thamesmead, London SE28 8NJ
Kickoff	14/08/2023 19:30

ERITH TOWN  1-3  CRAY VALLEY (PAPER MILLS)
The FA Youth Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Monday 14 August 2023
Stephen McCartney reports from Bayliss Avenue

CRAY VALLEY’S under 18 Isthmian League East and Champion of Champions Trophy winning manager Graham Knight says he knew it would be a very difficult game against Erith Town in The FA Youth Cup.

The Millers sealed a Preliminary Round trip to Folkestone Invicta early next month after scoring all of their goals during the second half at Bayliss Avenue.

Striker Obinna Igwe’s composed finish broke the stalemate just 30 seconds into the second half, before his strike partner Emmanuel Eyin bundled in a second goal, before right-wing-back Oliver Knight drilled in their third.

Erith Town centre-half Gezz Francis capped off an impressive night by hooking in a volley with eight minutes remaining, before his defensive partner Vieric Angwe was sent off after committing a professional foul deep into stoppage time.

“I thought first half we were really rusty. We haven’t had a game since early May. We’ve had too many away with holidays etc, so we’ve had no pre-season so to speak,” said Knight, 49.

“A few of the boys have been in with the first-team doing a bit of training, some of them have made some appearances but we haven’t played together or been able to get on the training pitch as a 15. 

“We had three of the younger lads join us tonight because we’ve still got two or three on holiday, so all in all I was a little bit disappointed first half but understandably we were a bit rusty.

“Second half, I asked them to mix it up a little bit and play a little bit longer to give us space in midfield to start to play and I think we did that great, apart from the goal.

“Second half, I can’t remember Erith creating much pressure or chances so I’ve got to be pleased with that.”

The Erith Town team was jointly-managed by Marc Sanford and Jamie Wood, 45.

“We’re disappointed to be fair.  I thought it was an even first half.  I thought we probably had the better of the chances, half-chances.  I think we were positive at half-time for the boys,” said Wood.

“I thought we got in quite a few times playing some good bits of patterns of play and we cut them open quite a few times.  We just didn’t have the end product.

“Ultimately we’ve come out and we’ve switched off for 30 seconds and they’ve scored the goal and that was the killer.

“The majority of our team are first years, so they’re going to learn from that. They’re going to get better from that.  That performance did show we have got a good core of 17-year-olds that are coming through.

“Disappointed with the result but pleased in the way that we kept going. Pleased that we didn’t give up, but disappointed.”

Four players helped Erith Town claim the Kent Youth League Under 18 North title last season, goalkeeper Jospeh Bermingham, right-back Sammie Hussein, holding midfielder David Saleye and winger Tamilore Ogunlaja-Balogun.

Cray Valley have recently lost striker Jonathan Lawson, 17, to Championship side Watford, having scored 28 goals in 23 appearances last season.  He scored twice in the Champion of Champions Trophy Final, beating the South Division champions Worthing 4-0 at Bedfont Sports.

First team manager Steve McKimm has handed first team pre-season minutes to goalkeeper Aidan Wicks, central midfielder Dexter Gilchrist and winger Malachy Turner this summer.

Erith Town lost 4-0 at home to Dartford in The FA Youth Cup in the First Qualifying Round last season, while Cray Valley lost 3-2 at Croydon in the Extra Preliminary Round.

Both were asked what it means for their players’ to play in such a competition at such an early stage of their careers.

Wood said: “I said to them before the game, this is one of the biggest tournaments in the world, The FA Cup. You have to take it with two hands.  You might never get a chance to play in it again. 

“Some of these boys will definitely go on and play in the early FA Cup rounds. It’s a great opportunity for youngsters to play in The FA Youth Cup.

“I don’t think I played in the Youth Cup when I was that age. It was a great opportunity for them.”

Knight added: “We did play in it last year as a group so we were fortunate to get a taste of it.  We got an unfortunate draw against a really good team and went out in the last minute against Croydon.

“But this year I wanted to have a really good go but with what’s gone in pre-season, not being able to get them together as a group, it’s been very difficult and I knew it would be a very difficult game here because they’re a good football club. They’ve got good coaches and I knew they would be really difficult to play against.”

Incidentally, Wood will be best remembered for his non-league career playing for Cray Wanderers, Erith & Belvedere and Cray Valley, while Graham Knight was signed from Banstead Athletic by then Erith Town manager Mark Tompkins back in August 2007.

Cray Valley created their first opening after only 33 seconds, with Bermingham proving that he must be knocking on the door of first-team manager Adam Woodward, who was in attendance.

Turner’s free-kick was flicked on within the Erith Town box by Eyin and an unmarked Alex Jones’ delicate left-footed chip when played through on goal, was comfortably plucked out of the air by the impressive Bermingham.

Knight said: “We started quite bright. We played in phases in the first half. It wasn’t cohesive. It wasn’t how we normally play.  We’re a little bit more compact but we gave them a little bit too much room in the midfield in the first half and tried to overplay in the middle, whereas they were very, very athletic in the midfield and we kept getting caught out.

“I asked them to move it quicker (in the second half) and be a little bit more progressive with our play and I felt we did that really well and controlled the game.”

Erith Town’s diminutive midfielder Jasper Barrett floated a couple of free-kicks into the Cray Valley penalty area but on each occasion Thomas Walters and Saleye steered their headed attempts wide of the target.

Cray Valley were to be denied a 13^th minute lead by the crossbar.

Turner hooked the ball out to left-wing-back Arinze Chukujekwu, who drove into the box before hanging a cross towards the back post where Eyin looped his header against the top of the crossbar from eight-yards out.

Knight said: “That was Emmanuel’s debut for us and he did really, really well.

“I was 50-50 whether to start him but I’ve got players’ missing.  Arinze Chukujekwu would’ve started up front but we ended up playing him at left-wing-back because we were short down that side, so I threw Emmanuel in.

“We had a chat and asked him to do certain things for me and he gave me that. He was a threat and his physicality is great and he contributed to a lot to the game and he grew into it.”

Wood said: “I think (Cray Valley starting well) was always going to be the case. Our game plan was to try to get at them early in the first 10-15 minutes and add a bit of pressure on them and see how they reacted to it.

“Ultimately, they hit the bar early doors. Joe’s pulled off a good save.  I thought the first half was quite an even half. I think we had a bit of inexperience from our part throughout the whole game really.”

Erith Town should have done better when a chance presented itself on the corner of the Millers penalty area.

Left-back Rueben Lammie drilled a long ball along the deck to release Ogunlaja-Balogun charging down the left and as a couple of defenders pressed him inside the box, Tobi Bello lacked composure and swept a speculative shot which bounced into Wicks’ gloves for a comfortable save.

Ogunlaja-Balogun then pinged a sublime diagonal pass that split open Cray Valley’s Riley Woods – who plays on the left of a three man central defence – for Gilchrist, who cut into the box but his centre was comfortably cut out by keeper Wicks, holding the ball as he dived low to his right.

The home side were enjoying their best spell of the half and they were to be denied the lead in the 27^th minute, thanks to a world-class save from visiting keeper Wicks.

Francis latched on to a loose ball on the left hand side and unleashed a stunning left-footed drive towards the top far corner from 35-yards, only for Wicks to produce an outstanding flying save, high to his left, getting his fingers to the shot and tipping it onto the top of the crossbar and behind for a corner.

Wood said: “I thought it was in to be fair. I’m sure his dad (coach Steve Wicks) has been teaching him to catch those ones but it was a great shot and a great save.  I called it. It was going in but he’s pulled off a great save.

“We’ve picked Gezz up over the last seven weeks. I think he’s been a real find for us. He’s got a good left-foot, he’s a great defender and I think he’ll go on to have quite a good time in non-league football.”

Knight added: “He’s brilliant! Aidan’s really agile. You’ve got to do something really special to beat Aidan from that distance.

“It was a great strike but Aidan is a great keeper. He had an excellent season last year, made some important saves. He’s a brilliant shot-stopper and a brilliant goalkeeper all round.”

Cray Valley went close too, in the 33^rd minute, when Igwe drove into the box, after easily racing past Saleye and Angwe, before placing his left-footed shot across the keeper and just past the foot of the far post from a tight angle.

Knight said: “I’m really pleased for Obi because our striker Jonathan Lawson, who has been fortunate enough to move to Watford, was down supporting tonight, which was really nice of him to come down.

“I had a chat with Obi before and said this is your moment to grasp that place and lead the line and I thought he did that really well tonight. I was really pleased with him.”

Both managers were asked their thoughts at the break.

Wood said: “We were pleased at half-time. I think we got in quite a few times with some nice little, short passes.  We thought it was there for the taking. We told the boys to keep doing what they were doing but be aware of what Cray Valley offered.

“I thought the first 30 seconds changed the second half. We switched off, we came out for some reason on the back foot and we should’ve came out flying but we just didn’t do it.”

Knight added: “I just asked them to mix it up a little bit.  We were trying to be too pretty, which normally we are. We can play both ways. We can be direct or we can play nice, two-touch football.  The game was a little bit too compact for my liking. I wanted to stretch it a little bit, which enabled us to have more control in the game.”

Cray Valley came out with all guns blazing, taking the lead just 30 seconds in.

Hussein gave the ball away in his defensive third to Jones, who threaded the ball into the box from within the D.  Assistant referee Lewis Holloway raised his flag as Eyin slipped a short pass through to Igwe, who held his nerve to slot the ball past Bermingham from 16-yards in a one-v-one.

“It was a good finish. A little bit of fortune but he took his chance. That’s football. The higher up you go, it’s the little details that cost you and we took advantage of it. It was unfortunate for Erith but that’s football unfortunately,” said Knight.

Wood added: “I think the first pass from Vieric (Angwe) just wasn’t quick enough. They pressed us really well. Sammie (Hussein) has tried to come inside.  I think we were just slightly behind the ball. They caught us on the cold, which really we shouldn’t have come out cold but unfortunately we just switched off for those 30 seconds.”

Bermingham made a comfortable low save to prevent Igwe scoring from a left-footed angled drive from 18-yards after driving towards the edge of the Dockers’ penalty area shortly afterwards.

Erith Town’s lone striker Dylan Whitelock missed a glorious chance to snatch an equaliser in the 55^th minute.

Hussein’s hooked pass went to Walters on the right and his skill saw him turn Chukujekwu, before driving into the box and reaching the by-line before cutting the ball back for Whitelock who swept his first time right-footed shot straight at Wicks from eight-yards.

“It was a great little move. Dylan will probably be a bit disappointed with himself that he probably felt he should’ve scored,” said Wood.

“It was great work from Tom, a great cut-back and you’d like to think your centre-forward doesn’t get that many chances and you’re going to tuck that away but it was at a great height and straight down the keeper.”

Knight admitted: “I can just remember being really angry after taking the lead.  We didn’t stay compact and we didn’t stay switched on because we worked so hard to get in front but that was their moment. We took ours and they didn’t.”

The miss proved to be a turning point as Cray Valley doubled their lead with 11 minutes and 39 seconds on the clock.

The home side switched off following Knight’s throw, Igwe cut in from the left before drilling his left-footed angled drive towards goal.  Bermingham dived to his right and made the save.  Jones attempted to score from the rebound and the excellent keeper tipped the ball onto his bar and Eyin was on hand at the far post to poke the ball over the line from close range.

Knight said: “He was in the right place at the right time. It’s what we’ve been asking our midfielders to get beyond the front line, which is what Alex did.  Unfortunately, he didn’t quite finish it off but it was great from Emmanuel that he did follow up and make sure that the ball went over the line. All in all, it was a bit scruffy but you take it.”

Wood added: “Joe’s saved it and we just haven’t reacted quick enough. I think Cray Valley showed a bit of more mentally aware of the situation of what’s going on. We were ball watching and they reacted quicker than us.

“I think we tried to keep attacking and still worked hard. We were still trying to play. We didn’t really go long until the last five or 10 minutes I think even at 2-0 down we were still trying.

“We were still pushing on. When you’re chasing the game at 2-0 there’s always going to be a chance of being caught on the counter-attack and we did get caught quite a few times and Joe’s kept the score down in the end.

“The boys have given their all and they’ve kept going and you can’t ask for any more than that.”

Erith Town goalkeeper Bermingham made a fine reaction save to prevent Chukukekwu scoring with a powerful left-footed drive after the left-back turned striker skipped past three Dockers’ defenders.

Wood said: “Joe’s pulled off some great saves in the second half and probably kept the score down. He’ll probably be disappointed with the one that they’ve scored from the follow-up. I think he probably felt he probably should’ve held it but he’s got a great future in him the kid. He’s got a great left foot and he’s a good shot stopper.”

Cray Valley sealed the deal, however, scoring a third goal with 29 minutes and 18 seconds on the clock.

Igwe cut in from the right and dug the ball out of his feet before slipping the ball through to Knight, who drilled his right-footed shot across Bermingham to find the bottom far corner from the edge of the Dockers’ box.

“Oliver scored a lot of goals last season.  We always encourage our wing-backs to get on,” said Knight, the father and manager.

“I think Oliver got five or six goals last season in maybe 18 or 19 games, so I wasn’t surprised to see him in that position. It was a great finish. We do like to have our wing-backs very advanced.”

Wood added: “We got caught on the counter-attack again and we were chasing the game. The second goal has killed us and the third goal just put us to bed really but credit to the boys, they still kept going.”

Erith Town – who play one level beneath their visitors’ at first-team level – kept plugging away and pulled a goal back with a sublime finish from Francis, the goal timed at 36:34.

It came from a second phase of Barrett’s short corner, which was cut back to an unmarked Saleye, some 35-yards from goal and he floated the ball towards the edge of the penalty area towards an unmarked Francis.

With his back to goal, the centre-half hooked his left-footed volley back over his shoulder and through a crowd of players and across the keeper to find the top far corner from 15-yards.

Wood said: “We were pleased that we’ve scored a goal.  A pleasing goal for Gezz. We can’t ask for no more.  Disappointed with the result but pleased with the boys kept going, kept their heads up and didn’t give up.

“It was a great finish from Gezz. Great left-foot, a great goal, probably the goal of the game?

“We’ll take that. It was a great goal. A great ball by David. I’m not sure what Cray Valley did. It was probably the only time at the back they switched off. I thought they were solid at the back today.” 

Knight admitted: “Brilliant strike! Disappointed with the defending but you can’t take anything away from the strike. It was a great finish and I thought he had a great game and he deserved his goal. It was a great finish on the volley. He’ll probably remember that for a while.”

Substitute winger Yusuf Arslanroga cracked a 35-yarder, which was floating towards the top far corner, which was comfortably plucked out of the air by Millers’ goalkeeper Wicks.

Turner slotted in at left-wing-back with the threatening Chukujekwu partnering substitute Sam Doyle in attack late on  and Chukujekwu had a couple of late chances but the first one was well held by Bermingham low to his right.

Jones’ fine through ball put him through and he did all the hard work by skipping past Francis but lacked composure when facing the keeper, curling his left-footed shot agonisingly past the far post.

When asked about the tactical change, Knight replied: “It was because we knew Emmanuel wouldn’t last the distance. It was in the plan that we would change it and move Arinze up. 

“He does play as a striker. He can play both positions, he causes problems. He’s big, physical, quick and tricky and he’s got a powerful strike.  I thought he made a difference when he went up against tired legs.  I know his legs were going a little bit and I was encouraging him to keep going and he did create a lot of chances and a lot of problems for them.”

Referee Thomas Marshall pulled out second yellow card and a red after last-defender Angwe pulled back Chukujekwu when through on goal deep into stoppage time.

Knight said: “I don’t think you can blame the referee. The first challenge he made was a yellow and the second one was I think.  He jumped into the tackle and in this day and age, you can’t do that.”

Wood added: “The first one, he jumped in for the first one.  He was nowhere near the kid for the first one.

“Second one, I’ve got no complaints. He’s pulled him back but probably looking at it now and thinking it could’ve been another goal so unfortunately we’ve got a sending off but it might’ve stopped another goal.

“I think the first one was a bit soft even though he has jumped in and nowadays you can’t do anything can you?”

Looking ahead to his side’s midweek trip to Cheriton Road in the next round, Knight said: “Well, it will be a difficult game no doubt.   We’ll have a few weeks to prepare for that now and I’ve got all the boys back. Most of the boys are in sixth form so they’ve all been away on holiday and I’m getting them all back slowly but surely and by the time we come to that game hopefully we would’ve worked together a bit more and got a little bit fitter.

“We’ll look forward to a great game down at Folkestone. I’ve never been there with this team. I’ve played there as a player but it will be good.”

For Erith Town, Bermingham and Francis should be featuring in Woodward’s first-team squad in the ninth-tier Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division if they can maintain their progress.

Wood said: “The under 18s will take good experience from all that and they’ll only learn from that and I think it goes to show what sort of standard we’re going to come up against on a Sunday in the Kent Youth League.  There’s going to be some good teams and hopefully our boys will see that and we’ve got to up our game and defiantly get fitter.”

Wood, meanwhile, is relishing his first managerial role, albeit in the Kent Youth League and is keen to bring through players into Woodward’s first team set-up.

“I’m dipping my toes in the Kent Youth League with the under 18s. I’ve just been asked to help out by my best mate Marc Petters. My god son plays for the team but he wasn’t here tonight.

“I’m enjoying it. I’ve only been in it for six weeks, so we’ll see how things will progress from here.  Hopefully I can bring a lot to the boys and share a bit of my experience and the right way of trying to do things at a non-league standard and hopefully that will rub off on a few of them.

“Woody helped us out the last couple of weeks by putting a team together. Me and Marc Sandford has overseen it so it’s great to have Woody involved, warming up the goalkeepers and giving a team talk so you can only take that as a positive that the first-team manager was here.

“Woody is big on bringing youth forward. We don’t pay bundles of money (to our first team players). We’ve got quite a small budget so youth is going to play a big part in progressing kids into the under 23s and into the first team.

“It just goes to show you that Woody’s down here tonight and he’s shown a big interest in that so it’s going to show positives for this team that they can see there’s a progression into the under 23s and hopefully the first team.

“Tom Walters’ been playing first team football for Erith Town so it’s only a good thing and all of the boys should take note of that.”

Erith Town: Joseph Bermingham, Sammie Hussein, Rueben Lammie (Roy Owusu 77), David Saleye, Vieric Angwe, Gezz Francis, Tamilore Ogunlaja-Balogun (Yusuf Arslanroga 63), Tobi Bello, Dylan Whitelock, Jasper Barrett, Thomas Walters.
Subs: Kian Eyers, Ardon Andre, Clinton Okwaradha

Goal: Gezz Francis 82

Booked: David Saleye 58, Vieric Angwe 59

Sent Off: Vieric Angwe 90

Cray Valley (Paper Mills): Aidan Wicks, Oliver Knight, Arinze Chukujekwu, Stanley Flockton, Liam Hutchings, Riley Woods, Alex Jones (Toby Corner 77), Dexter Gilchrist, Emmanuel Eyin (Mason Janes 69), Obinna Igwe (Sam Doyle 77), Malachy Turner.
Subs: Riley Boyle, Freddie Jolly

Goals:  Obinna Igwe 46, Emmanuel Eyin 57, Oliver Knight 75

Attendance: 89
Referee: Mr Thomas Marshall
Assistants: Mr Danny King & Mr Lewis Holloway