Chatham Town 1-0 Ashford Town. Goodger's late winner leaves Ashford "shell-shocked"

Chatham Town eased themselves away from the Ryman League Division One South drop zone tonight.

A free-kick from inside the centre circle from Drew Watkins was met by a looping back header by Goodger from 12-yards and the ball dropped into the left hand corner to leave Ashford “shell-shocked.”

Chatham are now seven points clear of the drop zone but third from bottom Ashford are just two points from safety.

In a game of very few chances, Chatham striker Ian Hilaire had the game’s first real chance but his weak 14-yard shot was never going to beat Whincup.

Ashford were, however, playing the better football but shots from Steve Sodje and Simon Glover were wayward.

But Ashford created a couple of better chances when Walid Matata cut in from the left but his drilled shot rolled past the foot of the near post.

Then, after 36 minutes, Glover’s cross from the left was headed away by Sam Groombridge but Joby Thorogood found John Whitehouse’s grateful arms with his left-footed drive from 25-yards.

It took Chatham Town 48 minutes to register their first corner of the game, which was taken by former Tonbridge Angels midfielder, Darren Smith.

But Whincup thwarted Goodger's headed effort and the follow up shot from his defensive partner, Groombridge.

Another chance fell to the home side four minutes later when Michael McKenna teed up Hilaire but his shot floated well wide of the left upright.

Matata latched onto Kevin Lott’s through ball in the 55^th minute but his shot found the side netting as Whitehouse advanced off his line.

Matata tried his luck again in the 67^th minute as he saw Whitehouse off his line, but his right-footed lob from 35-yards dropped over.

But Whitehouse was called into action when he saved smartly at Sodje’s feet as the striker looked to have broken the deadlock in the 73^rd minute.

But it was Chatham that ended their run of eight league games without a win when Goodger gave the quiet crowd of 137 something to cheer.

Chatham Town’s manager, Phil Miles, meanwhile, was delighted that his side bagged the points.

“Yes, really pleased,” he told www.kentishfootball.co.uk  after their sixth league win of the season.

“Four weeks ago I decided to change things, released a few players, which is hard.  I got new players in and yes, they’ve done really well.

“A clean sheet, I’m really pleased with.  If it had to be nil-nil, then we would have took nil-nil but to nick all three points was definitely what we needed at this time of the season.”

He added: “To be fair the fans didn’t see many goals tonight but for my point of view it was a must-win game and luckily enough we won it.”

Ashford Town’s manager, John Cumberbatch, meanwhile, admitted he was very disappointed to lose their 12^th league game of the season, which leaves them just two points clear of Walton Casuals.

“We’re a little bit shell-shocked because we felt we were coming here for three points,” he told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“We weren’t taking anything for granted.  I mean we were expecting them to be better than they were in fact and that’s why it’s even more disappointing that we didn’t raise our game.

“I thought we played quite well and I think we dominated the game but we didn’t really do enough.

"At half-time I said to the players we’re not to get to a false sense of security because we had the majority of the possession in the first half.

“I sensed it would be easy for the team to go out and think they’ve done the job. So we were well aware of what we had to do and what we mustn’t do, which was to have any lapses of concentration and let them in.

“And that’s exactly what happened so it’s very disappointing.”

Chatham Town: John Whitehouse, Tom Binks, Daniel White, Sam Groombridge, Rob Goodger, Steve Best, Darren Smith, Drew Watkins (Samuel Phillips 90), Ian Hilaire (Mark Brooks 65), Robert Denness, Michael McKenna.
Subs: Dan Larkin, Bradley King, James Lyons.

Goal: Rob Goodger 86

Ashford Town: Jake Whincup, Nick Fenwick (Tom Adlington 88), Simon Glover, Graham Porter, Marc Cumberbatch, Kevin Lott, Joby Thorogood (Joe Hitchings 77), Matt Carruthers, Walid Matata, Steve Sodje (Ray Akontoh 78), Ken Jarrett-Elliott.
Subs: Ian Ross, Lee Ealham

Attendance: 137
Referee: Mr Stuart Butler (Maidstone)
Assistants: Mr Andy Carter (Ramsgate) & Mr Richard Joss (Margate)