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Thursday 01st September 2005

Chatham suffer last minute heartbreak

Tuesday 16th August 2005	Southern League Division One East	Neil Sanders reports from Mayesbrook Park
Barking & East Ham United	1	Aransibia 90
Chatham Town	1	Rob Denness 15

Chatham started well at Mayesbrook Park and only had to wait 14 minutes for a breakthrough, writes Neil Sanders.

A quickly taken free kick by Steve Searle found Rob Denness's intelligent run into the penalty area. With the keeper in two minds, he drove the ball across from a tight angle and inside the far post to score his first league goal for the Medway side.

Brendan Cass nearly increased the lead ten minutes later when a through ball by Steve Best sent him clear. However, the shot was pulled just past the post.

The home side started to come into the game more just before the break but could only manage a couple of headers which Louis Green handled comfortably.

Shortly after the interval, Chats wall blocked a Barking free kick and sent Denness on a 60 yard run box to box. He was eventually stopped by three defenders as he looked up for support.

The home side then began to control possession. Steve Best headed superbly off the line from a far post volley by Wayne Vaughan but in general Chats kept clear chances to a minimum.

Barking eventually equalised a minute into stoppage time when sub Andy Aransibia held off a challenge and beat Green at the near post from 15 yards.

Understandably Chatham looked very disappointed at the end although an away point against highly fancied opponents is still a decent result.

Barking & East Ham United: Tucker, Higgs, Wood, Woodards (Willis 74), Waters, Blaney, O'Sullivan, Devereux, Vaughan, Slade (Aransibia 74), Murray (Doyle 84). Subs unused: Murrat, Everett.

Chatham Town: Green, Boyle, D.Larkin, A.Larkin, Bourne, Best, Binks, Searle, Denness (Billinness 72), Cass, Walker (Finn 74). Subs unused: Brookes, Miles