Solly spot on to stretch Chats' unbeaten sequence

Chatham Town 1 Waltham Abbey 0

by John Crow

MATT Solly converted a second half penalty to stretch Chatham's unbeaten sequence to 11 matches and lift them into the top half of the Ryman League (Division 1 North) table.

They also completed the double over play-offs bound Waltham Abbey.

Making their success even more impressive was the fact it was achieved without three key players, including leading scorer Lee Barnett who was on an FA coaching course. Also missing were Tommy Binks, who injured his ankle ligaments during the goalless draw at Thamesmead Town on Bank Holiday Monday, and Michael Dodsworth who was unwell.

In for Binks was James Bodle, making just his second start of the season for the first team following a good run in the Reserves - while veteran Steve Best made his presence felt in his 435th start for the club.

Not much to talk about in the early stages, except an inordinate amount of whistling and several cautions but in between all the stoppages the two teams tried to play football. Waltham Abbey found their way to goal consistently blocked by the Chatham back four, while James Platten was more than ready to deal with the occasional ball that slipped through.

At the other end the home side went desperately close to taking the lead in the 37th minute through Byron Walker. He forced his way through the 18-yard box, rode a string of challenges and fired the ball past the advancing Richard Hayward from the edge of the six-yard box.

Unfortunately, the ball clipped the right post and bounced to safety and although Solly knocked it back to the far post, Best headed wide.

The second half started in much the same way as the opening 45 minutes had finished, although fortunately for the spectators the number of free kicks started to drop away.

Chats again went close in the 56th minute following a good spell of pressure involving Walker and Ascheri. The final shot fell to Jim Lyons, on the left edge of the penalty area, and his mis-hit almost dropped in until Hayward managed to get across and make the catch.

The first clear-cut chance for the visitors came midway through the second period, when Billy Holland finally found himself enough space in the 18-yard box for a crack at goal. His efforts came to nothing, however, as Platten got down well to his left and turned the ball round the foot of the upright.

Walker was back in the thick of the action a couple of minutes later as a great ball up the left put him into the 18-yard box. Unfortunately, the referee and his assistant were the only people at the Luton End who didn't see Lee White knock the ball back to Hayward with his hand. No penalty, then, despite vociferous appeals.

Three minutes later, however, and Mr. Rowbury's response was very different.

The player sinned against on this occasion was Ascheri, who was clearly pulled back by White as he broke into the penalty area on the right. Having said that the assistant referee didn't appear to have spotted the offence, but Mr. Rowbury was in no doubt as he immediately pointed to the spot before showing the Waltham Abbey skipper the game's fifth yellow card.

With Barnett absent, penalty-taking duties once again fell upon the shoulders of Solly, who was forced to wait for an almost unbearable length of time, as the visitors opted to make a substitution before calmly stroking the ball into the bottom left-hand corner.

Having seen their best efforts continually thwarted the visitors clearly realised they had just 18 minutes to claw their way back into the game, but now it was the turn of Chats to slow things down as they made their first substitution of the afternoon.

Try as they might, though, the Abbotts simply could not force an opening and with time fast running out, home manager Steve Binks sent on the youngest two players in his squad, Ryan Restell replacing Walker up front and Michael Scott - who had made his debut for England Schoolboys the night before, when he came on as a substitute in the 2-0 win over Scotland in the Carnegie Centenary Shield - replacing Lyons.

Two minutes stoppage time had been played when Chats were awarded their second penalty for a foul on Ascheri. Up stepped Solly for the second time, but on this occasion Hayward saved at the foot of a post. Restell headed wide as the ball bounced up off the keeper's arms.

It didn't matter, though, as a few seconds later the final whistle sounded for the last time this season at Maidstone Road.

One more game at Potters Bar, on Saturday, and Binks will start planning for next season.