Chatham’s last game in the South East division was a victory against a resilient Littlehampton but in the end class shone as Chatham won easily.

They now have another adventure next season as two promotions on the trot see them play the likes of Folkestone and Margate.

Chatham came out of the blocks the quickest, in the 3rd minute a Joe Taylor free kick into the area found Ashley Nzala but his header went wide, another chance came in the 14^th minute when a cross into the area saw Seidou Sanogo back flicked the ball just over the bar.

A minute later Fabio Saraiva moving forward his 25 yard shot was saved at the second attempt by James Binfield. In the 17^th minute Littlehampton nearly had a chance to score when Lucas Pattenden was put through, Ben Bridle-Card came rushing out and just got to the ball.

Three minutes later Sanogo saw his goal bound header hit the bar. Chatham finally broke the deadlock in the 34^th minute when a Littlehampton attack broke down, Dan Bradshaw was put through on the right. He looked up and passed into the path of Nzala who once in the area beat the defender before shooting home from 10 yards.

In the 38^th minute Littlehampton nearly equalised when Pattenden saw his 20 yard free kick parried away by Bridle-Card, two minutes later it was nearer to the equaliser when Pattenden on the right crossed to the back post for Dion Jarvis who slid in but his shot went just past the post.

Half time arrived and Chatham took a deserved lead but as everyone knows one goal lead is a precarious one so Littlehampton would have still believed they could win.

The second half was only two minutes old and Chatham should have doubled their lead when Nzala’s cross into the area landed at Paris Lock’s feet but from 10 yards he skied his shot over the bar.

Seven minutes later it was two when a short corner was taken and Che Krabbendam’s cross into the area found Bradshaw who slotted it in from two yards. 

Littlehampton got back into the game against the run of play when in the 70^th minute Jarvis saw his 25 yard free kick fly past Bridle-Card into the net.

Three minutes later Chatham nearly restored their two goal lead when Sanogo saw his 20 yard shot parried out by Binfield but only to Lock but he could not control it and Binfield eventually retrieved it. 

In the 77th minute Bridle-Card earned his wages when first he pushed out Josh Short’s shot but it went out to Joe Benn and from 10 yards he parried out his shot. In the 80th minute Chatham got their third to tie the points down when Dean Beckwith’s clearance saw Lock latch onto it, he went on into the area before shooting past Binfield.

Chatham then went and got another in the second minute of added on time when Saraiva in the area squared the ball to Che Krabbendam who shot in from three yards.

The full time whistle went and jubilation for all the Chatham fans who had come down to Littlehampton to celebrate winning the league.

       Littlehampton Town:

1. J.Binfield       2. J.Layton  3. Finton Walsh  4. S.Packer (90+1)  5. C.Heath (75)  6. L.Hendy

7.    L.Pattenden     8. J.Short     9. C.Pitcher (52)  10. G.Gaskin  11. D.Jarvis

Subs Used:  15. S.Faber (52)  16. J.Benn (75)  17. A.Harris (90+1)

Subs Not Used: 12. M.Hand  14. D.Herbert

 Bookings:  10. G.Gaskin (67) 16. J.Benn (76)  7. L.Pattenden (88)

        Chatham Town:

1.    B.Bridle-Card         2. I.Orji    3. R.Orlu  6. D.Beckwith  7. P.Lock  9. D.Bradshaw (63)

11.    F.Saraiva  12. J.Taylor (82)  17. S.Sanogo  19. A.Nzala (63)  20 C.Krabbendam

Subs Used: 10. E.Oloyede (63)  15. O.Sotoyinbo (63)  18. M.Bodkin (82)

Subs Not Used: 4. J.Robins   5. R.Butler

Bookings:      None

Referee:  Mr A Dunn

Assistants:  Mr J.Hussey  & Mr E.Grainger

Att 401

Images courtesy of Tony Wicker