Chatham Town are through to the next round of the Emirates F.A Cup & are £3000 richer after beating Cray Wanderers.

It was a thoroughly professional performance by Chatham against their Kent & Ryman rivals. The dream goes on & carries on from last year’s heroic performances.

Cray came to the Maidstone Road Sports Ground with optimism after the great start to the season they had had & they began the stronger of the two teams when in the 6^th minute Grant Basey cross into the area found Andre McCollin but his header from 6 yards was easily saved by Ryan Nicholls.

Chatham had their first half chance in the 10^th minute when Captain Joe Bingham saw his shot from 30 yards go past the post.

Cray nearly broke the deadlock in the 22^nd minute when Basey went into the area & his low cross/pass fell at McCollin’s feet 8 yards out but his first time shot went agonisingly past the far post.

Chatham came back with a chance of their own in the 26^th minute, when Joe Loft passed out to Kieron McCann who went into the area before shooting but just over the bar.

Another glorious chance came in the 30^th minute when Karl Dent’s free kick saw Nicholls flap at it & luckily for him it was cleared before a Cray forward could pounce on the mistake.

In the 34^th minute Chatham took the lead when on a counter attack led by McCann on halfway & his slide rule pass found Saio Blackwood running forward & as he reached the area he went round the advancing Nick Blue & slid the ball into the empty net.

Cray reacted to this & two minutes later a corner into the area was met by Lea Dawson whose header was punched up into the air by Nicholls & at least three Cray forward went for it but as per normal the keeper got the foul.

Chatham could have been two up by the break when in the 39^th minute Andrew Dalhouse powered his way into the area out muscling the defender & forcing Blue to come out & block the shot for a corner.

The second half started with Cray upping the tempo of their play but in doing so left them venerable at the back & so it happened in the 51^st minute when a long ball forward saw Blackwood racing after it & he saw Blue off his line & tried to chip him but luckily for Cray it went wide.

In the 61^st minute Adetayo Osifuwa received the ball out on the left wing & cut inside but saw his shot go wide of the post.

Six minutes later Basey passed out wide to McCollin who chipped it forward for Leigh Bremner in the area & a defender got to it & knocked it out for a corner & from the resulting corner Dawson rose but headed just wide of the post.

Cray were now dominating possession with Chatham relying on counter attacks, as in the 72^nd minute Malik Ouani received the ball in the area & his first shot was blocked but came to him & his second was deflected for a corner.

Four minutes later Sean Roberts tried his luck from 30 yards but it went wide, a minute later Bremner tried his luck from 30 yards but this time forcing Nicholls to parry it away but only to McCollin but his shot was pushed around the post by Nicholls.

Chatham had soaked up a lot of pressure but with some good defending & luck they had kept a clean sheet & in the 85^th minute Charles Ofusu-Hene received the ball from Corey Holder in the area & his cross shot came back of the post.

The final whistle went after 5 minutes added time but Chatham were resolute & in the end probably deserved this victory & Wembley here we come shouted some of the diehard Chatham fans, this shows you the romance of the greatest competition in the world.

 

CHATHAM TOWN:

1. NICHOLLS 2. R.DAVIS  3. J.LOFT  4 .C. HOLDER  5. K OSEI  6. L.KNIGHT  7. S.BLACKWOOD  8. C. OFUSU-HENE 9. A.DALHOUSE (60) 10. J.BINGHAM  11. K.McCANN

SUBS USED:  14. A.EDWARDS (60)

SUBS NOT USED:  12. L.COLLINS  15. J.SULLIVAN 16. A.ABRAHAMS  17. P.HAWKINS  18. G.HUMBER 20. T.WOOD

BOOKINGS: 10. J.BINGHAM (70)

 

CRAY WANDERERS:

1. BLUE 2. A.OSIFUWA  3. G.BASEY  4. N.REEVES  5. D.CARPENTER  6. L.DAWSON  7. S.ROBERTS  8. K. DENT(78) 9. L.BREMNER 1. A.McCOLLIN  11. H.OROME (45)

SUBS USED:  17. M.OUANI(45)  12. S.MOORE(78)

SUBS NOT USED:  14. R.POWELL  15. J.LODGE  16. R.DEAKIN

BOOKINGS:  9. L.BREMNER (90+4)

 

REFEREE: Mr G.IONS

ASSISTANTS:  Mr M.MARSH  &  Mr I.SEARLE

ATTENDANCE: 170