Chatham Town are on the way to Wembley and as the announcer at the ground said, only thirteen ties to Wembley, they also picked up £1225 in FA Cup prize money.

Chatham were on the front foot straight away & in the 9^th minute they could have opened the scoring when captain Jack Evans latched onto a long ball & saw the keeper Sam Owens coming off his line so he tried to chip him but Owens was able to palm it away for a corner. 

In the 16^th Chatham did take the lead when Evans again in the area was found & he controlled it & stretching shot past Owens but the lead did not last long when two minutes later Chinosa Nwajagu took the ball of Reece Butler & went into the area before shooting past Henry Newcombe.

In the 20^th minute Evans 15 yards out saw his goal bound effort tipped over the bar by Owens, then 4 minutes later Evans on the right wing crossed into the area where Dan Bradshaw on his own headed into the bottom right hand corner, now could Chatham hold on?

In the 28^th minute another glorious chance went a begging when Jon Pilbeam on the left wing crossed to the back post for Bradshaw but from 3 yards he headed past the post.

Five minutes later another chance came when Matt Bodkin was found on his own in the area but his shot was saved by Owens. In the 35^th minute Chatham increased their lead when Bradshaw was found on his own in the area & this time he shot past Owens, 6 minutes later Pilbeam running from halfway cut inside & from 20 yards his shot was tipped around the post by Owens & then right on half time Luke Rooney in the area saw his shot fizz across the area for a corner.

Half time arrived & the Chatham managers would have been pleased with the performance but would ask the players not to get complacent as that would be the only way back for Eastbourne.

The second half took a while to get started & then in the 58^th minute Eastbourne got a goal back when Charlie Bell running forward with no one closing him down decided to shoot from 20 yards & he beat Newcombe.

This would eventually wake Chatham up as in the 65^th they got their 4^th when Evans beat the offside trap travelled into the area & laid the ball into the path of Bradshaw who from 5 yards slotted the ball home for his hat trick.

Two minutes later Emmanuel Ubi latched onto a loose ball & his shot from 20 yards was palmed away by Newcombe. A minute later it could have been five when Bradshaw disposed a defender went into the area & laid the ball into the path of Evans but his goal bound shot was saved by Owens legs.

In the 70^th minute Ryan Hayes on the right flicked the ball on for Bradshaw who went into the area before shooting but again Owens came to the rescue but a minute later it was 5 when Hayes on the right cut inside & his cross to the near post was headed in by Bradshaw.

Chatham were now in complete control & only Owens was standing between them scoring a hatful, in the 75^th minute Rooney saw his shot saved by Owens, the very next minute in a rare attack Festos Kamara on the left crossed into the area for Rovu Boyers but from 6 yards shot wide of the post.

Chances were coming & going with either Owens or bad finishing stopping Chatham scoring a hatful & then in the 88^th minute Chatham did score when Rooney 20 yards out tried his luck & a deflection left Owens stranded as it went into the net.

Chatham will now face Ashford Town in two weeks time.

         

CHATHAM TOWN:

1.  H.NEWCOMBE    2. C.LAWAL   3. L.FRIEND   4. J.ROBERTS (45)  5. R.BUTLER   6. L.ROONEY  7. R.HAYES (73) 8.     J.EVANS      9.  D.BRADSHAW    10. M.BODKIN (45)   11. J.PILBEAM   

SUBS USED:  12. C.DICKENS (45)  17. M.DALTON (45)  15. F.MARTIN (73)

SUBS NOT USED:   14. J.STROUTS  16. I.ORJI  18. H.BROWN  20. H.MILLS

BOOKINGS:  4. J.ROBERTS (37)

        

EASTBOURNE UNITED:

1.    S.OWENS    2. A.HEADLAND (68)  3. J.MURPHY    4. E.UBI   5. M.SIMPSON  6. A.DAWSON   7. K.ASANTE (55) 8.      C.BALL   9. C.NWAJAGU    10. R.TATE    11. A.PEACOCK (73)

SUBS USED:   16. F.KAMARA (55)  18. L.LODGE (68)   15. R.BOYERS

SUBS NOT USED:  12. G.LANDAUS   14. R.MOLYNEUX   17. H.CORLAN  19. J.RAY

BOOKINGS:  4. E.IBU (34)   9. C.NWAJAGU (82)

REFEREE:   Mr  D.BLADES

ASSISTANTS:   Mr. M.HEWSON   &   MISS N.QUAYLE

ATTENDANCE: 408  

Picture supplied by Sam Mallia.