Cray Valley PM go into the weekend’s FA Trophy tie on the back of a terrific FA Cup win in midweek and for the first time this season, Valley will be at home in knockout football. 

McKimm and his players welcome Harley Witney to the Artic Stadium on Saturday as Valley’s remarkable month of Cup football continues, albeit finally with a home original tie.

“We don’t know too much about them,” McKimm admitted.

“We will do our homework now the dust has settled after the midweek FA Cup win. They are the same level as us so we know it will be tough, but at least we have a home game, now whether that will be a blessing in disguise or not only time will tell, and we will only know after 5.00pm on Saturday afternoon.

“All our Cup games have been away from home, Lordswood, Uxbridge and Northwood in the Cup and Broadbridge in the last round of the Trophy, so it is just nice to be at home!” 

“Hartley were beaten in the FA Cup early on by Folkestone, but as I say every game in the Cup is different. In the League you can have a couple of bad games and then get back onto it, but in Cup / knock out football you only get one chance, either first up or in a replay, so you have to make sure you’re at it from the word go.”

“After winning Tuesday, we now can focus on where we need to be on Saturday.” 

“I think including Tuesday our next four games are going to be Cup games in three different competitions and it will be into October before we kick another ball in the League!”

“We have just got to play whoever is put in front of us, if we have to play catch up in the League because of the Cup run, then that is a great thing. But the games will get played as we’ve the rest of the season to fit everything in and we have just got to embrace what we are doing at the moment.” 

Tuesday’s extra time 4-3 win over Northwood, with Adam Coombes netting the winner nine minutes into extra time, now sends McKimm and his management team back to Carshalton Athletic in the next round, the club that dispensed with the Valley boss’ services last season, and naturally, McKimm can’t wait as he reflected.

“It is going to be a fantastic game for us, going back to where we were last year, they have recruited well and started well and are high up in their league.”

“We will prepare the same way, there will be no extra stuff on it because I managed them last year, but this year it will just be another game of football – and that is the way I have treated everything in my career as you just play your next game and carry on.”