Hollands & Blair 0 Chatham Town 2

Match 48/18/1641 - Wednesday, 24th October 2018 - SCEFL Challenge Cup 2R

Hollands & Blair (0) 0
Chatham Town (0) 2 Walker 51 Pilbeam 85
Attendance: 224

Admission: £3 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 42/3,116

A Medway derby featuring a Chatham side that have made a good start in the SCEFL Premier brought an impressive attendance of 224, virtually double the number of any other match that I’ve watched at Star Meadow.

The first half of this Challenge Cup Second Round tie was a hard fought affair despite the pace of Matt Bodkin and Jon Pilbeam on both flanks producing a real threat for the Chats. What Bodkin is doing plying his trade at this level remains a mystery.

The visitors had the ball in the net after 16 minutes courtesy of Bodkin’s pace and cross but Paul Vines’ finish was ruled out for offside.

Chances for the Chats continued to arrive with Byron Walker firing at Shaun Wicks and also having another goal, once more ruled out.

Blair came back into the game in the last 10 minutes of the half with Caleb Bearman-Bryce and Jason Fregene firing over.

Chatham finally got onto the scoreboard six minutes into the second half when Walker got on the end of a cross from Pilbeam to concert with a tap in from close range.

Once Chatham got their noses in front it didn’t look likely they would offer Blair any route back into the game. Calvin Sedenu managed to test Dan Ellis in the Chats goal just the once whilst at the other end Vines and Walker had chances aplenty to wrap the game long before Pilbeam scored at the second attempt with five minutes to go.