Steve McKimm still fondly remembers Cray Valley PM’s recent Emirates FA Cup ties that gained massive national exposure against Charlton Athletic and as his side enters this year’s competition, Valley head for Thanet to renew their rivalry with Ben Smith’s Ramsgate. 

Valley enjoyed maximum points over the Bank Holiday weekend, Monday’s 3-0 drubbing of Welling United followed Saturday’s equally convincing 4-1 home win over the Rams but McKimm knows that last weekend will count for nothing at Southwood on Saturday.  

“We had a good win Monday,” he told us this week, “It was very enjoyable as we played a different game to what we did on Saturday. We sat in a bit more and caught Welling on the counter and got our just rewards in a 3-0 win.”

“Looking forward to Saturday as it is the Cup, although it will be a very difficult game going to Thanet as Ramsgate seem to be scoring for fun at home so far; they have conceded a few, but it’s like anything, when they are at home and have the big crowd behind them it really does help them.”

“We’ll take good support, perhaps more than we usually do which will help us, but it will be a good game!” 

“I love the Cup and am disappointed whenever I have gone out of it, but relished the times and enjoyed the times when I have had a decent run in it.”

“I had a few at Sutton United, I had a few at Gravesend & Northfleet when I played there, we had a decent run at Tonbridge in COVID, and then there was Charlton with Cray Valley!”

“It’s brilliant, absolutely brilliant, the exposure for the players, the supporters and the actual Club itself!”  

Reflecting on his side’s start to the season, McKimm confessed, “The first week of the season was the worst week that I have had in ages!” 

“We’ve had two glorious years of everything going right for me, the staff, the team, the Football Club and the fans, and the first week we lost three games on the spin inside eight days!”

“And that has never happened to us before, so it was frustrating yes; yes, we had injuries and were putting people in places they didn’t belong! They were back in their right positions on Saturday and Monday and it showed what we can do.” 

“The seven or eight new lads who have come in are adjusting to the way we do things and are adjusting to it very quickly.”

“Every game we play in this League is hard; every team you play are organised and have their sprinkle of quality; we all make mistakes and it’s all about how you capitalise on them!”

“And if you can do that, you will be fine. We have players still adjusting as I said, we have injuries, we have had suspensions and made silly errors, but every team in the League will make errors that will cost them games!” 

Cray will travel with a couple of knocks that they picked up on Monday and the squad is likely to be different to the one that beat the Rams 4-1 last Saturday – Marcel Barrington, Dan Ajakaiye, Tom Beere and Ibby Akanbi with the home goal with Alfie Paxman replying for the Rams.