A close, tight local derby was expected but what a capacity crowd got at the Bauvill Stadium was another masterclass as Chatham Town’s relentless march on SCEFL glory was taken to another level against their Medway neighbours from Hollands and Blair.
It was top against sixth prior to kick off with the top scorers hosting the meanest defence in the division as the Chats had netted an incredible 54 times in their ten games, whilst the Blair’s misery defence had conceded just six in their ten.
On paper, it should have been a close contest then, but football isn’t played on paper and this contest was almost over before it had begun as the home side scored twice in the opening seventeen minutes before adding a crucial third just before the break.
Despite making changes at the break, Blair couldn’t get back into the game and when the Chats added two more in seven minutes either side of the hour, it was really a case of how many it would be.
Only one more came, but that did mean that the visitors had conceded as many in these ninety minutes as they had done in their previous nine hundred League minutes!
It could have been so different to begin with at least as with the game’s first corner an almighty scramble in the Chatham goal couldn’t be converted by the visitors – the ball ricocheted around the box and debutant keeper Henry Newcombe was a relieved man as he fell on the ball.
Before anyone could really draw breath, the home side were in front as a super cross from Christian Lawal was headed home by Dan Bradshaw – his 12th goal of the season as he ghosted in between defenders.
Within two minutes it was two nil as the influential Jack Evans spotted Blair keeper Mitchell Ware off his line and launched an audacious lob from literally just outside the centre circle that left the back pedalling keeper in a heap as the skippers 14th goal of the season nestled home.
Number 15 would have followed moments later had Ware not pulled off a great block with his left boot before three minutes from half time, Ryan Hayes hit an absolute screamer that even Ware couldn’t get anywhere near as it flew into the top corner.
Beaten three times in the opening half was tough on Ware as before the break he pulled off the save of the half as he a fabulous tip over to deny Evans again after some great work from Luke Rooney.
Blair made a double change at the break and it did give them some stronger shape, but it couldn’t stop the rampant Chats, and again they were grateful to Ware as the keeper denied Evans again – this time the Chatham skipper’s shot took a horrible skid off the pitch and Ware worked wonders knocking to ball aside.
Evans did eventually net his 15th strike of the season courtesy of a great corner routine straight off the training ground. Evans combined with Hayes and when the ball found Mikey Dalton, his super lay off was into Evans’ path and his shot arrowed into the corner.
Rooney then made it five with Hayes’ help after a brilliant ball inside the full back had found the ex-Dartford man, and with an hour gone it really was a question of how many the home side would get.
The fact that it was only one more was a huge credit to Blair who dug deep into their reserves but it was Ware who kept the score down with further stunning saves to deny Evans (yet again) and Matt Bodkin, who was a thorn for the visitors throughout the afternoon.
Ware’s frustration was complete a quarter of an hour from time when the unlucky Ben Brown steered a driven cross into his own net leaving a frustrated keeper to launch the ball into the cemetery next door to the ground in a mixture of despair, frustration and anger.
It truly wasn’t a poor performance for the Blair – and they could well win other games on this display this season – but on this day they met a side who at the moment can seemingly do nothing wrong particularly in front of goal.
Going into the game it was easy to forget just how far the visitors have come in recent years especially under Simon Halsey’s guidance, but this ninety minutes did nothing to dent the Chatham charge up the SCEFL table since Scott Lindsey was appointed and with a combination of shrewd business and some super potential, it does seem almost inevitable that whenever the final shake up of this season takes place, the Chats will undoubtedly be involved.
CHATHAM TOWN – Newcombe, Ajayi, Lawal, Robbins, Butler, Dalton, Hayes, Evans, Bradshaw, Rooney, Bodkin
Subs – Brown, Pilbeam, Orji, Abioye, Lee
HOLLAND & BLAIR – Ware, Kane, Welch, Kedwell, Brown, McGeehan, Simons, Prescott, Saunders, Valencia, Cooper
Subs – Kingdom, Rogers, Gething, Loynes, Hopkins
REFEREE – Mr Hill