Chatham Town moved to within a point of the top of SCEFL Premier table courtesy of a narrow Medway derby win over Hollands & Blair at Star Meadow.
In a game that became increasingly niggly, the winning goal came courtesy of a moment of brilliance from Chats skipper Jack Evans that shone as brightly as a shining star in the night sky, as he magnificently curled a 22nd minute free kick over the home wall and past a despairing Mitchell Ware in the Blair goal.
Derbies are renowned for being tight and tempestuous affairs and this was no different with chances at a premium at both ends which wasn’t helped by a bitter swirling wind.
Indeed, it was partly the wind that was responsible for the game’s first real chance as Ryan Hayes whipped in a vicious free kick which Ware did extremely well to claw away.
Just before the midway point of the half, Evans stepped up and his free kick couldn’t really have been hit any sweeter or accurately as it nestled into the bottom corner and gave the Chats a deserved lead at the break.
Blair came more into the game after the break, but it was Chatham who created the first chance of the second period as Dan Bradshaw raced through and rounded Ware before being forced away from goal and by the time he was able to pull the ball back, the home side had defenders back in numbers and were able to clear.
The home side went agonisingly close to levelling when George Benner just couldn’t stretch enough to convert a driven cross after Chats keeper Andy Walker had done well to palm away Billy Lewins’ free kick.
Hayes then forced his way through at the other end but couldn’t keep his shot down as tempers began to fray whilst Walker again had to be on his toes as the wind got hold of a vicious curling cross.
The game became increasingly fractious as the half ticked by and on more than one occasion there were comings together which involved several players from both sides.
Sadly, for Blair’s biggest gate of the season – 504 – there was to be no last gasp heroics from Blair as they slipped to their third successive defeat whilst Chatham moved into third place in the table – a solitary point behind new joint leaders Sheppey United and Erith Town…
HOLLANDS & BLAIR – Ware, Kane, Fregene, Brown, Exall, Benner, Itauma, Hopkins, Freeman, Lewins, Valencia
Subs – Hardy, Cooper, Sharp, Kingdon
CHATHAM TOWN – Walker, Orji, Sheminant, Robbins, Ajayi, Smith, Hayes, Evans, Bradshaw, Palmby, Pilbeam
Subs – Smith, Bodkin, Butler, Maher, Pugh
REFEREE – Mr Mirzadeh