It should be an attractive FA Cup tie where we will try to match a team and a club that has done what we want to do as a club, in an one-off game, says Glebe player-manager Luke Rooney

GLEBE player-manager Luke Rooney says all of the pressure will be on Cray Valley during tomorrow’s FA Cup Preliminary Round tie at Foxbury Avenue.

The Foxes go into the tie on the back of their 4-3 home win over league rivals Holmesdale in the Extra Preliminary Round to set up a mouth-watering clash against Kevin Watson’s Millers.

Glebe go into the game sitting in eighth-place in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division table, having lost 3-1 at Deal Town on the opening day of the season before beating Lordswood 4-1 at home and then settling for a point in a 2-2 draw at relegated side Phoenix Sports in midweek.

“We’ve had a below average start.  I would say performance and results wise, although we have probably gone to two of the hardest places to go to this season, so that is a positive,” said Rooney.

“It always hurts to concede with the last kick of the game, especially when it’s an own goal but Phoenix at least deserved a draw.

“We didn’t play or pass it well enough, we’re not quite at it yet unfortunately but we can and will only get better!”

Cray Valley make the short hop over to Chislehurst sitting in thirteenth-place in the Isthmian League South East Division table, having lost 3-0 at Ramsgate on the opening day of the season before beating East Grinstead Town 1-0 at home in midweek.

“I’m expecting a really, really tough game tomorrow but it will make a nice change to go into a game and the pressure being on the other team as they are in a league higher,” said Rooney.

“So far all four teams we have played have sat off us and I don’t envisage they will do that.

“The FA Cup is hugely important to me and the club.  Of course, we know we’re not going to win it but you want to go as far as possible.

“This season we have a very tough game early on in Cray Valley, so the pressure is off, I think, and it’s a bit of a free hit for us.

“I don’t know Kevin Watson that well but we have exchanged messages and calls in the past.  He’s done a fantastic job at that club and he has a strong nucleus that have been together for a while.  They play really attractive football and stick to it and in non-league that isn’t easy, so I really admire them for that.

“We haven’t been able to select from a fully fit squad just yet unfortunately but that’s just the way it is going at the moment and I’m sure we’re not the only ones.

“It should be an attractive Cup tie where we will try to match a team and a club that has done what we want to do as a club, in an one-off game.”

Glebe  v  Cray Valley (Paper Mills)
The Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round
Saturday 20 August 2022
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Foxbury Avenue, Chislehurst, Kent BR7 6SD