Chatham Town (1) 4 Evans 5,48,53 (pen) OG 48
Sheppey United (2) 4Leonard 11 Carnegie 26 Midson 54,69
Attendance: 687
Admission: £1
Programme: None
Mileage: 34/3,226
The sun was shining brightly, the Beach Bar was heaving and the beer was slipping down thirsty throats as fast as the beach waiters could serve them. A scene from coast this weekend, perhaps even a snapshot of the green listed Algarve, no this as Maidstone Road, the home of Chatham Football Club.
This Post-Lockdown Tournament has proved a great success so far with the games satisfying the desire to get back into football grounds and when club’s are as innovative as Chatham then the bar is going to do great business. Football and beer have always been easy bedfellows.
On any given Saturday, the visit of Sheppey United to Chatham would bring a decent attendance, but 687? That is quite incredible. But the tournament has brought the crowds back to football in their droves. The night previous Lordswood entertained Rochester United in front of 225, no disrespect to either club but the aforesaid any given Saturday (let along a Friday night), that match-up would have been hard pushed to attract a three figure crowd.
The other factor that the tournament has served up is goals and lots of them. Despite the 1-0 result at Lordswood, six goals a game is the average.
Chatham and Sheppey served up a classic goalfest with a 4-4 draw that the fans loved but the respective managers must have watched from behind their hands. There were some splendid goals that were only matched by woeful defending from both sides. These two clubs are the big hitters in the SCEFL in the coming season, on this evidence it is going to be a Gunfight at the OK Corral. But, come the season, I’m sure Scott Lindsay and Ernie Batten are not going to have their teams walking out to Robbie Williams’ Let Me Entertain You.
One player from each side strutted, or were allowed to, their stuff. For Chatham Jack Evans was simply majestic whilst Sheppey’s Jack Midson showed that his 37 years is not going to be any sort of barrier at Step 5.
The scoring was opened in the fifth minute when Ike Orji pulled the ball back from the right hand byeline for Evans to finish at the near post. Orji became the villain six minutes later when his error allowed Sheppey’s Danny Leonard to equalise.
The game continued to be end to end before the visitors took the lead after 26 minutes when some poor defending allowed Harrison Carnegie to finish into the bottom corner.
A foretaste of what was to come throughout the second period was initiated within the first couple of minutes when the Sheppey goalkeeper saved brilliantly from Evans’ header.
But a minute later the Chats were level with more than a hint of good fortune as Andy Pugh’s effort was parried by the keeper but the rebound struck a defender and trickled into the net.
Four minutes later the Chats were in front and one minute after that Sheppey were back level. A handball gave Evans the opportunity to convert from the spot before a Midson near post header made it 3-3, thus maintaining the tournament average.
On 63 minutes that average was improved as a Matt Bodkin cross was met at the near post by the head of Evans to complete his hat trick.
But there was still one more equaliser, coming in the 69th minutes, when more woeful defending allowed Midson to make it 4-4.
That we managed to get through the final 20 minutes without any addition to the scoreline is a mystery as both defences tried their best to allow the respective attacks further opportunities. All great fun, and fun that could have been enjoyed from a beach bar!
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