The Millers embark on their ninth FA Cup campaign on Saturday as they travel to Honeycroft to face Pitching In Isthmian League South Central outfit Uxbridge.
Few would have imagined as Kevin Watson’s men dismantled local rivals VCD Athletic on a sunny day in mid-September last year, that Valley would go on to compete in the First Round Proper, and finish the season as the competition’s leading goalscorers.
Notable victories at Harrow Borough and Maidenhead United will live long in the memory, but such history is there to be rewritten, although hosts Uxbridge will no doubt be looking to improve their own poor recent record in the competition.
Defeat in the Preliminary round in each of the last four seasons sees Uxbridge long overdue the quickening pulses that a Cup run brings, although reaching the First Round of last seasons FA Trophy will have been no mean achievement in itself.
As The Millers tried in vain to crack resistance from Whitehawk at The Artic Stadium last Saturday, Uxbridge were getting their own campaign off to a winning start – Sutton Common Rovers having a man sent off on the hour before goals from Tony Mendy and Mahlondo Martin secured the points for the hosts.
Celebrating their 150th anniversary this season, the Reds spent much of the early life in the Corinthian/Athenian Leagues before finishing third in the Athenian League in 1981/82 and achieving election into the Isthmian League.
The club then finished second in Division Two South in 1984–85, gaining promotion to Division One where they remained for twenty years.
Being on the geographical boundaries of the Isthmian League/Southern League, Uxbridge have tended to flitter between the two during the 21st century – achieving only latteral movement, although this is now their fourth consecutive season in the Isthmian South Central.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
This will be the first meeting between the two Clubs
SEASON 2020/21
FA CUP PRELIMINARY ROUND
Sheppey United 4, Uxbridge 1
Cray Valley (PM) 6, VCD Athletic 0
PREVIOUS BEST FA CUP SEASON
Uxbridge
1895/96 and 1934/35 – 4th Round Qualifying
Cray Valley (PM)
2020/21 – 1st Round Proper
MATCH DETAILS
DATE:-
SATURDAY 21ST AUGUST 2021, KICK-OFF 3PM
VENUE :-
HONEYCROFT, HORTON ROAD, WEST DRAYTON, MIDDLESEX, UB7 8BX
(APPROX JOURNEY TIME FROM THE ARTIC STADIUM – 90 MINS, 63 MILES)
ADMISSION :-
ADULTS £10
CONCESSIONS £5
UNDER 16’S FREE IF ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT
PROGRAMME
Match day programme will be electronically produced, and be available for downloading at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled kick-off time via the Uxbridge FC website www.uxbridgefc.com .
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