Chatham Town maintained their push for champions of the league and promotion with a victory but as a laboured performance against Rusthall a team fighting relegation.

The first half was very drab & the windy, rainy conditions were not the only excuse as both teams huffed & puffed, Chatham had most of the possession but only created one half chance & that came in the 37^th minute when Ryan Hayes on the right crossed to the back post for Jack Evans but he planted his header into the sidenetting, Rusthall on the other hand defended resolutely & were well organised & looked like they came for a point but in the 39^th minute they did have a glorious chance to take the lead when Luke Adams saw his free kick into the area headed just wide by Callum Taylor.

The half time whistle went & both teams would have different views on the half, Chatham disappointed, Rusthall delighted.

The second half took a while to get going & then Chatham took the lead in the 60^th minute when Danny Kedwell on the left beat the defender & crossed to the near post & Dan Bradshaw leapt & headed in from 3 yards.

Five minutes later Rusthall had their only half chance of the half when Charlie Clover was put through, he went into the area but his weak shot was easily saved by Dan Ellis.

In the 68^th minute Jordi Robins 25 yards out tried his luck but his shot went over the bar, two minutes later Chatham could have doubled their lead when Bradshaw ran into the area & passed squarely to Evans who turned & shot but it was deflected for a corner.

Chatham were searching for a second which would make things more comfortable & in the 72^nd minute Hayes on the right wing cut in & his shot from 20 yards just went past the post.

The second goal came in the 82^nd minute when Bradshaw running back retrieved the ball went forward before passing to Kedwell who released Matt Bodkin on the right wing & drove forward & then his low cross to the back post was stabbed home for Bradshaw from 3 yards for his 40^th league goal.

The game petered out with Chatham just seeing time out & knowing that three points had been secured but it wasn’t as straight forward as it maybe should have been as Rusthall made it difficult to break down

        CHATHAM TOWN:

1. D.ELLIS    2. I.ORJI   3. D.SMITH    4. J.ROBINS   5. R.BUTLER   6. R.GILL (67)  7. R.HAYES (76) 8. J.EVANS   9. D.BRADSHAW   10. M.DALTON  18. D.KEDWELL (87)

SUBS USED:   15. C.LAWAL (67) 11. M.BODKIN (76)   14. L.OSIDEKO (87)

SUBS NOT USED: 12. R.BARTLETT   16. G.SHEMINANT

BOOKINGS: 5. R.BUTLER (38)  2. I.ORJI (58)

        RUSTALL:

1. C.WEALANDS   2. L.ANDERSON  12. J.HAMPTON  4. J.WHITE (88)  5. R.STYLES  16, J.BARTON 7. C.CLOVER      18. L.UNWIN   9. L.ADAMS   10. J.BIDDLECOMBE (54)  6. C.TAYLOR (79)

SUBS USED: 15. S.HARPER (54)  11. A.PIRES COSTA (79)  17. J.NEWMAN (88)

SUBS NOT USED:  14. L.CLARKE  3. R.SALTER

BOOKINGS:  6. C.TAYLOR (19)  10. J.BIDDLECOMBE (20)

REFEREE: Mr B.WILKINSON

ASSISTANTS:  Mr S.BEADLE  & Mr M.STOICHITOIU

ATTENDANCE: 412

Picture supplied by Rusthall Football Club.