Chatham Town kept their 100% record so far this season but Bearsted gave them an almighty scare.

In the end fitness seemed to be the reason why Chatham finally got the three points but Bearsted gave it their all.

The game started with Chatham in the ascendancy, in the 8^th minute Luke Rooney saw his free kick from 20 yards centrally go just over the bar.

Bearsted had their first half chance in the 10^th minute when Lucian Scarlet on the left received the ball & his first time shot from 20 yards was saved by Jordan Carey, then in the 17^th minute Chatham took the lead when Dan Bradshaw on the right crossed to the near post where Skipper Jack Evans appeared & headed in from 5 yards.

Most people would have assumed Chatham would have gone on & scored more but in the 20^th minute Chatham’s defenders were passing the ball around in their area & the Bearsted forwards closed them down & a foul was committed & a penalty, up stepped Elyon Marshall-Katung who stroked into the bottom left hand corner.

Four minutes later & Bearsted were in front when a Tom Penfold long ball put Jordan Ababio in on the right & his pace beat the defence & from an acute angle he shot past Carey.

In the 28^th minute it was nearly three when Harrison Hatfull on the right crossed to the back post for Lucian Scarlett who cut inside & saw his shot go just over the bar.

Two minutes later Christian Lawal on the right cut inside into the area & his toe poked effort went just past the far post. The last chance of the half came in the 33^rd minute when Ababio ran from halfway & his shot from 20 yards was saved by Carey.

The rest of the half saw Chatham huff & puff & create nothing & Bearsted deserved to be in front.

The second half started slowly with Bearsted having the first half chance when in the 50^th minute Lucian Scarlet on the left crossed into the area where Marshall-Katung 12 yards out & he swivelled & shot but it was deflected for a corner.

Chatham were still in the game but did not look likely to score, in the 67^th minute Lawal down the right crossed to the back post where last season’s top scorer Bradshaw found space but his stooped header went straight into Daniel Smith’s midriff.

In the 70^th minute Jon Rogers received the 25 yards out & his shot went just past the post, this must have woken Chatham up as in the very next minute they equalised when a ball into the area was half cleared & a shot came in & was pushed away but straight to Evans who shot home from 5 yards.

A minute later & they nearly took the lead when two shots reigned in on the Bearsted goal with Smith saving one & a defender clearing the other but in the 74^th minute they did take the lead when a Ryan Hayes free kick to the back post was headed in by Reece Butler from 2 yards.

Six minutes later & it was four when Bradshaw latched onto a long ball went into the area & shot past Smith, then the 5^th came in the 86^th minute when a corner to the near post was smacked in by Moses Adioye which if the truth was stated Bearsted did not deserve that but Chatham go marching on.

BEARSTED: 1. D.SMITH 2. J.DAWSON (45) 3. C.CROUCHER 4. A.LUQMAN 5. T.PENFOLD 6. S.HAFNER 7. J.ABIBIO 8. H.HATFULL 9. C.SCARLET (79) 10. E.MARSHALL-KATUNG (61) 1. L.SCARLET

SUBS USED: 17. J.ROGERS (45) 15. D.BARONOWSKI (61) 14. A.IRVINE (79)

SUBS NOT USED: 12. C.McCARTHY 16. J.WAKEFIELD

BOOKINGS: 6. S.HAFNER (7) 10. E.MARSHALL-KATUNG (10)

CHATHAM TOWN: SQUAD NUMBERS: 1. J.CAREY 20. C.DICKENS (35) 17. C.LAWAL 4. R.BUTLER 19. I.ORJI (87) 14. J.ROBINS 7. R.HAYES (81) 8. J.EVANS 9. D.BRADSHAW 24. L.ROONEY 12. M.ABIOYE

SUBS USED: 3. G.SHEMINANT (35) 2. J.PIBEAM (81) 16. H.BROWN (87)

SUBS NOT USED: 21. J.HEALY GK. H.MILLS

BOOKINGS: 4. R.BUTLER (20) 3. G.SHERMINANT (51) 24. L.ROONEY (75) 16. H.BROWN (90+4)

REFEREE: Mr K.COX

ASSISTANTS: Mr M.DONNELLY & Mr S.GOLDUP