Visiting captain Jack Evans bagged a brace whilst returning ex-Becks skipper Luke Rooney provided the icing on the cake as a rampant Chatham Town departed Eden Park Avenue with all three points.

Two goals in two minutes just before half-time gave the visitors a two-goal cushion at the break only for Tunde Aderonmu (making amends for a first-half penalty miss) to slam in a goal just a minute into the second-half as Becks momentarily threatened the comeback. But the visitors pulled away as deserving 5-1 winners with three further goals in the last twenty-five minutes. 

It was a Chatham side – unchanged from their midweek loss at home to Tunbridge Wells that settled better. Evans forcing a save from Becks’ keeper Michael McEntegart from a volley, Ryan Hayes dragging a shot wide from inside the box and then Jon Pilbeam having an effort bravely blocked by defender Robert Carter after a swift counter-attack. 

At the other end Aderonmu forced a near post save from Jordan Carey after some good work inside the box. 

Twenty-eight minutes in and Carter’s tenacity saw Becks retain possession and then switch the ball out to attacker Tyrone Pink wide on the left. He teased Christian Lawal one way before drawing the foul as he cut inside the area. Penalty.

Aderonmu stepped up after a lengthy delay that saw Carey bouncing up from his line and back down after punching the underside of the crossbar repeatedly. With the bar still reverberating from the shot stoppers antics, the keeper dived to his left to save a tame spot-kick. 

Having booked Lawal for the penalty foul the referee was soon showing another yellow, this time to Chats striker Dan Bradshaw for a dive in the other area. 

With half-time approaching Becks forced a corner. Evans headed Pink’s delivery clear and a swift counter led by Hayes ensued.

Despite Bradshaw’s demands for the early through ball, the Chats winger delayed his delivery – and it looked like the wrong decision – but a poor defensive clearance from the out of form Archie Johnson gifted Rooney a shot.

The effort was blocked but Evans was on hand to sidestep the bodies and provide the simplest of finishes from close-range. 

Two-minutes later it was 2-0. With the referee missing a clear case of shirt pulling on Ryan Hall, the ball instead fell to Chatham’s defence and was quickly worked out to Hayes on the left.

He advanced and advanced before curling a perfectly weighted shot – with his supposedly weaker foot – just inside the far post from the edge of the area. 

Looking to kill the contest, Chats quickly pushed for a third and having worked the ball superbly from side to side, only another desperate last-ditch block from Carter denied Bradshaw a tap-in from Pilbeam’s cross. It was undoubtedly the best move of the half.

At the break, a two goal deficit seemed harsh on Becks – not least considering the penalty miss – but the better side were unquestionably ahead.

However, the margin was halved inside sixty seconds of the restart. Becks came out strongly and after good work from Jamie Brown forced a throw deep in Chats territory, it was Ryan Hall who acrobatically put the ball into a dangerous area where Aderonmu arrived to slam home first-time.

or a brief spell Becks looked like wrestling back the momentum but Chats regrouped and soon Evans, Rooney and Jordi Robins were all threatening McEntegart’s goal.

When it finally came, the third Chatham goal came from a corner – defender Reece Butler providing the emphatic header before clattering into the back post. 

Becks brought on Junior Kaffo for Hall and Joe Nwoko for the tiring Aderonmu either side of McEntegart denying Evans with a smart save down low.

The visitors George Sheminant was then fortunate to receive just a caution after going airborne to win the ball with an unnecessarily risky two-footed challenge. The number of Chats pleading for clemency betrayed the fact that – despite him having won the ball – they knew it wasn’t their No.3’s smartest contribution of the afternoon and by the letter of the law he could have easily walked.

Pilbeam then had a shot saved and Rooney sent a free-kick over the bar, but after some clever interplay on the right between Evans and Bradshaw it was former Becks skipper Rooney who delivered the killer blow – a thumping first-time hit from the edge of the area to make it 4-1.

With time ticking down Chatham substitute Harvey Brown then provided a lovely clipped pass that allowed Evans to skilfully steer the fifth first-time past McEntegart to complete the rout.

Credit where credit is due. On this form, Chatham are sure to be in the promotion mix at the end of the season.

Meanwhile, Becks’ continue to look two or three players short of the side that was flying high at the top of the league seemingly destined for promotion before the pandemic striuc in March.

Fortunately, they get a chance to make amends with another home game on Tuesday night when they host Erith Town.

BECKS LINEUP McEntegart; Brown, Johnson, Hanifan, Carter; Valler, Brand (c), Hall (Kaffo); Pink, Aderonmu (Nwoko), Townsend
Subs not used: Henry, Phillips, Robertson

Images courtesy of @sniperpose