And then there were three – unbeaten sides in the SCEFL Premier that is following Tunbridge Wells’ win at the Bauvill Stadium on Tuesday night ended Chatham Town’s unbeaten start to the season in a five-goal thriller which for the neutral was an extremely entertaining game of football.
Richard Styles’ side set out their stall early on to take part in a hugely enjoyable game of football and took full advantage of some gifts from Scott Lindsey’s side – fresh from beating Folkestone in the Cup at the weekend – to clinch the points courtesy of Richard Atkins’ goal just past the hour mark, which guaranteed a fabulous last 27 minutes for the COVID capacity crowd of 300 with chances at both ends as the Chats desperately searched to maintain their unbeaten record, whilst the Wells looked threatening every time they broke forward.
Fresh off their Cup giant killing at the weekend, the home side took some time to get into the contest, as Atkins had the game’s first chance as he headed straight at Chatham keeper Jordan Carey.
When they did find their feet, skipper Jack Evans headed wide before Dan Bradshaw drilled home his sixth goal of the season as he held off a defender before slotting the ball past the advancing Aaron Lee Wharton. That was on seventeen minutes, and ten minutes later only a combination of the keeper and a post denied Bradshaw a second as he arrived late at the back post to meet a deep cross.
The visitors finally got into a rhythm late in the half and after a flowing mover between Atkins and Harry Hudson, Jordan Wells was denied by a brilliant defensive block. The visitors were level at half time courtesy of a goal that will have left boss Scott Lindsey seething!
A free kick was pumped into the Chats box and Christian Lawal went to head the ball back to Carey. Unfortunately for the home side, keeper Carey had started to come out to meet the kick and the header flew past the out of position keeper and into the net!
If that was bad for the Chats keeper, he certainly won’t want to remember Euan Sahadow’s corner two minutes after the break which totally deceived the keeper gifting the Wells number eleven his fifth goal of the season.
Within ten minutes though the home side were level courtesy of a stunning equaliser from Jon Pilbeam against one of his former clubs. Luke Rooney was the provider as he spotted Pilbeam’s run but the goal was all Pilbeam’s as he cut inside and arrowed a shot beyond Wharton into the net.
With the score level at 2-2 with half an hour left, both sides went for the go ahead strike – Atkins shot across the face of goal from an acute angle before Rooney rattled the Wells bar with a thunderous strike. The go-ahead goal duly arrived on 63 minutes when Atkins swept home Regan Corke’s lay off.
With the unbeaten record now seriously under threat, the home side laid siege – Bradshaw was denied by a brave save from Wharton; Evans fired over before he was denied by a point blank block; Rooney had a shot beaten out by the keeper; Evans was denied by a wonderful tackle by Robbie Bissett – the blue wall across the Maidstone Road End goal just wasn’t going to be breached.
The onslaught continued until stoppage time when the home side had arguably their best chance, but Wharton produced a sensational save to tip over Jordi Robbins drive before the same player headed wide from the corner.
There was still time for Evans to thump the ball against the back of the stand behind the goal, before referee Zachwieja – who deserves a lot of credit for allowing the two teams to play football in a hugely entertaining contest – blew the final whistle and Wells moved second in the table, two points behind early pace setters Corinthian.
CHATHAM TOWN – Carey, Pilbeam (Orji), Sheminant, Robbins, Buter, Lawal, Hayes, Evans, Bradshaw, Rooney, Dalton (Abioye)
Subs – Brown, Ajayi, Lee
TUNBRIDGE WELLS – Wharton, Hope, Nurden, Huggens, Check, Bissett, Corke, Hudson, Atkins (Day), Wells (Cornwell), Sahadow (Froggatt)
Subs – Blake, Griffin
REFEREE – Mr Zachwieja