Two teams in the bottom four of the Isthmian League Premier Division meet when Cray Valley PM host Welling United in a rearranged local derby match.

At present, The Millers are fourth from bottom, six points ahead of their visitors having played a game more. However, they are at the foot of the current form table with just one point from their last six games, while the Wings have claimed six points over the same period, although they have lost their last three matches.

Steve McKimm’s Cray Valley team claimed their one point on Saturday and he will be looking at that as the start of a revival. At half time, they were three-nil down, however, Marcel Barrington pulled one back three minutes after the restart, then doubled his, and his team’s, tally fifteen minutes later.

Tom Beere equalised with twenty minutes remaining, and both teams had chances to win it before shaking hands with the honours shared. 

Meanwhile, Welling travelled to league leaders Folkestone Invicta. Although, Ryan Maxwell’s team put in a much better performance than they had done a week earlier, they still came home empty handed.

Donell Thomas put the hosts ahead ten minutes before half time then, just as the Wings were starting to look more of a threat, Liam Smith added a second and Folkestone cruised home.

Back in August, the two teams met at Park View Road and The Millers secured the three points with a three-nil victory. Ibby Akanbi gave them an early lead before Luke Holness and Barrington were on target in the second period.

Then, in October, they contested a London Senior Cup tie at the Artic Stadium in Eltham. Again, it was the Miller who prevailed. Emanuel Adebiyi and Fumnaya Shomotum gave the hosts a two goal advantage in the first fifteen minutes. Logan Dobbs pulled one back with seventeen minutes remaining but they couldn’t find another goal to force a penalty shoot-out. 

Curiously, the three matches between the two teams will have been completed with three different managers in the Welling dug-out. Lee Martin was in charge for the first match, then Rod Stringer for the cup-tie. Maxwell will now be hoping for third time lucky, while McKimm will be aiming for three out of three. 

Picture supplied by Kieran North.