Chatham Town 2-0 Metropolitan Police - Alcohol fuelled kids tarnish Chats first home league win

CHATHAM TOWN 2-0 METROPOLITAN POLICE
Ryman League Division One South
Friday 12^th October 2007
Stephen McCartney reports from Maidstone Road

Chatham Town won their first league game on home soil at the fifth attempt tonight - “spurred on” by a mob of at least 30 local alcohol fuelled teenage tearaways.

The official attendance, that’s people who paid, was given as 151- but the crowd was swelled by the mob of teenagers who spent their Friday night creating a very rare hostile atmosphere at Maidstone Road, without paying to get in.

And even after Chatham secured their comfortable 2-0 victory, courtesy of first half strikes from Matt Solly and Rob Goodger, they ran onto the pitch after the final whistle, and half-an-hour after the final whistle some of them congregated outside the ground, which caused the attention of the Police - Kent Police that is.

Apart from that, however, it was a very good night for the Medway side, who showed resilience and deserved their 2-0 victory.

Chatham got off to a high-tempo start, played three men at the back, with Steve Best sweeping and Chris Tedder, a recent signing from Redbridge, and Goodger shutting out the Police.

And they fully deserved to open the scoring inside the opening eleven minutes, with Solly scoring his third of the season.

Tom Davey whipped in a cross towards the far-post from the left and Mark Brooks nodded the ball across goal and Solly drilled a right-footed shot past Metropolitan Police’s second-choice stopper Mo Maan.

Metropolitan Police’s first chance of the game arrived after 22 minutes when Simon Gregory, who came up from his defensive duties following their first corner of the game, glanced Dave Newman’s whipped in cross, past the far post.

Two minutes later, Chatham squandered an excellent chance to double their lead.

Shane Suter, starting his first game of the season following his knee ligament injury, was played in by Tom Binks, but Maan blocked the shot at his near-post and pounced on the ball after his defender, Newman, missed the ball when attempting to hack clear.

Dover Athletic assistant manager, Darren Hare, on a scouting mission ahead of next Monday’s game against Chatham Town at Crabble, was very impressed with the hosts, before leaving the ground at half-time.

Chatham Town deservedly doubled their lead after 34 minutes when Goodger capped a very solid display at the back, with his first goal of the season.

Darren Smith delivered a match-winning free-kick with his lethal right-foot from the left-flank in front of the goalkeeper and Goodger’s low volley screamed into the left-corner, giving Maan no chance.

Chatham goalkeeper, John Whitehouse, made his only save of the match in the 41^st minute when he dived to his left to save Andy Oxby’s right-footed volley, after Newman whipped in another cross from the left.

Despite playing three men up front, Metropolitan Police failed to trouble a resolute home side and didn’t test Whitehouse again.

The first chance of the second half fell to Davey, who lashed his shot high and wide after Maan, who replaced the holidaying Will Packham, came rushing out of his penalty area, on the hour mark.

A lack of communication from Davey and Goodger, who both missed headers, sent substitute Chris Meikle on his way down the right-hand side but the striker didn’t add to his two goals already this season when he cracked his right-footed shot high into the side netting.

Best received a deserved ovation when he was substituted for Danny Larkin with sixteen minutes remaining - and Metropolitan Police failed to test Whitehouse when substitute Chris Meikle drilled a right-footed thirty-yarder well wide, seconds later.

Martyn Lee ballooned a 30-yard free-kick high over Whitehouse’s crossbar just two minutes later.

But the introduction of lightening quick, seventeen-year-old striker, Justin Ascheri sparked the Kent side back into life.

The debutant drove his first shot past the left-post, despite being caught offside, and was made welcoming into the Ryman League by James Thatcher, who clattered into him by the left touchline.

But he almost made it a dream debut when his spectacular over-head kick flew just over the crossbar following Davey’s cross from the left.

Gravesend referee Mr Ian Fissenden found seven minutes and six seconds of stoppage time at the end of the game.

During that time, Police substitute Charlie Moxom screamed in agony as he blazed his shot high over Whitehouse’s bar after cutting in from the left, and at the other end the impressive Ascheri rolled a right-footed shot into Maan’s grateful arms after he latched onto a through ball.

But Chatham manager Phil Miles, whose side bagged their second league win of the season, was delighted with the deserved win.

“Yes, enjoyable evening,” he told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards. “We played really well, defended well, took our chances when we had to and a very solid, professional performance, yes.”

Tonight’s win followed last Saturday’s 3-1 home win over Kingstonian in the FA Trophy.

“It was a bit of a smash and grab last Saturday but I thought tonight we fully deserved it,” admitted Miles.

“I was really pleased with the way that we played as a team, individually we played well and it was a great performance tonight. It was really enjoyable.”

Miles was also delighted that his side were solid at the back.

He said: “Besty (Steve Best) was a makeshift sweeper tonight, dropped in there, done a great job, won all his headers, tackled, fantastic.

“The other two, Chris Tedder and Rob Goodger, both excellent defensively tonight, that’s what we asked them to do.”

And Miles was satisfied that his side bagged three vital home points for the first time this season.

“It’s ok winning the Cup game last week, that was nice to win, but ideally we want points because some of the other teams below us and underneath us are starting to pick up points,” he explained.

And after playing 90 minutes for the club’s under 18 side last night, Miles was full of praise for substitute Ascheri.

He said: “He’s seventeen, I watched him last night for the under 18’s, he played a full 90 minutes.

“Justin, he’s part of the first team squad, he came in pre-season, done really well in the friendlies, everyone loved him, he’s work rate’s fantastic, very raw but he’s got that little bit of pace and if you’ve got a bit of pace you’re half way there to be fair.

“I’ve got six of the reserves all signed on first-team papers so there’s a couple I’m looking in the reserves as well.

“I knew I could call on Justin tonight at late notice, he loves it. He loves being involved, the lads love him in there.”

Miles added: “We’ve got a few of the older lads in there and it gives them a little bit of a kick. We love him seeing him running at defenders.

“I was pleased with Justin tonight, he’s got the pace to get past people.

“There’s a lot of managers watching tonight and he’s a possible one for the future.”

Whilst one seventeen-year-old is making a life for himself, it’s a shame that many of his age group - and sadly younger - haven’t.

Although the teenage mob caused plenty of concern for club officials, Miles admitted afterwards that they actually spurred the team onto victory.

“We look to get more people up here and they made a bit of a noise to be fair,” he said.

“It did spur us on in the first twenty minutes. There was a group in the stand, signing songs and chanting and I think it did give us a bit of a gee-up.

“Then we scored the two goals and once you get two in front and you’re playing right, and you defend right, you can see the game out, which we did second half.

“In the end they were virtually playing four up front, so we had to drop players back so we were going to invite a little bit of pressure.”

Chatham Town: John Whitehouse, Matt Solly, Tom Davey (Craig Govey 87), Chris Tedder, Rob Goodger, Steve Best (Danny Larkin 74), Darren Smith, Mark Brooks, Gavin Schulz, Shane Suter (Justin Ascheri 76), Tom Binks.
Subs: Sam Groombridge, Tyran James.

Goals: Matt Solly 11, Rob Goodger 35

Booked: Rob Goodger 18, Mark Brooks 33

Metropolitan Police: Mo Maan, James Thatcher, Steve Potterill, Simon Gregory (Jon Daly 63), Dave Newman, Gavin Rose (Chris Meikle 38), Andy Oxby (Charlie Moxom 71), Tristan Frontin, Craig Carley, Martyn Lee, Dave Stevens.
Subs: Jamie Rotve, Nicholas Poglon.

Booked: Dave Newman 36, Chris Meikle 45

Attendance: 151
Referee: Mr Ian Fissenden (Gravesend)
Assistants: Mr Simon Finnigan (Maidstone) & Mr Steve Rowden (Rochester)