Chatham Town enjoyed a mixed weekend as they continued their build up to the new Isthmian Premier Division campaign after thumping Three Bridges on Friday night before narrowly losing the Bluebell Hill derby on Saturday afternoon.
Playing almost two different sides, the Chats showed no mercy on Bridges – who remember made the South East Play Off Final in May – winning at a real canter thanks to a brace from Khale De Costa and goals from Simon Cooper, Sam Sene-Richardson, and Rohan Liburd. Saturday’s encounter was much more of a contest with Aaron Blair’s first half strike settling the game.
Friday night was as comprehensive a performance as Kevin Hake could have asked for from the half of his squad he named. New signing Kofi Anokye-Boadi causing problems for the visitors all evening it was little surprise that he created the opening goal that Da Costa coolly swept home at the back post.
Cooper thumped a header home for the second as the visitors just could defend set pieces, and the Chats central defender would have been disappointed that he did not add a third in the same way shortly after.
Da Costa the drilled home the third after Liburd did well to win the ball back and the home side had a half time cushion that the visitors never threatened.
Sene-Richardson kneed home the fourth as another corner simply want defended as the home side started the second half in similar fashion. Anokye-Boadi was denied a deserved goal by the keeper’s legs before Liburd flashed a header narrowly wide.
The big striker was not to be denied however and following yet another great run from Anokye-Boadi, Liburd was in the right place to convert a fully deserved goal.
Less than 24 hours later, another Chats line-up hosted Maidstone and the visitors took the spoils after a fine first half goal from Blair as he cut in from the wing before blasting home.
That came just moments after the Stones had had a penalty well saved by the Chats Trialist keeper after the referee spotted a hand ball.
Images courtesy of Chatham Town