Chatham Town 0-4 Walton Casuals

With both teams only three points clear of the drop zone at the start, this was an important “6 pointer” on Saturday, writes Neil Sanders.

The visitors adapted better to the heavy pitch conditions and scored the opening goal after 19 minutes.

Chatham conceded possession after a promising attack and Anthony Gale’s long clearance put Craig Carley clear to lob Miroslav Oravec from the edge of the 18 yard box.

Casuals then doubled the lead in the 33^rd minute, when Michael Carpenter beat the Chats keeper to the ball out on the left, and pulled it back for Gale to lift it over the covering defenders and into the roof of the net.

Chatham’s best effort of the half came from a Ross Finn volley, following a good run by Danny White, but Walton keeper Matt Reed was equal to the task.

Chats started the second half better and went close through a Sam Groombridge header and a long range shot from Tom Binks.

However, the result was really put beyond doubt when Carpenter finished from close range after a good run down the left by Michael Cobden after 54 minutes.

Rob Denness and Steve Best both forced decent saves from the Casuals keeper late on, but the highlight of the second half was Walton’s fourth goal.

Billy Mead found Scott Harris, who created enough space to curl a left foot shot beyond Oravec with 10 minutes remaining.

Chatham now drop below the visitors and have a tough trip to third placed Hastings United on Tuesday night.

Injuries are certainly not helping their cause either with first choice keeper John Whitehouse and Drew Watkins still struggling, Danny Larkin out for several weeks and now top scorer Rob Denness picking up a suspected broken toe.