Cray Valley Paper Mills welcome Canvey Island to the Artic Stadium this weekend looking for their first home League win since the end of August and manager Steve McKimm is keen to see his side secure three points.

And rock bottom Canvey – managed by Peter Taylor – will be no easy game for Steve McKimm’s side as they sensationally beat leaders Brentwood in midweek to secure their first League win of the season whilst Valley were losing to a late Reece Butler goal at home to second placed Chatham Town. 

“We just can’t win a game at the minute,” McKimm told KSN when we spoke to him this week.

“That’s life and that’s football! We are working hard to change it around and we will get there eventually – Tuesday sums things up at the moment!”

“Last year, if we hit the bar like we did Tuesday we get a point or even all three out of the game. Things aren’t going for us at this moment in time – the boys are working hard; we are lacking a bit of quality on the ball at times, but we’re not getting the rub of the green as the old saying goes!” 

“We go into Saturday and against a side that got three points in the week – we didn’t! They were bound to win a game sooner or later and they beat the team top of the League who have been flying after coming up last year.”

“It won’t be easy – we knew it wasn’t going to be easy with Peter Taylor in charge; they have only lost their games by the odd goals – a couple of hidings, but nothing major and we know it’s going to be tough.” 

McKimm’s side is on a run in the League of five home games in a row – with next weekend’s trip to Sittingbourne thrown in the middle – and the manager told us, “We need to turn our home form around.”

“We’ve drawn and lost in our last two away games and taken four points from six, but at home we have to start winning games. We have lost more games at home than we have in two years which isn’t good, so we must turn it around!” 

“We are struggling this year,” McKimm admitted. “We cannot get a settled side out! Every time we get one or two back, someone else is injured – I have not this season had a full side that I choose to have as a starting eleven.”

“The competition then becomes easier because players know that they are going to play – we haven’t had that in two years; we have always had players on their toes as players could come in.” 

“We have had all close games, but the point of fact is that we have a bare eleven, maybe a thirteen because of injuries.”

“I know every manager talks of injuries, but it’s the first time that we have had it in three years and it is hurting us.”

“The last two years were good as we were injury free and everyone was competing for a starting place while everyone was training, and everyone was on their toes. But now we might have eight or nine bodies training as the others have to rest because of knocks and niggles.” 

Valley go into the weekend still carrying those knocks and niggles – McKimm added: “We have loads of injuries – we’re missing six and when you have a squad of eighteen you do the numbers. We’re missing one hell of a five-a-side team, but they won’t get me the three points on Saturday unfortunately!”