Corinthian won the all Southern Counties East Premier clash and now move on to the last 16 of the FA Vase.
Both sides had seemed set to cancel each other out in what amounted to a titanic tie. However there could only be one winner and after 120 minutes the side from Fawkham emerged victorious.
The first twenty minutes saw both sides who are in the top four of the League suss each other out.
Chatham had suffered an early blow when goalkeeper Dan Ellis hurt his leg in a challenge & after treatment carried on although he could not take any goal kicks.
Despite that setback the Chats could and maybe should have taken the lead when Ryan Palmer’s deflected shot fell to Paul Vines but his shot from close range was smothered by Aiden Bell.
Midway through the first half and Chatham had another chance when Ian Draycott saw his 25 yard shot go wide.
Ryan Palmer went close from distance before seeing another effort crash against the post. Bell then denied Jon Pilbeam’s strike from 15 yards as the Chats continued to look the most likely to break the deadlock.
Corinthian had their first half chance in the 42nd minute when Andres Felipe Losada Tobin was put through but his shot went past the far post.
Corinthian nearly took the lead on the stroke of halftime Chris Kinnear’s first time shot forcing Ellis to push it the effort around the post.
The second half was only five minutes old when Corinthian had a glorious chance to score, after a penalty was awarded for handball Luke Tanner’s spot kick was easily saved by Ellis.
Ellis again came to the rescue on the hour mark tipping a Jack Billings volley over the bar.
Chatham were never out of the game however and they took the lead with 20 minutes to go. Jack Evans ran through into the area and from 10 yards his powerful shot beat Bell.
The lead was to be short lived however and four minutes later Corinthian were level. Another penalty was awarded when a foul was committed in the area and Oscar Housego stepped up to level the score.
The rest of the half saw both sides try to get a winner to avoid extra time but neither was able to find the killer blow.
The first half of extra time was mainly uneventful although Draycott nearly gave the Chats the lead at the end of the first half of extra time sliding his shot just past the post.
The second half was only six minutes old when Corinthian took the lead. A ball was played into the area and Housego poked it home past a flat footed Ellis.
The rest of the half saw Chatham try their best to get an equaliser but Corinthian held on to inch one step closer to a possible Wembley final.
CHATHAM TOWN
1.D.ELLIS 2. J.PILBEAM (BROWN 87) 3. G.SHEMINANT 4. R.BUTLER 5. J.ROBERTS 6. M.DALTON (JEFFREY 115) 7. M.BODKIN 8. J.EVANS 9. P.VINES 10. I.DRAYCOTT 11. R.PALMER (ORJI 73)
SUBS NOT USED: 15. P.GEDDIS 18. D.SMITH
CORINTHIAN:
1.A.BELL 2. A.J.BILLINGS 3. J.TRUMAN 4. G.SNELLING 5. R.SAWYER 6.J.BATH 7. C.JOHNSON (THOMPSON 75) 8. C.KINNEAR 9. L.TANNER (GYEABOUR 120) 10. O.HOUSEGO (CAREY 113) 11. A.F.L.TOBIN (STIRMAN 90+3)
SUBS NOT USED: 12. J.CAMPBELL 13. D.FOX 16. J.HOLLAND
REFEREE: Mr L.DYSON
ATTENDANCE: 528