Cray Valley PM 3 Bearsted 0 – FA Vase finalists boost SCEFL Premier Division title hopes
BY MARK DOIG
It has been a good week for Cray Valley Paper Mills.
On Saturday they edged past Canterbury City to reach the FA Vase final. On Tuesday night Southern Counties East Football League leaders Corinthian lost unexpectedly at Lordswood then on the following night whilst they were beating Bearsted, another challenger, Chatham Town, were being held by bottom of the table Croydon.
That leaves Corinthian top on 72 points from 31 games, Fisher second on 71 points from 32and the Millers third on 70 points from 30 games.
Their game against Bearsted was a pretty regulation victory. After 10 minutes, they went ahead when Frances Babalola met Liam Hickey’s cross. Although his effort came back off the inside of the post it fell for Gavin Tomlin to fire home.
Irrepressible Babalola, pictured above, was not to be denied again and he met Danny Smith’s cross with a well-directed header into the corner.
After Ryan Flack had a shot blocked, Babalola scored again. Tomlin prodded it to Flack whose attempted shot flew into the path of Babalola and he fired home.
After the interval Tomlin had another chance but his lob was under-hit and debutant goalkeeper Ethan Collen caught it above his head.
Babalola almost claimed his hat-trick when he sent his shot across Collen but it came back out off the inside of the post. It was cleared hurriedly as far as Flack but his fierce drive was saved at full stretch by Collen.
Edwards was next to come close when he intercepted a short headed back-pass but could only lob over.
Flack was sent clear but Cullen came out quickly to save before the goalkeeper had to be watchful to save from Lea Dawson.
David Baranowski had Bearsted’s best chance but didn’t get a clean header on it and it failed to test Deren Ibrahim.
In the closing minutes Flack was again thwarted by a good save by Collen but it didn’t matter as the damage was done in the first half.
Cray Valley PM: Ibrahim, Edwards (Myers 73), Smith, Hickey, Sains, Tumkaya, James, Semakula (Dawson 55), Tomlin (Willock 65), Babalola, Flack. Not used: Gayle, Edgar.
PICTURE BY DAVE BUDDEN
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