It was very much after the “Lord Mayors Show” for Chatham Town as a frustrating cold and damp night at the Bauvill, Brentwood Town climbed above their hosts in the Isthmian Premier table courtesy of a solitary goal from Louie Johnson. 

After running Southend United so close in Round Five of the Isuzu FA Trophy at the weekend, a fixture against a fellow promotion hopeful was always going to be a tough ask and so it proved.

After bossing most of the first half – quite how Junior Dixon wasn’t on the scoresheet at least twice for the home side only he will know – Chatham fell behind minutes after the break when Johnson turned a ball from the right in at the back post. 

The Chats huffed and puffed but struggled to pierce the pale blue barrier that Brentwood had erected in front of their goal. And on the rare occasions they did get through, former Sheppey United keeper Aidan Prall denied Kevon Hake’s side with a combination of pure luck and two excellent late saves. 

The home fans gathered hoping that the momentum that the Chats had gained even in defeat to Southend at the weekend would carry on and early on the signs were good and new boy Dixon should have opened the scoring as he got on the end of Matty Macarthur’s low ball but his sliding effort disappeared over the Chats Academy behind the goal. 

Dixon went close again just past the half hour but from a clear chance could only slice his effort into the side netting whilst Adam Leathers’s low drive drew a comfortable save from Prall. 

Such was the home side’s dominance and Brentwood’s lack of attacking threat, the only chance the visitors created in the first half was nearly of the Chats own making as the visitors’ first corner into the Chats box caused chaos and was only just scrambled clear! 

The second half began in similar vein and Leathers was unlucky with a low drive which was wide of the left post, before the Chats were caught with a true sucker punch – Scott Kashket did well down the right and his centre was side footed home by Johnson to give the Essex side the lead that in truth they barely deserved. 

Daniel Ogunleye missed a golden chance shortly after to double Brentwood’s lead but with support either side, he went for goal and it was a comfortable save for Nathan Harvey. 

The Chats had plenty of possession and few clear chances – Reece Butler’s point-blank header from a corner hit a defender prompting loud penalty appeals which referee Dunn waved away, probably the best – before the final ten minutes when Chatham were playing with four out and out forwards. 

A ball into the box by Dixon was horribly spilled by Prall who was then extremely fortunate to beat out two follow ups from Leathers.

That was the Chats man’s last touch and his replacement – Nile Ranger – should have scored with his first touch in a Chats shirt but poked a rebound wide after Robins’ drive had been well beaten out. 

The Chats piled forward but all too often the final ball was lacking and on a rare occasion the cross did make it into the box, a stretching Tope Fadahunsi couldn’t keep his header down and the chance – and the points – were gone! 

It all proved too much for manager Hake who was so incensed at the final whistle, he was shown a red card by the referee after play had ended – it somehow summed up the night for Chatham! 

CHATHAM TOWN – Harvey, Evans, Aidoo (Olugbodi), Robins, Butler, Sene-Richardson, Leathers (Ranger), Anokye-Boadi (Fadahunsi), Macarthur (Garlinge), Dixon.

Sub not used – Cooper. 

BRENTWOOD TOWN – Prall, Reid, Cripps, Kashket (Hughes), Ogunleye, Kaiser, Freeman, Johnson (Brooke), Thomas (Pollock), Hudson, Machado (Cole).

Sub not used – Vaivada. 

REFEREE – Mr. Dunn