AMAT (1) 1 - (1) 1 YMCA

Or, what we mean to say is Chatham Town FC 1-1 Horsham YMCA.

Chatham last met YM as they're known by their fans in the last home game of the 2007-2008 season, and ran out 3-2 winners. YM have since lost the entire first and second strings that took part in that campaign, and re-emerged into the Ryman 1 South at the invitation of the league for this season having finished third in the Sussex County last term. They've come along a long way, and controlled the match today for much of the first half, taking advantage of apparent disarray at the back for Chatham, and took a deserved lead when Chatham's argumentative defence dropped a gear looking for a handball decision that never came, to see Richard Stroud well out of position and beaten with a well placed shot hit from the outside of the box. It was a little unfair on Stroud, who had been a seeming voice of reason at the back of a shaky back four, Brad Potter looking somewhat uncomfortable at right back, and captain Avery unable to gather control. Stoud had earlier kept the scores level when perhaps we should have been behind after he somehow got a hand to a fierce shot, against his momentum when scrambling back crablike across his line, so he was justifiably disappointed at the manner of the goal that gave YM their deserved lead.

Those of the Chatham faithful who were at the last meeting of these two sides, will remember it particularly for that rarity in football, a goal from the halfway line. On that occasion, Steve Hafner took a cheeky free kick, and spotted then YM keeper Craig Meehan off his line to send the fans into raptures. Well, Hafner scored his first competitive goal for Chatham since that game again today, in similar style on 40 minutes - spotting Horsham's keeper off his line, he shot this time from further out, hitting the ball first time after it was rolled back to him, the ball sailing over the hapless keeper to the jubilation of the home support.

He then skied a much easier volley on the stoke of half time, the matchball being lost in the trees at the White Road end, well beyond the reach of the bravest fireman.

Half time came, and the noise from the home dressing room was something to behold. Whilst subs Barnett, Dodsworth and Powell took potshots at Dan Ellis in goal, even they could hear from the penalty area the wrath of Alex O'Brien fall down upon his team. AOB has passion - no doubt about it, and his half time pep talk reminded me of the scene in Sexy Beast where Ben Kingsley's Don Logan character snaps - you know, "Do it, YES YES YES YES C**T". The result of this - a little bit more fight in a second half that saw the immediate introduction of Tom Davey for the injured Mark Green (yet to impress on the left wing, but lets give him a chance), and Lee Barnett on for Richard Avery, who didn't look like he was carrying any knocks other than one to his confidence - perhaps AOB's rant was aimed in one particular direction...

Regardless of the what's and why fors, the defence still looked fragile at times. Jim Lyons, slipped in to the back to partner Ben Payne, with Lee Barnett playing a supporting role to Ascheri and Cass. The midfield started to flow a bit more at this point, but there's part of me that thinks this was more due to the fact that Solly then had more room. He and Lyons are two similar players, and they stifle each other to some extent.

Chatham did look more dangerous in the second half, Cass and Barnett combining well, with Tom Davey an effective threat down the left when Ascheri allowed him space to work the ball. In truth, Justin had a poor game today, his touch apparently left in the dressing room before hand, but his passion shone through - the lad just does not stop chasing every ball, something that both he and Cass do well and is refreshing to see.

I hope that Barnett's place on the bench is fitness related rather than tactical. He was our most potent threat going forward, but had to wait for the ball too many times - it was as if sometimes he couldn't buy a pass.

A lot of positives though - the second half performance just about justified a point,with improved passing and invention. But let's pick this up for Croydon Athletic away.

Chatham: Stroud, Probets, Avery (HT - Barnett), Payne, Potter, Solly, Lyons, Hafner (Dodsworth 70), Green (HT - Davey), Ascheri, Cass.
Unused subs: Powell, Ellis.

Highlights: Hafner's magic trick. Again.

Lowlights: Bickering in the back four, lack of confidence. Why did they all look so nervous for the first half?

The ref: - Did an alright job. Fairly innocuous.

MOTM: Brendon Cass. Missed a sitter with his head, but worked well creating movement at the front as part of the triangle with Barnett and Ascheri. Was let down in service a few times, as was Lee Barnett. If that triangle can get going, it'll bag fifty goals this season.

In conclusion: A fair result, but we need to start playing with a winners' attitude. Where's the confidence guys?

Pointless fact: The matchday programme is down to the sensible price of £1.50 again (went up to random £1.60 last season), and was actually not a bad read. I'd like an audiobook version for AOB's programme notes though... Ben Kingsley could have a serious threat on his hands.

Next up: At home, 29th August - Sussex County League Eastbourne United Association in the FA Cup Preliminary round. We're only 12 games from Wembley, or 10 from equaling our club record quarter final performance back in the days of Victoriana and pea-soupers on the lines...
Away: This tuesday, to league leaders Croydon Athletic. The big spenders were held today by underachieving Met Police 0-0; I am sure that AOB's Kingsley impersonation will do the trick at the Keith Tuckey stadion.

Money will out.

Croydon Athletic sit top of the Ryman Leauge Division One South after two games, with a 100% record, 12 goals scored and two clean sheets. The Thornton Heath based side have seen a recent turn around in fortunes, that is shrouded by mystery and rumour. Those rumours though (have a look at the kent league forums to see what's being said about them and Holmesdale FC), are probably based on a jealousy of the apparent wealth of new investor Mazhar Majeed, a property developer with a passion for the game. Whatever the truth is, its easy to believe the talk of large amounts of money changing hands up there, and worryingly, the league is beginning to look very much like a one horse race already.

The changes at the Keith Tuckey stadium appear to have come to fruit around the turn of the year. Since Christmas, the Rams have lost just twice in the league. They have an impressive squad http://croydonathletic.net/web/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=284&Itemid=107

and a management duo with plenty of experience higher up the pyramid in the form of former Grays manager Tim O'Shea and his assistant Neil Smith. Its hard to believe they come cheap, and some of the players are certainly not in the £40 a game category.

Given that their attendance seem to average at the 150 mark, I worry for Croydon Athletic. There's no sour grapes in that at all either - I'd worry if we were seemingly overstretching ourselves by that amount. We're clubs of a similar size and stature, both of whom have much larger neighbours up the road (Gillingham in our case, Palace in their's), impacting on the ability to increase crowds and profile. We've seen too many clubs boom and bust over recent years, Fisher, Hornchurch, Telford, Canvey Island. Do we need another one? With commercial property developers undeniably at risk during the economic slowdown, how safe are they?

I hope it all works out well for Croydon. I've visited them twice with Chatham, and we recieved a friendly enough welcome. They're a tidy club much like ours, providing those who don't neccessarily want, or can't afford to enjoy, professional football with the fix that comes from such community based clubs.

More "pitchside", I'm dreading the away fixture next week. Something makes me think they're going to make us look very ordinary. Last time we went there, we were beaten 6-2; a similar scoreline this early in the season would not do wonders for our confidence...

Chatham Town 3 - 2 Burgess Hill Town

Didn't make the game (yes, shameful, absolutely shameful) but we won 3-2, with the last kick of the game. I went to bed last night with that knowledge imagining a tap in - last kicks usually are, generally coming from set pieces, but no, the Kentishfootball report by Mike Green informs us it was a 30 yard chip from Justin Ascheri. I have to admit, in the past I've not been overly impressed by Ascheri, but he seems to be coming into himself. He is terrier like up front, and never stops running - and it seems his persistence was paid off with a brace last night.

The other goal was by man-god Brendon Cass. He's now scored every time he's played at the Theatre of Slapstick Comedy since his return (although last night was the first competitive game).

I do have a couple of concerns though. I'll have to do some digging, but I assume Barnett isn't fully fit and neither is Cass, Barnett coming on for Cassie in the 65th minute last night. Also, no place on the bench for either Denness, Binks or Ruddy last night. Hope they haven't left the club (particularly Ruddy, but, if Stroud is staying his options could be limited). You never know, they're all injured... not nice to wish ill on people in most circumstances, but I think it would be a travesty if both Rob and Tommy were to be sidelined permanently, they probably bleed red the amount of time they've been at the club (hang on, I think I've missed something there...).

Anyway, AOB wanted a performance - he's worried about our near capitulation in the second half, and says we were over run at times. We're possibly missing the Steve Best figure in midfield, and with OB himself now taking a backseat playing wise, I'd like to see Dodsworth in the mix. For a player who used to model himself on Beckham according to my sources from his junior days, he was certainly more in the Roy Keane mode at the end of last year. Lyons may have more creativity going forward, but we need a hard tackling midfielder to back up Matt Solly.

Additionally, when both Cass and Barnett are fit, how will we fit them in with the ever improving, and lets face it darned inconsiderate form of Ascheri? Barnett could fit in well behind the two of them, but that'll mean losing space on the wings. Interesting challenges for AOB await...

Saturday sees the visit of YMCA, followed the next week by the visit in the FA Cup of Sussex League champions Eastbourne Association. YMCA leapfrogged back to this level courtesy of the seaside club's non application for promotion, so two tough games that we must not underestimate coming up. How lovely would a cup run be eh?

Where are they now? (Brad King)

A new feature that occurred to me - where are those players from yesteryear (well, the last few seasons at least), and what are they up to now? Any ideas on anyone, let me know...

First installment : Bradley King...

Who could forget little Brad eh? I remember coming home from an away match at Sittingbourne by train, to see Brad stood at the station - making his way home to Sheppey by himself. Regularly berated with the intelligent shout of "boy" by opposition fans, Brad was a tidy full back who looked good going forward, so it was no surprise that after his perhaps dishonourable discharge from Chatham Town FC that he spent large parts of last season playing as a striker for Ashford Town's reserves. Back in first team football, he's playing at the back again, still in Medway, for Kent League Lordswood.

Brad came up through the youth system at Chatham, and was seen by some as an inspiration to the other young players. Since usurped in that role by Michael Scott, Bradley was a fan's favourite, but seemed to fall foul of then first team manager Phil Miles one time too many. Dropped for the opening game of the season in 2007-2008 because of his attitude (anyone remember the official team photo that year - all he could muster was a Reeves and Mortimer style gurn for the lens), he didn't seem to learn his lesson... He came back briefly under the returning Steve Binks, but seemed to fall out of love with the club. Perhaps a case of talent unfulfilled, lets hope he can resurrect his career -he had a lot of promise. Good luck at Lordswood, Bradley.

Godalming Town 3- 0 Chatham Town

Oh dear, oh dear... The new season appears to have got off to a bad start yesterday. I wasn't able to attend (in fact, I won't be going to most away games this season), and there's no match report on either the official site, the forum or the Godalming site or forum, so I can only imagine that we had our keeper sent off and put someone else in goal...

Joking aside, in fairness Godalming are a much improved side from the one which we relegated a few years ago (when Shane Ill Disciplino Suter laughed at a bloke with a broken leg and told him to get up and stop faking it!), but the very scoreline 3-0 strikes dread and anti climax into the heart. AOB is quoted with the Holloway line "bouncebackability" on http://wwwkentishfootball.co.uk// We'll need it for the visit of Burgess Hill on Tuesday night for our opening home fixture of the season, but I'm sure AOB can get it out of the team. He talks of getting into people's eyelids(!) and I think he means it.

Hopefully, yesterday was a blip - and my prediction that we had not tested our defence enough in pre-season is wrong. That said, Godalming finished ninth last year, but bagged 71 goals in the process - more than anyone else outside the play off spots. I'm also worrying that the Chats starting pre-season two weeks later than everyone else for the second season in a row isn't part of the problem. We do look more settled this year (last year Binks didn't pick the same starting eleven two games in a row for months), but maybe our fitness is an issue?

Anyway, roll on two games at the Theatre of Slapstick Comedy in a row, Burgess Hill as mentioned, and then Horsham YMCA next Saturday 22nd. For those of you with sharp memories, you'll recall that YMCA were on the receiving end of Steve Hafner's halfway line effort in our last home game in the R1S - YMCA were relegated that year, but have bounced straight back, having by the miracles of the football pyramid been promoted last year despite not coming either first or second in the Sussex County League. They finished third...

Yet another coup for AOB.

Not so much a blog, or even a piece of news, but to reconfirm the positive steps being taken at the club, I've only just realised that Richard Stroud, who has played in goal for us recently, was a trainee at Premiership Tottenham Hotspur. Don't believe me?

http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/academy/news/academyreport020407.html

I think its fantastic that we're starting to attract players of such a calibre to the Sports Ground. Welcome, Richard. We could possibly be in a position where we have an embarrassment of riches this season. Time will tell.

PS - as an aside, I've mentioned Tottenham Hotspur in two of my posts. Let's hope it doesn't happen again...

Stuckism (0) 1 - (0) 0 - Conceptualism

Medway's only member of the literati thus far, the singer songwriter, poet, author and artist Billy Childish, once published an anthology of his poetry entitled "Chatham Town Welcomes Desperate Men." Well, possibly heeding that message, on a balmy Saturday afternoon at the Theatre of Slapstick, Chatham Town welcomed Terry Yorath and Neville Southall OBEs Margate FC for the final pre-season friendly of the campaign.



It was in truth a pretty tepid affair, much in part one would imagine due to players not wishing to pick up silly injuries or suspensions ahead of the new campaign. Some people had other ideas though, Steve Hafner for example, would have expected a straight red rather than an enforced substitution in a competitive fixture after a particularly reckless challenge that caused some uproar amongst Margate's small yet vocal travelling support.



The game had few chances and saw AOB make a few changes from the team that so comprehensively defeated Dagenham and Redbridge on Tuesday night, Michael Scott taking the place of Tommy Binks at right back, Brad Potter filling in for the absent Richard Avery, with Jim Lyons starting in the resultant midfield spot. Mark Green was tipped ahead of Tom Davey on left of the midfield, and Richard Stroud held on to the number one shirt after his second half appearance on Tuesday.

The game was something of a slow affair, with the apparent terrace apathy transferring itself to the pitch. Justin Ascheri terriered as a terrier does, and Matt Solly appeared solid at the centre of the park as always, and despite their pyramid seniority, Ryman Premier Margate looked perhaps the most threatening but without any real fire power to trouble what at times looked a slightly shaky paring of Potter and Payne at the back. Chatham's best chance fell to an unmarked Ascheri who's point blank shot was turned over well by Margate's massive keeper, and the Gate's best chance came when an umkarked Joe Healey headed wide when unmarked, his miss leaving him to berate himself with a word we will only refer to as the Clarkson/Brown word (or c-bomb for our American friends). The fact that this is even reportable says it all about what was a poor first half, and it was not a surprise to hear similarly course language coming from the home dressing room at half time.

AOB sent out the same eleven that finished the first half for the second period, and it was much business as before to be honest, until the introduction midway through the half of Ray "Razor" Powell for the tired Ascheri. The diminutive defender cum striker paired up well with Brendon Cass, who had again looked sharp but perhaps not best serviced by those around him earlier in the game, and the match picked up some appetite. Having earlier dismissed a strong penalty shout when Cass was felled in the area, the referee had no hesitation on seventy minutes in pointing to the spot for a similar challenge, and Brendon Cass showed his class to send the keeper the wrong way and bury it in the bottom corner.

Chatham pushed for a second, and Powell, who brought much needed aggression to the game was instrumental in a move that saw Jim Lyons this time sky the ball from six yards whilst unmarked, a typical second half highlight of a game that for most parts had flatlined on the excitement ECG.

Chatham kick off in the league next week away to Godalming Town, a side much improved since they were relegated at the TOSC a couple of years ago, and will need to hope that the Chatham defence is a solid at the books would suggest. We've conceded just twice in the six pre season games, and have scored 16. Without wishing to sound negative, there's part of me that doubts we've yet come across a decent front line, but if we can get Lee Barnett fit for the campaign, who knows, maybe we've got a Real Madrid season coming up. Time to see if its another season for Desperate Men.

Chatham line up; Stroud, Probets, Scott, Payne, Potter, Lyons, Solly, Green, Hafner, Cass, Ascheri (subs who got some action were Binks, Davey and Powell)

Highlights: Probably the guts and all performance for half an hour by Ray Powell. Wasn't overly excited by what I saw of him in defence the other night, but as a forward he is energetic, enthusiastic and committed to say the least. Doesn't look like a forward which must shock defences. Will get sent off at least four times this season.

Lowlights: None really, other than one of their players leaving in an ambulance after a freak fall. Hope he's ok.

In conclusion: Let's get on with the competitive games please. This was dullard.

Pointless fact: Sixteen years ago this month, Gate manager Terry Yorath lead Wales to their highest ever Fifa ranking (27th).

MOTM: Michael Scott. Had a great game. Which is a shame for Tommy Binks, as Binks had probably his best season at Chatham yet last term, but will do well to start at right back if Scott keeps showing this amount of natural talent and versatility - converted to attack very well after Green's injury.