Chatham Town continued their unbeaten run with a comfortable win against Burgess Hill Town who unfortunately continued their losing streak although near the end of the game they gave Chatham a scare.
Chatham came out of the blocks the quickest & in the 8th minute Fabio Saraiva saw his 25 yard shot parried away by William Huffer but only to Jack Evans whose first time shot was again parried away by Huffer, a minute later Burgess Hill nearly took the lead when Hayden Skerry latched onto a loose pass & his shot from 25 yards saw Dan Ellis make a right mess of it as it just went past the post for a corner.
In the 12th minute Chatham could have taken the lead when Prince Domafriyie running down the left wing saw his cross headed by Emmanuel Oloyede just past the post, a minute later they did take the lead when Matt Bodkin on the right wing saw his low cross stabbed home by Oloyede from 6 yards.
Four minutes later Evans tried his luck from 25 yards but it went just past the post, Chatham were now enjoying the lion’s share of possession & in the 22nd minute Josh Ogunseye found himself in the area & twisting & turning saw his shot go just past the post.
In the 29th minute it was two when a trademark free kick 25 yards out by Jack Evans went into the top left hand corner leaving Huffer clutching at thin air.
In the 35th minute in a rare attack Burgess Hill’s Martyn Box saw his 20 yards effort pushed around the post by Ellis. Then in the next minute a Bodkin cross found Saraiva & his goal bound header from 8 yards was pushed around the post for a corner by Huffer.
The half time whistle went with Chatham in total control & Burgess Hill having a lot to do to get back into the game.
Chatham continued as they left off & in the 52nd minute a ball into the area eventually found Bodkin & his shot from an angle was saved by Huffer conceding a corner.
Six minutes later in a rare attack Lewis Finney saw his 25 yard free kick tipped over the bar by Ellis. Huffer came to the rescue in the 63rd minute when Evans turned a defender & his shot was pushed around the post.
As the game wore on it seemed like Chatham were in cruise control & in the 87th minute they should have wrapped the game up when Dan Bradshaw put Domafriyie in on goal but his shot went wide.
Burgess Hill were now getting desperate & in the 3rd added minute they got what seemed like a consolation goal when a cross into the area saw Ellis forced to parry it out but only to Box who from 8 yards volleyed in.
Burgess Hill threw everything at Chatham in the last 5 minutes but Chatham survived & picked up another 3 points.
CHATHAM TOWN: 1. D.ELLIS 4. J.ROBINS 5. R.BUTLER 6. D.BECKWITH 7. J.OGUNSEYE 8. J.EVANS (72) 11. F.SARAVIA (59) 12. J.TAYLOR 15. E. OLOYEDE (59) 18. M.BODKIN 19. P.DOMAFRIYIE.
SUBS USED: 9. D.BRADSHAW (59) 10. M.DALTON (59) 17. A.PUGH (72)
SUBS NOT USED: 14. D.KEDWELL 16. M.ROBINSON
BOOKINGS: NONE
BURGESS HILL TOWN: 1. W.HUFFER 2. R.WARD 3. M.BOX 4. K.ROWE 5. N.D’ARIENZO 6. H.POLLARD 7. O.ALLEN 8. L.FINNEY 9. D.PERRY (77) 10. J.DUAH-KESSIE (77) 11. H.SKERRY (70).
SUBS USED: 15. M.ILLER (70) 12. B.SANTOS (77) C.PITCHER (77)
SUBS NOT USED: 16. C.TIGHE 18. D.CADMAN
BOOKINGS: NONE
REFEREE: Mr J.GRAY
ASSISTANTS: Mr M.IDDENDE-SMITH & Mr B.HORNE
ATTENDANCE: 816