Chatham Town went one further than last season and eased into the Final of the Velocity Cup with what was in the end a very comfortable win over Ashford United.
Two goals from Jamie Yila and strikes from Eze Ebozoeme (on his debut) and Somin Cooper were enough to take Kevin Hake’s side into the April 17th Final at Aveley against Hashtag United.
Ian Draycott did level the scores at 1-1, but it was only in the final seconds that Harvey Brand headed home the visitor’s second as they were a well beaten side as their defensive struggles continue as they have now conceded thirteen in their last three League and Cup games.
After a slow start to the game, Yila put the home side in front at the half’s midway point… albeit at the second attempt! A deep corner from the right saw Yila denied by keeper Chris Lewington at the back post and as the ball was prodded back goalwards and despite desperate attempts to clear off the line, Yila was wheeling away celebrating after putting the home side ahead.
Yet incredibly it was a lead that the Chats held for only a minute as Draycott levelled after the home defence switched off and keeper Mitchell Beeney could only parry the striker’s initial effort.
The home side really struggled going forward yet had two really good chances to take a deserved lead at the break. Ashley Nzala headed Yila’s deflected cross wide and then, from another Yila cross, Jordy Robins had a header which was cleared off the line by Connor Dymond.
Ashford had a great spell at the start of the second half that saw Brand twice go close. The midfielder was brilliantly denied by Beeney with a shot and when the resulting corner was not cleared and Lanre Azeez floated a ball back in that Brand headed over.
The introduction then of Chats skipper Jack Evans from the bench was to turn the game once and for all in the home side’s favour.
An early touch from the skipper following his 57th minute introduction saw Nzala drive straight at Lewington as the home side stepped up the pressure.
Yila then bulleted a low centre across the face of goal and inches too far in front of Miquel Scarlett before Evans beat Lewington from 25 yards but also missed the post by a yard.
The home side eventually edged back in front with twenty minutes left as Scarlett did brilliantly down the right and his cut back was gloriously hammered into the net by Ebozoeme.
The game was over as a contest on 77 minutes when Evans’ corner was volleyed home by Yila despite the heroic efforts of Lewington who got his hand to the ball, but could only divert the ball into the roof of the net.
Scarlett came close to making it four with a drive that Lewington could only beat out, before the home side did net a fourth two minutes from time. Sub Sam Sene-Richardson’s cross fell to Kareem Isiaka. His shot was blocked by Lewington and Cooper swept home the rebound.
Brand did finally get his name on the scoresheet in stoppage time as he headed home a corner, but for Ashford it was too little too late and the Chats had booked their date with Hashtag at Aveley next month.
CHATHAM TOWN – Beeney, Scarlett, Mascoll, Robins (Evans), Nzala (Sene-Richardson), Yila, Broad, Dunne, Cooper, Liburd (Da Costa), Ebozoeme (Isiaka)
Sub – Beckwith
ASHFORD UNITED – Lewington, Ossai, Simms, Ozobia, Dymond, Jonah, Azeez, Brand, Draycott (Carney), Ryan (Rees), Walsh (Todd)
Subs – Bayford, MacDonald
REFEREE – Mr Heron
Picture supplied by Chatham Town.