Cray Valley PM face the Tonbridge Angels in the Third Qualifying Round of the FA Cup this weekend in a tie that promises so much with manager Steve McKimm looking for another great cup run.
Two years ago, Cray took now Championship Charlton Athletic to a replay in the First Round Proper in front of the BBC cameras.
On Saturday they look to get to within ninety minutes as Steve McKimm faces the side that he took to Round One during COVID when Bradford City visited Longmead.
But this is a different Angels side who just this week brought in former Millwall defender and Bromley coach Alan Dunne as manager.
“It’s an interesting game for the outsiders!” McKimm admitted when he spoke to KSN on the eve of the game.
“For me, for Cray Valley and our supporters, our players, it really is just another Cup game. I’ve listened to a few things this week on how it will be extra motivation for me to try and beat them but it won’t, as whatever team was put in front of us in the First Qualifying Round the aim would be the same – to get to the Fourth Qualifying Round.”
“It just so happens that it’s a Club where Barry (Moore – McKimm’s assistant) and I spent eight great years at, we really enjoyed our time there, but this is the first time that we would have come up against each other!”
“We havent made the best of starts in the League but we are off the back of a 3-2 win away from home at Potters Bar, but we are only six points off the Play Offs and hopefully we can take that into our next League game, but this is all about the FA Cup!”
“We had a good year two years ago with the Charlton games, last year we went out at the second hurdle against Chesham – this year we have won two games in the Cup, we have to win four to get into the First Round Proper and so we are halfway there! We are positive as like everything we do and only time will tell.”
Tonbridge travel to the Artic Stadium with the new man in charge and McKimm admitted, “It will make a difference on how we can prepare for the game as Alan Dunne, who was an excellent pro in his playing days at Millwall and an excellent assistant at Bromley, knows the game inside out.”
“I don’t know how his side will play and set up so he has the advantage there and I’m sure that have had us watched so they know what we are about – unless we change things as we did at Chatham recently!” McKimm teased.
“It will be cat and mouse to start with I think because I know how the former manager works as he had them playing some great football.”
“Alan’s gone in there to do a job and we go into the unexpected on Saturday as it’s his first game in charge as a manager and we’re not sure how he is going to set up!”
“We had a few training on Thursday hoping to be back in the squad for the weekend. A couple are definitely ruled out so, until Saturday morning we won’t know for sure as we will give everyone the chance to get fit as last week, we only had three fit players on the bench!”