Centre back Connor Dymond walked off the Artic Stadium pitch battered and bruised but with a smile of contentment that spoke volumes about this gritty Millers performance
With quality football at a premium, a battle between two adversaries who’ve shared many a tussle in the recent past was settled by Dymond’s close range rocket just after the hour.
Two bookings in the first quarter of an hour was indicative of the visitors approach – Valley having difficulty building any attacking momentum.
Low, long range efforts were pretty much the order of the day in the first half – neither ‘keeper being unduly troubled.
After Corinthian enjoyed the bulk of possession and pressure at the start of the second half – Joshua Stirman turning and shooting low against the foot of Chris Lewington’s post in the 56th minute being the closest they came to breaking the deadlock –, Nathan Green made a strong run down the left for Valley.
Green passed inside to the excellent Hassan Ibrahiym looking to shoot on the edge of 18 yard box. Ibrahiym’s effort was snuffed out at source by surrounding Hoops for a corner.
Jack Sammoutis’ resultant flag kick found its way across a crowded penalty area to Dymond 10 yards out who cracked the ball home much to the delight of the local support.
It was then that The Millers were to show a level of game management that illustrated why they hope to be in contention when the prizes are handed out in April – the only real subsequent chance of note indeed falling to Francis Babalola ten minutes later when his low drive following another excellent forward run from Green was pushed by Hoops keeper Aidan Prall for a corner.
Two further bookings for Corinthian players – Jack Holland seeing yellow for a cynical “trip” on the halfway line to stem a Millers attack – were in stark contrast to a caution for Babalola for “delaying returning the ball for a Hoops throw”.
So the points won, Kevin Watson can hopefully now get his players fit and ready for a trip to James Collins’ Faversham Town on 11 September.
MILLERS’ STAR MAN: – CONNOR DYMOND – An excellent defensive display capped by a clinical finish
MATCH RATING: – ***
MILLERS : Lewington, Dymond, Green, Semakula, Blanks ©, Tumkaya, Sammoutis (Hill 74), Barrington, Babalola, Warren, Ibrahiym
Not used : Gayle, Adeyemo, Morath-Gibbs, Beerling
Cautions : Tumkaya, Babalola
HOOPS : Prall, Holland, Trueman, James (Sawyer 88), Billings, Bath ©, Stirman (Edmundson 83), Mahoney, Tanner, Housego, Clarke (Johnson 77)
Not used: Miller, Lashley
Referee : Jamie Pope
Assistants : Mahdi Elhalawany, Dumitru Vasile
Match photos by Michael Brown – @BSportsphotos