Chatham Town eventually beat lowly Kingstonian but the scoreline was a little unfair on Kingstonian who battled hard considering they are close to being relegated while Chatham are near enough in the Play-offs.
This was a game that epitomised Chatham’s season as they dominated the game without really creating until the substitutes came on, but as it is said good teams keep picking up points while not at their best.
The game started with Chatham on the front foot and in the 7th minute Jack Evans’ cross field pass found home debutant Francis Mampolo who cut in from the right wing and his shot from 20 yards went wide.
A minute later an Evans corner to the back post found Reece Butler but he headed over the bar. Seven minutes later Evans tried his luck from 25 yards, but it went just past the post.
Chatham were enjoying a lot of possession without really causing any problems and then in the 26th minute against the run of play Kingstonian nearly scored when Ta’Shae Andell-Gibbons picked up the ball in the middle of the park and his shot from 20 yards came back off the post.
Chatham had two more half chances when in the 40th minute Simon Cooper saw his snap shot from 18 yards saved by Rob Tolfrey and then right on half time another home debutant Harvey Bradbury got to the by-line and his cross found Kareem Isiaka but from 6 yards his header went wide.
The half time whistle went and Kevin Hake would need to give his team a good talking to as this was not good enough, while the Kingstonian boss would have been pleased and would want the same in the second half.
The second half started quickly for Chatham as in the 47th minute Evans crossed into the area where Jordy Robins headed on for Mampolo, but again his header went wide.
In the 60th minute Chatham nearly opened the scoring when Butler went to the by-line & saw his cross shot saved by Tolfrey and the ball came back to him and this time his shot was cleared.
In the 64th minute disaster for Chatham as Kingstonian scored when Harvey Broad passed back to Mitchell Beeney who miscontrolled allowing Eddie Dsane to latch onto it and shoot into an empty net.
Luckily for Chatham it only took them 5 minutes to equalise when Mampolo on the left passed into the feet of Jordy Robbins in the area and his cross shot came to Cooper on the back post and he slotted it in from 5 yards.
In the 72nd minute Chatham nearly took the lead when a corner into the area was flicked on for Cooper on the back post, but his header went over the bar.
Six minutes later Chatham did take the lead when Jamie Mascoll who had only just come on went into the area where according to the referee he was fouled and a penalty was given which looked soft, but Jamie Yila, again only just on, stepped up and shot into the bottom left hand corner.
In the 87th minute Evans tried his luck from 20 yards forcing Tolfrey to push it way and then in the 89th minute it was game, set and match as Yila on the left passed to Isiaka in the area and his first time shot from 12 yards beat Tolfrey.
Chatham then went on and got a fourth when a corner into the area saw a scramble and Mampolo latched onto it and poked in.
CHATHAM TOWN:
1. M.BEENEY 4. J.ROBINS (70) 5. R.BUTLER 6. D.BECKWITH 8. J.EVANS 12. H.BROAD (76) 14. J.DUNNE (90+3) 15. S.COOPER 16. K.ISIAKA 17. H.BRADBURY 19. F.MAMPOLO.
SUBS USED: 11. J.YILA (70) 3. J.MASCOLL (76) 10. E.EBOZOEME (90+3)
SUBS NOT USED: 18. S.NELSON 20. C.DICKSON
BOOKINGS: 15. S.COOPER 70 K.HAKE (76)
KINGSTONIAN:
- R.TOLFREY 2.T.UNSWORTH 3. J.MASON 4. E.JANNEH 20. S.GERMAN 6. J.KAMARA 7. C.CORBIN (61) 8. T.ANDELL-GIBBONS (76) 9. E.DSANE 10. J.FRANCIS-ADEYINKA (61) 11. H.BERCHICHE
SUBS USED: 15. N.REGRAGUI (61) 16. C.KRABBENDAM (61) 12. J.KIRKHAM
SUBS NOT USED: 14. J.LILLIE 17. H.SIDWELL
BOOKINGS: 1. R.TOLFREY (54)
REFEREE: Mr F.ROQUE
ASSISTANTS: Mr J.KNIGHT & Mr B.MARQUES
ATTENDANCE: 2038
Pictures supplied by Chatham Town Football Club.