Tooting & Mitcham United 1-0 Chatham Town - Binks tells Dover: My players gave absoutely everything!

The Medway outfit’s brave resilience, however, was undone when Tooting & Mitcham United striker Jon Henry-Haden netted his 22^nd goal of the season, with a header timed at one minute and 46 seconds into time added on at the end of the second half.

An impressive display from goalkeeper Miroslav Oravec had thwarted the home side on numerous occasions, but there was relief both on and off the pitch when Henry-Haden broke Chatham’s - and Dover Athletic's - hearts.

Hundreds of Dover Athletic fans were keeping an eye on this clash at Imperial Fields as Andy Hessenthaler’s side currently need five more points to seal the title.

But the gloom descended on east Kent as news filtered through of a late Tooting & Mitcham United winner - during eight minutes and 53 seconds of stoppage time.

Oravec, a 33-year-old from the Czech Republic came rushing off his line and did well to block Henry-Haden’s shot, but the ball looped up and enabled the striker to nod the ball into the open net to spark a mass celebration at the perimeter fencing with relieved fans.

It was heartbreaking for Chatham, a side that are ten points clear of the drop zone, and a club that should be playing at this level again next season.

Oravec had made his first fabulous save of the evening inside the opening five minutes, clawing out Carl Hutchings’ bullet-header.

Chatham right-back Tom Binks almost glanced a header into the foot of his own near post when a cross from the right was easily going out for a goal-kick, as the home side dominated.

Jamie Byatt, the home side’s left-sided midfielder, drilled a left-footed shot across Oravec but also past the far post from 25-yards, at the half-way stage of a one-sided first half.

Chatham Town took almost 23 minutes for their first shot on goal, coming from Steve Hafner, who was partnering Rob Denness up front.

Hafner, normally a winger, struck a right-footed free-kick around the wall from 28-yards, but the ball bounced agonisingly past the foot of the left-post.

Byatt almost embarrassed Oravec when his left-footed shot bounced off the goalkeeper’s body, but the ball was hacked clear and towards safety.

Oravec produced another fine save just before half-time, diving to keep out Hutchings’ bullet-header as the home side went in search to break the deadlock.

Chatham Town, however, came out with more attacking purpose during the second half, and finally Dave King, Tooting & Mitcham’s goalkeeper, was called into action.

Hafner cut in from the right-flank but his shot from sixteen-yards in the middle of the box rolled to King after just 34 seconds.

Hafner cracked a right-footed shot from 25-yards after 57 minutes but the ball brought a very comfortable save from the former Thamesmead Town stopper.

There were cries of “how did he save that?” from the home club’s officials to the left of the press box as Oravec produced his best save after 63 minutes.

A corner came in from the right and defender Hutchings met the ball with a bullet header, which was flying towards the roof of the net, but Oravec produced a world class save to somehow tip the ball over the bar.

The longer the game on, the more you wanted brave Chatham to hold out for a draw.

Henry-Haden’s angled shot was turned around the post by a flying Oravec with fourteen minutes of this intriguing clash left.

Moments later, King was tested for the very first time when he flew to his right to tip Hafner’s 30-yard shot around the post.

But the Kent side forced a couple of late efforts to steal victory but squandered good chances to do so.

Substitute Justin Ascheri whipped in a cross from the right by-line but former Sittingbourne player, Tunisian, Sabeur Trebelsi, also a substitute, sent his header just over the crossbar from ten-yards.

And impressive full-back Tom Davey blazed his shot high and wide from just two-yards out after he slid in at the far-post.

But Tooting & Mitcham’s persistence finally paid off but Binks was a very proud man, when speaking EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“It’s a cruel, cruel game but there are so many positives to take out of that game tonight,” he said.

“I thought we were more than a match for them and the ten minutes prior to them scoring, in the last ten minutes, we forced three or four corners and we were looking like we were going to nick the goal.

“I’m absolutely delighted with the players. I could not have asked them to give any more.

“I could go through the whole side, I was absolutely delighted with that performance.

“I think that was the best ninety minutes since I’ve been in charge and that was a cruel, cruel result. I thought we deserved something out of that.”

Knowing that this game was of an interest of Dover Athletic, remember Chatham completed the double over the Whites this season, Binks’s boys gave it their all.

“It wasn’t for the want of trying,” Binks replied when asked that conceding the only goal of the game so late on broke so many Dover fans’ hearts.

“You could see that we weren’t trying to play for a nil-nil draw.

“In fact if we had sat back for the last ten minutes and played for the nil-nil draw, we might have got it.

“We were actually trying to win that game all night, not just the last ten minutes. We gave as good as we got first half, I’m delighted with the first half.

“I told the players at half-time that was the best 45 minutes of the season and I said after the game the first 45 minutes was their best 45, second 45 was even better!

“They're shattered, every single player. They’ve given absolutely everything!  I’m going to take so many positives out tonight.”

Tooting & Mitcham United: Dave King, Dorian Smith, Colin Hartburn, Romuald Bouadji, Carl Hutchings, Ronnie Green (Ben Abbey 77), Allan McLeod (Ryan Gray 59), Guilleme Lopez-Dacruz, Paul Vines, Jon Henry-Haden, Jamie Byatt (Jason Pinnock 59).
Subs: Vernon Francis, Oliver Hunt.

Goal: Jon Henry-Haden 90

Booked: Jamie Byatt 45, Colin Hartburn 45, Carl Hutchings 61

Chatham Town: Miroslav Oravec, Tom Binks, Ross Finn, Matt Solly, Danny Larkin, Steve Best, Tyran James (Sabeur Trebelsi 73), Tom Davey, Steve Hafner, Rob Denness (Justin Ascheri 83), Dave Botterill (Michael Scott 87).
Sub: Nathan Ballin.

Booked: Steve Hafner 45, Ross Finn 90

Attendance: 155
Referee: Mr Michael Webb (Woking, Surrey)
Assistants: Mr Gavin Collins (Aldershot, Hampshire) & Mr Barry Lynch (Camberley, Surrey)

REST IN PEACE DAD!
I would like to dedicate this match report to my dad, who died of cancer on this day eight years ago, aged 69.