Chatham Town 3-2 Walton Casuals - One game at a time for survival dreams says caretaker boss Watson

Watson, who has taken the reigns from he last three games of the season as the Chats seek an unlikely three game winning run to save their Ryman League lives, was full of praise for his players in a side that showed only one change from the previous weeks 5-2 hammering at Dulwich Hamlet (with Adam Molloy returning in goal in place of James Tedder) albeit with a series of positional changes.

Watson said, “It was a good start to it and to be fair the lads did themselves justice today.  Tireless work on such a hot day and good result in the end.  Of course we were nervous when they got it back to 3-2, but the lads kept their heads today and with the work rate I think we deserved the three points!”

There was a strange opening to the game as for the first 20 minutes given the weather you’d have been forgiven for thinking that you were watching a pre season friendly.  And then totally out of the blue the Chats went ahead on 22 minutes.  Brad Potter slid a great ball through to Fuller who held off a defender superbly well before blazing the ball into the top left hand corner of the net from the edge of the box. 

Walton, who themselves had fallen out of Play Off contention after picking up just seven points out of a possible thirty, and hadn’t won away since February 1^st (ironically the same day as Chats last win period) disappointed as with a lively strike pair of Chris Drake and Kofi Lockhart Adams probing the home defence, the service they received can best be described as shocking!  Indeed they should really have fallen two behind on 34 minutes when an unmarked Ryan Laker could only head straight at keeper James Warrington from six yards.  The Chats had another chance just on half time, which was all done to young sub Kane Packer.  On for the unfortunate Billy Shinners, Packer did well to block a Walton move on the edge of his own box, and as his side broke down the left with Fuller and Laker combining well, the ball fell to Packer on the edge of the box and his first time drive brought a smart low save.

Walton finally got their act together in the latter stages of the half but didn’t really test Molloy in the home goal although the impressive Craig Totton and the Drake did keep the young keeper on his toes with distance drives that went just too high.

Half time came at the wrong time for Watson and his charges as Walton emerged from the dressing rooms looking a different side and within eight minutes were level, Totton’s charge into the box and resulting pull ball was smashed home by Liam Wright from eight yards out.  Wright thought he’d put the home side in front of 58 minutes as Molloy could only parry Drakes low drive but fortunately for the home side the assistant’s flag was raised.  It was a let off that the home side needed and took full advantage of.

On the hour they were back in front when Anthony Hogg gloriously drilled a free kick through a poor defensive wall from 25 yards – poor keeper Warrington was left rooted to the spot, before on 65 minutes Fuller made it three one.  Another charging run by Packer ended with a delightful through ball for Fuller, who initially was forced wide by Warrington.  But as the keeper re gained his ground, Fuller was left unmarked as he cut inside and drilled a low shot into the net from the edge of the box.

Watson was full of praise for Fuller after the game as he said, “Joes done well today – he can play in two positions.  He’s can play up front but has played most of the season in midfield.  He plays well up there – he holds the ball up well and is a very intelligent player, and got his reward today with two good goals.”

Just to mirror their season, the Chats seemed to switch off at the back on 74 minutes allowing Wright to score his second of the afternoon and set up a very nervy last 16 minutes.  And indeed Wright was agonisingly close to a hat trick on 88 minutes when, after a glorious pass from Totton, he cut in from the right and drilled a low drive across the face of Molloy’s goal, and fortunately for the Chats beyond the far post and safety!

The final whistle was greeted with relief as much as celebration, but Watson knows that this is just part one of the potential Great Escape – parts two and three have to be won before anything can be celebrated.

Speaking about the week that the club has endured following the resignation of manager Paul Foley and assistant Mark Newsome, caretaker Watson said,  “I don’t really want to talk about it too much to be honest.  Paul had his reasons for leaving and expressed them to the people he needed to.  I’ve been asked to do it until the end of the season which I’m happy to do from a playing and managerial point as well and I’ll do that!”

In respect of the task now facing him and his players, Watson said, “We’re going to take it one game at a time as its still mathematically possible – we’ll go to Eastbourne Town on Monday and look to put in the same sort of performance as we’ve done today we’ve got every chance of getting the result that we need, before a tough last game to go into next weekend (when the Chats host Champions elect Bognor Regis Town) and if its all to play for it really will be a bit of a Cup Final.” 

When asked about his own plans, Watson was non-committal, saying, “I haven’t looked beyond next week yet – I’m not sure, I haven’t considered it or spoken to anyone about it.  It’s something that I’m interested by in the future.  If it comes sooner then it comes, as I’m happy to wait as I still feel like I’ve got a bit to give on the playing side, so we’ll see.  That’s the first one out of the way – it was tough; it was interesting but fair play to the lads because they deserved it today!”