Chatham Town had a bad day at the office as they lost to lowly Wingate & Finchley with a performance that was probably their worst for a while luckily, they have the chance to put that right as they head to Dartford on Bank Holiday Monday.

The game started badly for Chatham as in the third minute a long ball forward saw Anointed Chukwu challenging for the ball making a nuisance of himself and the ball came out to Chatham old boy Ashley Nzala who shot home from eight yards.

Fourteen minutes later it was nearly two when Romeo Akinola was put through and once in the area his shot was saved by Nathan Harvey’s legs. In the 19^th minute a corner to the back post found Ben Frempah but he headed over the bar.

Chatham finally had their first half chance of the game in the 25^th minute when Bradley Stevenson went on a mazy run and from twenty-five yards his deflected shot hit the outside of the post and went out for a corner.

Two minutes later Wingate doubled their lead when another corner to the back post found Billy Cracknell who from five yards on his own headed into the net.

The last chance of the half came in the 42^nd minute when Mackye West on the edge of the area saw his curling effort go just past the post. The half time whistle went and Wingate would go in having dominated play while Chatham would probably hear the voice of Kevin Hake demanding more.

The half was only a minute old when Chatham got a goal back, when Alex Giles got to the by-line and his low cross bounced around before Jimmy Wild swivelled and shot home from three yards could this be that the comeback is on?

No as two minutes later Wingate got a third but in a contentious way as Chukwu was put through but looked offside, he carried on into the area before shooting past Harvey. In the 59^th minute it could have been worse as a long ball forward caused confusion in the Chatham defence allowing Nzala in on goal, but he blazed his shot over the bar.

Another great chance came five minutes later when another long ball caught Sid Nelson out and Chukwu went on into the area but shot over the bar. In the 67^th minute Chatham reduced the score when Substitute Jack Lyons went across the edge of the area before shooting causing Charlie Grainger to spill it and Ollie Evans reacted the quickest and chipped in.

Two minutes later an unlikely equaliser nearly came when Evans on the right saw his cross to the far post saw Wild jumping for it and volleyed it over the bar.

Another great chance fell to Chatham as Stevenson on the left saw his cross to the back post headed over the bar by Wild. In the 86^th minute Wingate could have made the score more realistic as Chukwu was put through on goal but his shot past the onrushing Harvey went just past the post.

        Chatham Town:

1. N.Harvey      2. O.Evans  4, J,Robins (80)   5. R.Butler   7. B.Stevenson  8. K.Moynes (28) 

9.   J.Wild  14. A.Leathers  16. J.Turner (45)  24. O.Hobden (45)  26. A.Giles

Subs Used:  17. B.Allen ( 28, 45)  2. B.Coker (45)  6. S.Nelson (45)  19. J.Lyons (45)  23/ D.Olugbodi (80)

Subs Not Used: All Used

Bookings: 16. J.Turner (12)  17. B.Allen (31)  2. O.Evans (72)  6. R.Butler (75)

       Wingate & Finchley:

1.   C.Grainger     3. M.West (68)  4. B.Cracknell  5. B.Frempah  6. S.Cornish  7. C.Megelligan

 9.    A.Chukwu     14. R.Akinola (70)  15k.Fraser  16. J.Thomas  17. A.Nzala (82)

Subs Used:2. M.Onyike (68)  12. S.Moulawafiq (70)  19. J.Shamato (82)

Subs Not Used: 11. H.Lamb

Bookings:  16. J.Thomas (33)  9. A.Chukwu (52)  17. A.Nzala (69)

Referee: Mr T.Reed

Assistants: Mr R. Cahalane & Mr D.Davis

Att: 887