Chatham Town 3-2 Burgess Hill Town - Our players showed maturity beyond their years - O'Brien

Tuesday 18th August 2009

CHATHAM TOWN 3-2 BURGESS HILL TOWN

Ryman League Division One South

Tuesday 18th August 2009

Mike Green reports from Maidstone Road

A GOAL with THE last kick of the game from Justin Ascheri sealed the points for Chatham Town and gave rookie manager Alex O'Brien his first competitive victory as a manager, and condemned Burgess Hill to yet more heartbreak at the hands of Kent clubs.

On Sunday, it was former Chats keeper Kevin Fewell who starred in Whitstable Town's 1-0 smash and grab raid in Sussex.

Tonight it was the hard working Ascheri, who was a thorn in the Sussex team's side literally from the first kick off till last, who sealed the deserved three points for O'Brien's side.

Indeed the Chats boss was still shaking his head in disbelief when he spoke to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

"After the way they played in the second half, we'll take any win" he said. "We were outstanding at time first half, but in the second they gave us a real battle but we never gave up. Some of our players showed maturity beyond their years which is what we want to see, and with the competition we have for place particularly up front, what can you say about Justin's finish."

Ascheri's winner - a pin point lob from 30 yards over keeper Joe Adams, after the home side had broken quickly after clearing a corner - came as a real heart ache for the visitors after a spirited second half display saw them recover from being two goals down. But this was all about Chatham getting off the mark - and what a way to do it!

The first half was an intriguing battle with the home side worthy of their half time lead given to them in the 24th minute by Brendan Cass.

The former Dartford striker superbly controlled Steve Hafner's cross from the right, before turning and firing home into the bottom corner.

They could have been two up inside the opening ten minutes as both Cass and Ascheri's fired narrowly wide, before Steve Harper tested Chats keeper Richard Stroud with a cheeky free kick that almost crept in at the left post.

If the first half had been cagey the second was end to end with both sides creating chances. The Chats were fastest out of their blocks and doubled their advantage on 50 minutes when Ascheri was on hand to blast the ball into the net from 12 yards after Jim Lyons and Cass had combined brilliantly down the right.

The two goal cushion lasted barely a minute though as the visitors though hit back almost from kick off as a shot from Danny Curd was blocked on the edge of the box, only for Matt Hurley to score low into the corner from 20 yards.

Both sides then went close - Chatham when substitute Lee Barnett was denied by a fabulous block from Danny Gainsford with the ball ricocheting inches wide of the left post whilst at the other end, Harper had a shot parried by Stroud (before the immense Richard Avery cleared) and then saw a fierce volley pushed away by Stroud after the tall winger was picked out by a sensational diagonal ball from Lloyd Skinner.

The equaliser duly arrived on 72 minutes courtesy of free kick routine straight off of the training ground - and not even the most ardent Chats fan could have denied Burgess Hill the goal that their growing pressure deserved.

Harper planted a long ball into the box; Gainsford headed it back across goal and Curd was on hand to apply the finishing touch at the near post.

Both sides went for the winner with Stroud relieved to see a Gainsford header deflect agonisingly wide of the left post whilst Barnett's low shot deflected off of Toby Phillips into the side netting shaving the post on its way.

Then came Ascheri's late, late show, and even before the men from Sussex could get the ball back to the centre circle, referee Baker blew the final whistle.

Whilst O'Brien was delighted with the three points, the Chats boss was also a touch worried about the way his side had been over run in the second half.

"We tired in the engine room", he said. "They changed it around in there and over run us at times, but we didn’t help ourselves by giving the ball away too easily.

“But we got the win which was important after Saturday, and more importantly, Lew (Watts) and I asked for a performance and that's what we got," he went on. "I've never known a game like Saturdays' defeat (0-3 at Godalming) where all 11 players are out of tune and off colour - but tonight was completely different.

“That said tonight won’t mean anything if we now cant build on it when (Horsham) YMCA come here."

Lets just hope for the Chats fans that their heroes don't leave it quite as late when Saturday, otherwise O'Brien may not be the only one at Maidstone Road with no hair!!!

Chatham Town: Richard Stroud, Brad Potter, Ashley Proberts, Matt Solly, Richard Avery, Ben Payne, Steve Hafner, Jim Lyons, Brendan Cass (Lee Barnett 65), Justin Ascheri, Mark Green (Tom Davey 65).
Subs: Michael Scott, Dan Ellis

Goals: Brendan Cass 23, Justin Ascheri 50, 90

Booked: Justin Ascheri 78

Burgess Hill Town: Joe Adams, Matt Piper, Will Berry, Toby Phillips Danny Gainsford, Leo Day, Steve Harper, Lloyd Cotton, Danny Curd, Matt Hurley, Lloyd Skinner.
Subs: Pater Martin, Jon Lansdale, Max Barnard, Charlie Cooke, Tom Edmonds

Goals: Matt Hurley 51, Danny Curd 72

Booked Leo Day 78

Attendance: 115
Referee: Mr Neil Baker (Maidstone)
Assistants Mr Keith Stone (Ramsgate) & Mr Elad Amir (Madstone)