Whitstable Town 1 Chatham Town 2

CHATHAM Town got back to winning ways - after their midweek Kent Cup defeat - at the KRBS Belmont as first half goals from skipper Richard Avery and top scorer Brendon Cass gave the Chats the double over their Kent rivals.

The visitors could have opened the scoring on six minutes when Rob Denness tested home keeper Kevin Fewell and, three minutes later, Fewell could only parry a shot from the same player into the path of Ray Powell who was adjudged offside as he put the ball in the net.

Cass hit the bar with a header from a free kick and it seemed just a matter of time before Alex O'Brien's side took the lead.

So it proved as with just 18 minutes on the clock Avery headed home a corner for his third goal of the season (and his first league goal in three months).

Within 10 minutes it was 2-0 as Matt Solly crossed for Cass to score his 10th goal of the season with a fine diving header.

It could have been five before half time as John Wilfort missed from no distance, Denness shot just wide after beating three players in the box and a speculative effort from distance by Ashley Probets sailed just over the bar.

Whitstable had more of the possession at the start of the second half, but rarely posed any threat to Dean Ruddy's goal.

That was until the 74th minute when the home side pulled a goal back from the penalty spot.

Vahid was fouled in the box and sent Ruddy the wrong way from the spot. In truth, however, it was to be the only time Ruddy was in a position to get himself dirty.

The last 15 minutes were fractious.

Twice the players gathered together to compare notes on handbags and Whitstable sub Doltan saw a red card for using abusive language to the referee. The Chats were also reduced to 10 when Matt Rowe was stretchered off after all three subs had been used.

Among all that, Wilfort hit the underside of the crossbar with a shot from 25 yards, while Lee Barnett went close in the closing moments.

NO JOY for the Chats in Tuesday's Ryman League game at Burgess Hill Town on Tuesday. They went down 2-1.