Chatham Town lost to Dartford in this Kent Derby but remain in third place with Dartford just a place behind them, as the two sides played in front of a record attendance at the Bauvill.

The game was lost in the first ten minutes for the hosts, as for the rest of the game they were probably the better side, but goals win games as they say.

Dartford got off to the best start as in the third minute a corner into the six-yard box was knocked in by Joe Tennent, two minutes later Chatham nearly equalised when the ball bouncing around the area eventually fell at Kian Moynes feet and his shot was saved by Jonny Henly.

In the eighth minute Dartford doubled their lead when a free kick into the area came to Callum Jones on the right and his low cross was side footed in by George Whitefield.

This shocked the majority of the crowd, and it took a while for Chatham to get going, in the 20^th minute Tope Fadahunsi saw his twenty-yard snapshot go just past the post now Chatham were getting up to speed but Dartford’s press stopped them getting many chances on goal. 

In the 29^th minute Chatham nearly scored when Matt Macathur saw his twenty-five-yard free kick come back of the bar and in the 43^rd minute another chance came when Kasim Aidoo running down the left got to the by-line and his cross was met by Sid Nelson but under pressure his flying header went over the bar.

The second half started with Chatham on the ascendancy as in the forty eighth minute Macarthur on edge of area saw his first shot blocked but came back to him but this time his shot went wide.

Eight minutes later Aidoo running down the left saw his cross-reach Kofi Anokye-Boad and his snapshot went wide. Chatham did get their reward when in the 58^th minute they scored when Sam Sene-Richardson picked up the ball forty yards out and ran forward with no one challenging him and from eighteen yards his precise shot beat Henly.

Goals change games and Chatham were now trying to get an equaliser, nine minutes later Sene-Richardson nearly got the equaliser when he picked up a loose ball and with the outside of his boot the ball went just wide of the post.

Chatham huffed and puffed looking for the equaliser while Dartford relied on breakaways. In the third minute of added on time Simon Cooper on the edge of the area saw his shot  go just wide and the last chance of the game came in the sixth minute of added on time when Nathan Harvey ‘s long ball saw Fadahunsi challenging for it and off balance his shot went past the post.

        Chatham Town:

1. N.Harvey     2. O.Evans (70)  3. K.Aidoo (80)  4. J.Robins  5. R.Butler  6. S.Nelson (89) 8. K.Moynes (45)

10. S.Sene-Richardson  14. A.Leathers (80)  10. T.Fadahunsi  35. M. Macarthur

Subs Used:  20. K.Anokye-Boad (45)  15. S.Cooper (70)  23. D.Olugbodi (80)  28. B.Allen (80)  36. J.Chritmas (89)

Subs Not Used:  All Used

Bookings: 36. J.Christmas (90+7)

        Dartford:

1.   J.Henly    2. S.Okoye   3. S.Odaudu   6. G.Whitefield  7. C. Jones  8. D.Olopade  11. O.Box

16. J.Tennent  21. J.Judge Bland (74)  23. D.Carter  29. N.Eze (60)

 Subs Used:  17.  L.Williams(60)  4. S.Carruthers (74)

Subs Not Used:  5. S.Smith  18. B.Frempah  28. J.Finder

Bookings:16. J.Tennent (63)   23. D.Carter (90+2)

Referee: Mr S.Cutler

Assistants:  Mr S.Ryan & Mr T.Reed

Att: 3,049

Image courtesy of Chatham Town FC