Non-league round-up: Cray Valley take positive point at Isthmian League Premier leaders Dover Athletic
Saturday’s table-topping clash had huge drama with two goals deep into second-half stoppage time, then Millers captain Kiki Oshilaja was sent off after he converted from close range in the ninth additional minute.
Oshilaja had already been booked and then received a second yellow card for his celebration.
Roman Charles-Cook looked like he had won it for the hosts when he scored just a minute earlier.
George Nikaj had put Dover ahead in the first half before Cray substitute Matty Vigor equalised in the 87th minute.
Cray stay second in the table, five points behind their opponents.
“I had played it down a bit, in terms of it being the 18th game of the season and stuff like that, but it was a massive game,”
McKimm told Cray Valley’s YouTube channel. “I didn’t want the players to feel that and have any extra added value to it.
“The bottom line is we didn’t want them to get any further away from us and they’d have loved to have got further away – we also didn’t want teams catching us. Not to lose here was a massive result and we thoroughly deserved it on our second-half performance.
“In the first half we were nowhere near it, they were better than us on the basics. They set traps for us to go and play and when we did that they jumped all over us – they turned us well, got in behind and their front three were excellent in the first half.
“But apart from the second goal, you didn’t really notice their front three in the second half because our defenders were a lot more solid, our midfielders won their battles and we got around Freddie (Parker) more.
“Max (Ovenden) made a couple of good saves. It could’ve been more than 1-0 at half-time but it wasn’t – then you’ve always got more than a chance.
“I let some steam off – I really ripped into them – and they did what we asked them to do and in the second half it was all us.”
Dover face another South London club tomorrow as they head to Dulwich Hamlet.
Hamlet drew 1-1 at Cheshunt on Saturday.
Tommy Wood put the home team in front on 23 minutes but Luke Wanadio restored parity just after the hour mark.
Dulwich have extended the loan of Luton Town goalkeeper Jameson Horlick until early January. He was signed due to an injury to first choice stopper Dillon Barnes.
PICTURES: ROMANA RULE/INSPIRE SOCIALS