The Millers Tale

So, today was the day. After a head to head tussle which had lasted for much of the campaign- with an honourable mention for Three Bridges, who also fought for supremacy in the first half of the season- we were about to find out whether Cray Valley PM or Ramsgate were to become Pitching In Isthmian South East champions.

What we knew for certain was that, whichever side came out on top, they would deserve it. The Millers, who we were about to watch at Horndean, had already played fifty six matches this season- whilst many miles away on the Kent coast the Rams had played fifty one. It makes it all the more galling that it is the full time professionals in the upper echelons of the game who are looking to do away with FA Cup Replays, rather than those who have to combine playing with a full time job, doesn’t it?

Sorry, got slightly sidetracked there.

In the case of Cray Valley, the workload had been particularly stunning. Fixture congestion mainly caused by their FA Cup successes meant that they had to play seven league matches in January, five in February, six in March, and were about to play their sixth of April. They had got through those with only one defeat- none at all on the road- and that defeat, against Three Bridges in early March, saw them ahead until four minutes into added time. If they could avoid defeat once more this afternoon, the Millers would take the title, and would have lost only one game on the road all season in all competitions. The victors? Take a bow Punjab United, who knocked Steve McKimm’s men out of the Kent Cup in October!

Down to the maths, then. If Cray Valley PM avoided defeat, they were champions. If they lost and Ramsgate failed to defeat Three Bridges, they were champions. The Millers started the day three points and three goals better off than their rivals. All the Rams could do was win- and pray that Horndean did the same.

The early arrivals at Five Heads Park had mostly made the trip from Kent, and our Director Neil had made a similar if longer journey with his car boot heavily laden with silverware. If things went awry for the Millers, the Rams would have to wait for their trophy presentation- and not because, as one fan suggested before the match, “the Isthmian helicopter has been borrowed by the Prime Minister.” Sadly non league budgets don’t even stretch to an Isthmian pushbike (and if they did, it’s unlikely anyone would volunteer to don the required Lycra, something which you should all be glad about).

For those who haven’t yet made the trip to this corner of Hampshire, there was much to like about Horndean FC. The volunteers were a friendly, hard working bunch, the home fans were welcoming, the sports bar just outside the turnstiles was fabulous, and inside the ground the lovely folk in the snack bar served a fine hot dog. But it would be remiss not to mention the pitch, which was rather fascinating. It sloped both from end to end and from side to side, rather like Whitehawk but without the seagulls. It was something of a surprise that the Deans had lost as many home games as they’d won, as it must take a little getting used to. From a supporter perspective, by the way, you could only stand behind the goal at one end- the other end had a concrete slab fence immediately behind the net.

On the subject of the home side, there was nobody amongst the travelling throng, fans or officials, who expected the hosts to roll over. The Deans first Isthmian season had been in many ways a great success, with some impressive performances. They’d never really been in danger of not getting a second season, and although they were coming into the match with one win in nine, there was no doubt that, on their day, they were hard to beat. The Millers had to come from behind at the Artic Stadium, and only got a point as the match ended one-one.

The sides emerged into light drizzle- appropriate given the weather we’d played most of the season in- and the visitors got us underway, kicking downhill, which perhaps suggests they’d lost the toss. Much of the travelling faithful took this as their cue to try and cram themselves into a small grassy area near the far corner flag, whilst their heroes quickly imposed themselves on the match, although looking occasionally baffled by how quickly the ball rolled away from them.

The sixth minute brought the first corner, and within thirty seconds, another, both for the visitors. The second of those saw a header from Danny Waldren cleared off the line, and the hosts remained pinned in their own half; indeed they left it only twice in the first fifteen minutes. All we needed was a goal, what we got instead was a game of attackers and defenders, with the latter just about holding out.

It was, then, something of a surprise when on sixteen minutes it was Horndean who had the best chance so far. A crosssfield ball found Zack Willett free at the right hand side of the box, but his first time shot found the top of the trees behind the goal. It was less of a surprise, however, when less than a minute later the Millers went ahead. Denzel Gayle got the ball just outside the box, and was given most of Hampshire to play in, stepping inside and firing unerringly into the bottom corner.

Horndean 0 Cray Valley PM 1, Denzel Gayle, 18 minutes

Horndean then began to play a bigger part in the match. Cade Dyer came close, curling a lovely effort just wide, Connor Duffin began to make the Millers defence work, and we had a far more even match as the rain got harder. Another home chance saw Tommy Scutt fire wide, whilst at the other end Kyrell Lisbie fired wide. And then the news came through that Three Bridges were ahead at Ramsgate, and the joy levels amongst the visiting faithful increased. On the half hour Bridges got another, and for some reason a gaggle of young Deans by the half way line began chanting for VAR, which perhaps proves that eight year olds do far better with technology than the more venerable amongst us- unless they had a sixth sense that Noel Leighton of Bridges was offside one hundred and thirty two miles away.

The rest of the half was fairly even, although what goal threat there was generally went the way of the visitors. Gayle remained their biggest danger, but they had a habit of trying to score the perfect goal, which was perhaps the main reason why they didn’t get another. We reached the break with no addition to the scoring, and the hosts were most definitely still in the contest.

Half time, Horndean 0 Cray Valley PM 1

The rain had got harder still as the second half commenced, soaking the Millers fans who had now taken up position behind Cameron Scott’s goal at the top of the hill. The early stages were rather scrappy, interrupted by fouls and injuries, and devoid of chances, and the only entertainment was the musical accompaniment being provided by “Steve McKimm’s Green and Black Army,” coming to a Premier Division ground near you, soon, or so it seemed.

What pressure there was came from the Deans, but the visiting defence stood strong and dealt with everything thrown at them, so we reached the hour mark- and indeed moved into the last twenty minutes- with no addition to the score and nothing of note to report. We did have a goal at Ramsgate, however- Joe Taylor’s fifty second of the season having halved the arrears for the Rams.

And then the Millers were secure. Nineteen minutes left, a ball from the right, and up went Waldren, and into the net went the ball. The celebration was both joyous and relieved.

Horndean 0 Cray Valley PM 2, Danny Waldren, 71 minutes

The hosts didn’t give up. Harry Jackson shot wide on seventy six minutes, perhaps the first time a Deans attacker had got ahead of the Millers defence, and their effort was impressive- there seemed no danger of a capitulation. That said, there seemed little danger of a comeback, either. The last quarter hour was entertaining if unremarkable, but the travelling faithful, singing about going up, didn’t care at all. And the home fans, in a spirit of bonhomie, seemed far from downcast either.

And then, some people were on the pitch, they thought it was all over. They were right. The Millers were going up.

It was apparently five years to the day that Cray Valley PM had triumphed in the SCEFL to win promotion to our level. It seems rather appropriate that today was the day they got to add another title to their roll of honour.

The celebrations will go on long into the night- and they deserve to.

Congratulations to Cray Valley Paper Mills, Pitching In Isthmian South East champions, 23-24.