Chatham Town 1-6 Whitehawk - EMBARRASSING!

Sadly it was a lead that was to only last 14 minutes as Josh Jones stepped up and curled a beauty into the bottom left corner of the net to a stunned silence a around the ground.  

And it was soon to get worse for the home side as the visitors added two more in the closing minutes of the half.
 
On 35 minutes Jones turned provider for Sam Gargan to power home a header at the far post before, almost on the stroke of half time, Jones himself struck from another fine free kick!  This time he curled the ball up and beyond Molloy’s desperate dive into the top right corner of the net!
 
The Chats could have pulled one back on 48 minutes when Jason Barton battled into the box only to see his lay back drift behind the onrushing Billy Shinners. 

That was to prove costly, as 3-1 became 4-1 as a great ball in from the left from Jones, was nodded down by Ben Godfrey for substitute Kailley Akhurst to hammer the ball home from the edge of the box.
              
The proof that it really wasn’t the Chats day came on 62 minutes as Jones completed his hat trick. 

Wes Tate burst through down the right and his shot was brilliantly blocked by Molloy as the keeper stood up to the shot.  However, the ball almost apologetically looped into the path of Jones who gleefully slammed the ball high into the net.
 
There were a couple of glimmers from the home team as first Kane Rice had a great run and shot but straight at keeper Anderson, before Shinners skied a shot from the edge of the box after a fantastic diagonal ball from Barton.
 
The Chats miserable afternoon was completed on 81 minutes when Akhurst and Tate did well down the Whitehawk right, and before laying the ball back to Paul Armstrong who swept home number six for the visitors.
 
As the game wore on, some of the challenges that some of the home side’s more in-experienced players began to get that bit tetchy and late, but how refreshing it was to see referee Baker applying common sense to the situation rather than perhaps the full letter of the law, and actually talk to the players involved rather than just brandish around a few cards.
 
Afterwards, the Chats boss was philosophical in facing the struggles ahead.  He said, “The result today of course doesn’t help us at the bottom.  It was always going to be tough today.  In truth if you’d have picked the games out that we’ve got left I didn’t if I’m honest think that we were going to romp home today, and I thought it could have been a tight draw that might have gone our way but we haven’t got the luxury of players floating around the place and they had some very good players in their side. 

“I’ve got to be realistic as we’ve still got six games left and we’ve got to be better than we were to day.
 
“We’ve got some young lads in as we don’t have the luxury of being able to get players as the players that we have got who are experienced are out injured.  That’s football so we can’t really do much about it!”
 
“All six games that we’ve got left now are important starting next week (when the Chats are at home to Horsham YMCA).  Nothing’s won or lost today – we’ve got six more games to go!  It’s the same approach to the game if you’re at the top or bottom – it doesn’t matter where you are in the League to be honest!  I’ve been behind; I’ve been chasing the League; I’ve been bottom – you want to win a game of football no matter where you are in the league.  I don’t think there’s any added pressure – it’s no fun getting beat 6-1 and I just hope it’s a first and a last for me!”
 
So the Medway club now face six games in thirty days as they bid to pick something out of a frustrating season.  With three of their last six games against other sides in the bottom six, including a now massive game next Saturday with bottom of the table Horsham YMCA, followed by a Kent derby at the Belmont against Whitstable seven days later, Chatham know that their destiny does seem to be in their own hands. 

But manager Foley will know that safety has to be ensured by the final day of the season as that’s the day the Chats host arguably the best side in the division – championship challengers Bognor Regis Town – who just may have to come to the Maidstone Road Sports Ground needing three points for the title…  On this display at least… well, that scenario doesn’t bare thinking about!

Chatham Town: Adam Molloy, Kane Rice, Ryan Laker, Bill Parkinson (Kane Packer 58), Jon Hogg (Francis Tshikaya 64), Alfie Harris (David Hunt 85), Joe Fuller, Jason Barton, Billy Shinners, Tom Bradshaw, Brad Potter.
Subs: Gary Herd, Charlie Ticehurst
 
Goal: Brad Potter 2

Whitehawk: Lloyd Anderson, Craig Richards, Sam Fisk, Paul Armstrong, Mark Pullen (Kailley Akehurst 46), Stuart Tuck, Wes Tate, Richard Carpenter (Darren Budd 64), Sam Gargan, Ben Godfrey, Josh Jones.
Subs: Pat Harding, Jerahl Hughes, Matt Hurley
 
Goals: Josh Jones 17, 45, 62, Sam Gargan 35, Kailley Akehurst 50, Paul Armstrong 81
 
Attendance: 109
Referee: Mr Neil Baker (Welling)
Assistants: Mr Graham Bryant (Saltwood) & Mr Nicolas Harnett (Ramsgate)