Cray Valley PM (H) Match Preview

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Punjab United vs Cray Valley PM, Isthmian South East Division, The Steve Cook Stadium, Tuesday 20th October 2026, 7:45pm Kick-Off

Punjab have come off a 3-1 win against Crowborough Athletic with goals from new signing Emanuel Osei, an own goal and a Roman Campbell penalty. Despite going down to ten men, The Jabs stayed defensively solid and minimized Crowborough's chances. Punjab have now won three games on the bounce at home now and will be looking to make it four as they take on Cray Valley PM. A win could see Punjab jump to 9th in the table with a congested table towards the bottom with only three points seperating 9th to 19th. A win for Cray Valley PM could see them sneak into the playoffs.

The programme for this evening's game can be seen below:

Our Opponents:

Cray Valley PM currently sit 13th in the Isthmian South East Division and play their games at The Artic Stadium. In the 2025/26 season, Cray Valley finished 19th in Step 3 and we relegated to the Isthmian South East. They ended up on 42 points with 11 wins, 9 draws and 22 defeats. Cray Valley will be looking to get back to Step 3 in the first time of asking.

History:

Founded in 1919, Cray Valley Paper Mills FC (CVPM) originally played in green and white, reflecting the colours of the paper mills vehicles and company banner. The Club was

supported by the Nash family, who owned the mills until their closure in 1981.

Playing in the newly formed Sidcup and Kent League Division Two, the Millers won their opening match 1-0 against Hamilton House FC before securing the divisional title in their first season. The following campaign brought further success, as they won the Kent County Junior Cup, beating Sittingbourne Paper Mills 3-0 in the final.

After joining the South London Alliance League in 1975, the Club won Division One in 1979/80 and the Premier Division in 1980/81, their final season at the mills' sports ground in St Pauls Cray. Following a nomadic period, they settled at Badgers Sports Ground in Middle Park Avenue, Eltham, for the 1998/99 season.

Under Mark Edwards, CVPM won the Kent County League Division One West in 2002/03 and the Premier Division in 2004/05 by 11 points. The Club also enjoyed success in the London Intermediate Cup, lifting the trophy in 2003, 2004, 2010 and 2011. In 2011/12, the Millers moved from Step 7 to Step 5 football, making their FA Vase debut in 2012/13 and entering the FA Cup for the first time the following season.

The 2016/17 campaign proved memorable under James Collins, with a fourth-place league finish and a Kent Senior Trophy final appearance. The Millers also won the London Senior Cup, beating Metropolitan Police 2-1 to become the competition’s lowest-ranked winners. Kevin Watson subsequently guided the Club to further progress, culminating in a historic centenary season in 2018/19.

That year, CVPM won the Southern Counties East Football League title by a single point, collecting 91 points and scoring 108 goals to secure promotion to the Isthmian League. They also reached the FA Vase final at Wembley for the first time, losing 3-1 after extra time to Chertsey Town.

Despite the disruption of Covid-19, the Millers reached the FA Cup First Round Proper for the first time in 2020/21. They finished fifth in 2021/22, earning a play-off place, before Steve McKimm’s appointment ahead of the 2023/24 season ushered in another remarkable chapter. The Club won the Isthmian South East Division with 97 points, scoring 103 goals and conceding just 32 to achieve promotion to Step 3 for the first time. They also reached the FA Cup First Round Proper, taking Charlton Athletic to a replay, and made their first

appearance in the FA Trophy Second Round Proper.

The Millers continued to impress in 2024/25, finishing fourth in the Isthmian Premier Division before suffering a heartbreaking 4-3 extra-time play-off semi-final defeat at Dartford.

The 2025/26 season ended in relegation after the Club’s second campaign at Step 3. Kevin Lisbie took over as manager with 13 games remaining and, despite losing just once in the final six matches, was unable to prevent the drop. Lisbie remains in charge for the forthcoming Isthmian South East campaign, with plans to reintroduce an Under-23 side to strengthen player development and support the Club’s future ambitions.

Getting There:

The nearest train station to Punjab United is Gravesend. You can then either get the bus which takes 30 minutes or get a taxi from the station which takes 11 minutes.

The Steve Cook Stadium

Dunkirk Close

Gravesend

Kent

DA12 5ND

Extra Information:

The Steve Cook Stadium will be opening at 6:30pm, with many products on offer from simple soft drinks to beers. The Punjab Cafe will also be open and offer food and drink.

In terms of disabled parking, it is crucial that anybody who requires it, contacts the Punjab team via email (punjabutdfc@gmail.com). Parking may be busy and can fill quickly, if you do decide to park around residential areas, please be mindful and respectful of residents.