Cray Valley welcomed Burgess Hill to The Artic Stadium for this FA Cup qualifying match, on the back of a 6-0 home demolition of VCD in the last round.

The Hillians made the trip after being awarded the previous round in controversial circumstances after a covid outbreak at the club led SCEFL Premier side Hollands & Blair not to travel for safety reasons.

It was the visitors that started as brightly as the clubs yellow and orange away kit, shooting straight from the kick off but the effort was well off target.

But it was The Millers who created the first real chance, with three minutes gone ex Folkestone winger Keiron McCann charged down the wing to play in Hassan Ibrahym who was unfortunate to see his curling effort clear the crossbar.

The Sussex side proved they weren’t there to make up the numbers a minute later when a Martyn Box throw in fell kindly to Jordi Ndozid who fired at goal on the turn only to see Millers skipper Andy Walker fly across to tip it for a corner.

After an intense first 10 minutes both sides slowed slightly and the game became a more even match up. With both side battling in midfield and the goalkeepers admiring what was developing before their eyes.

As the clock past 25 minutes it was Cray who showed just how devastating they can be.

A free kick from 25 yards by Matt Warren flew across the middle of the visitors penalty area before Connor Dymond took a touch and fired across goal, hitting the back of the net to give the home side the lead.

As Burgess Hill fought to regain parity it was Cray who again took advantage when Ibrahiym brilliantly controlled a long ball on the edge of the centre circle, before releasing a through ball which saw found Francis Babalola through on goal and with only the keeper to beat made no mistake slotting it low to the right.

The Milleds now tow up with 37 minutes played looked to have the game wrapped up but as half time approached Denzel Gayle decided to join the party  after a dazzling run, beating Box to fire into past James in the vistors goal.

Just before the third goal there were signs it was going to be Crays night when the lively Laing crossed for captain Nathan Cooper to head against the underside of the bar, with the ball falling straight in to Walkers arms on the line.

Whatever was said in the away dressing room at half time certainly fired up the sussex side as from the off they were on the attack.

Cooper again firing a free kick forward towards the Cray goal which found its way to Smith Joseph, who’s shot certainly stung Walkers hand as it was out behind.

With the game turning scrappy Burgess Hill found a way back into the game, being awarded a penalty in the 65th minute after McCann was adjudged to have handled.

Alex Laing making no mistake from the spot to pull a goal back, Tempers flared as Laing attempted to collect the ball with The Hillians number 7 being left on the floor as a scuffle broke out on the goal line.

This galvanised the visitors who were unlucky moments later.  As they fought to come back it was a cross from Box that was missed by everyone and hacked off the line by the home defence.

The rest of the game passed fairly incident free Ade Yussuff could have added some gloss to the scoreline towards the end but fired straight at James in The Hillians goal.

So its Cray who look forward to Fridays draw, and will certainly be hoping for a home tie. 

With current guidelines saying no fans can attend a conference south match, and a possible match against Welling Dartford or Ebbsfleet a real possibility.

Its all eyes on the Middle Park outfit to see how far the FA vase finalists from 2019 can go this time.

Cray Valley (PM):
Walker, Dymond, Hickey, Tumkaya, Gayle, Babalola, McCann, Morath-Gibbs, Warren, Ibrahym, Yussuf

Subs: Smith, Sains, Adiyemo, Flack, Docherty, King-Elliott

Hillians:
James, Downey, Box, Cross, Cooper, Pollard, Laing, Ndozid, Bennett, Williams-Bower, Smith-Joseph 

Subs Harding, Doherty, Miller, Blencowe, Betts  Kirkwood, Ward

Attendance 154

Images courtesy of Dave Cumberbatch