Kentish Football 
Eastbourne Town 0-1 Chatham Town - It's important to stay in chasing pack - O'Brien
Ryman League Division One South
Wednesday 28th October 2009
Mike Green reports from Saffrons
CHATHAM TOWN boss Alex O'Brien asked for an improved performance from his side after they meekly surrendered at the weekend - and his charges didn’t let him down as courtesy of a brilliant piece of quick thinking, the Chats returned to Kent with all three points after their Wednesday night trip to the Saffrons in Eastbourne.
And to be fair on the balance of play, Chatham just about deserved the points, and the much-improved performance pleased manager O'Brien as he spoke to www.kentishfootball.co.uk in a deserted dressing room after the game.
"We looked for a reaction from the boys after Saturday's massive blip," he said. "and tonight I think that’s what we got. We made three changes from the weekend (Dave Hall, Jimmy Lyons and Mark Green in for Ray Powell (suspended), Tom Davey (away) and Matt Lovell), and we asked for a fast tempo game and a desire to win the game - and that’s what we got.
“To come here and grind out a one nil win is fantastic as many teams will come here and struggle.
“Eastbourne's recent results, with draws against Croydon Athletic, Dulwich and the (Metropolitan) Police at the weekend shows what a tough side to beat they are, and that for me tonight is what’s most pleasing! We dug in when we had to - putting ourselves on the line (with some blocks) when we had to for probably the first time and we go home with the points.”
The Chats came out of the blocks flying, and in the very first minute Green whistled a free kick just past Tanner's left post, and on seven minutes the home keeper did very well to claw a viciously in swinging Justin Ascheri left wing corner- the ball was whipped in under the bar at the near post with pace, and the keeper did very well to push the ball away almost from under the angle of post and bar...
On 20 minutes, the tannoy announcer at least thought the home side had taken the lead as Ashley Jarvis sent a low shot, which skidded off of the every increasing dewy surface and cannoned off of the boards behind the goal, and ricocheted onto the outside of the net - heck from the opposite end of the ground it was an "easy" mistake to make!
And it seemed to kick-start the Chats into action, and they then wasted two glorious chances to take the lead, and both time the unfortunate party was top scorer Cass.
On 22 minutes, Ascheri did brilliantly down the right and raced clear. He pulled the ball back from the line for Cass, who delayed for a second too long, and instead of walking the ball into the net, the Chatham number nine was challenged as he shot and the ball clipped the bar from 10 yards.Cass went even closer 16 minutes from half time - again Ascheri played a delightful through ball, and Cass this time was denied by a combination of keeper and post and the chance was gone.
The Chats were almost made to pay on the stroke of half time, when Jarvis whipped in a fine cross for Liam Baitup, but the Eastbourne number nine enjoyed the same frustrating feeling as his opposite number by sending his free header high over the bar.
The second half began with the visitors forced into a change as defender Ben Payne hobbled off with a thigh problem to be replaced by assistant boss Lew Watts.
A Green corner was only half cleared and as the ball fell to Solly on the edge of the box, his deflected drive produced a fine save from the home keeper - plunging away to his right to tip the ball around the post.
From that corner, Richard Avery (who had possibly his best game of the season at the heart of the Chats defence) saw a header fly narrowly wide.Then came Solly's moment of inspiration and Chatham had a deserved lead. The goal forced the home side into a double substitution and it was one of the subs Greg Manton who picked his way through the visitors rear guard only to be denied by keeper Dean Ruddy who did well not to commit himself.
The game was now really stretched with chances coming at both ends - Baitup was denied twice in quick succession by brilliant blocks by first Green and then Hall, whilst at the other end, Cass headed a fine Green cross wide and Ascheri was denied by Tanner's knees when through one on one.
But the home side’s best chance of salvaging a point came just four minutes from time.
A long free kick into the Chatham box was nodded down by Putland; Manton laid the ball off only to see Adam Davidson sky the chance high out of the ground from six yards.
It was have been tough on Chatham had the home side levelled as their defence was marshalled superbly by the skipper and the sub (Avery and Watts) that anything other than a clean sheet would have been harsh!The home side’s frustrations boiled over in injury time when Baitup was shown a straight red card after what appeared to be an innocuous clash with Watts on half way - the striker aired his disapproval at Mr Wright's decision and was promptly sent for the early bath.
A delighted O'Brien admitted after the game that he was pleased with the influence of his new players.
"We made the three changes tonight and I thought that every one of them proved a point to me and themselves tonight,” he said. “Dave Hall showed why Lew was so keen to bring him to the club; Jimmy (Lyons) showed a fantastic attitude to being left on the bench the last few games, and Greenie showed the true Mark Green tonight with a great performance."
O'Brien went on, "after last nights games, it was important for us to stay in the pack (this win takes Chatham to 7th in the table just seven points behind leaders Folkestone Invicta), but tonight was all about challenging the players to show me the real fight and determination that I know is true Chatham Town.” Smiling the Chats boss concluded "and you know I think we saw it!"
Eastbourne Town: Russell Tanner, Ollie Rowe, Paul Richardson, Adam Davidson, Ben Putland, Peter Featherstone, Chris Dicker (Mark Goodwin 70), Jamie Salvidge (Greg Manton 70), Liam Baitup, Andy Ducille (Jack Dixon 60), Ashley Jarvis.
Subs: Ross Markham, Matt Sellick.
Chatham Town: Dean Ruddy, Dave Hall, Ashley Probets, Matt Solly, Richard Avery, Ben Payne (Lew Watts 45), Michael Scott, Jimmy Lyons, Brendon Cass (Lee Barnett 75), Justin Ascheri, Mark Green (Byron Walker 80).
Sub: Richard Stroud
Booked: Byron Walker 85
Goal: Matt Solly 67
Attendance: 134
Referee: Mr P Wright
Assistants: Mr R Albert & Mr C Todd
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd