Corby Town 2 Chatham Town 0

New signings Simon Austin (from Maidstone United) and Darren Smith (Tonbridge Angels) went straight into the starting line up for Chatham's visit to promotion chasing Corby Town, writes Neil Sanders.

Young striker Rob Denness was out with a calf injury whilst Danny Larkin looks likely to miss the rest of the season due to a broken bone in his foot.

The game did not start well for Chatham, as they found themselves a goal down after four minutes. A cross from the right was not cleared and Corby top scorer Kevin Byrne found himself with time to pick his spot and find the bottom corner from 10 yards.

Chats were finding the Corby defence difficult to break down and their first half opportunities were restricted to long range shots.

Austin forced Corby keeper Darren Watts to tip over a 30 yarder and then drove another one just over the bar.

Corby doubled their lead after 33 minutes with another right wing cross from Brett Darby doing the damage. The ball evaded a near post challenge to give Byrne a simple tap in at the back post for his second goal.

Chatham had more possession in the second half and spent long periods in their hosts half of the field.

Mark Brooks and then Byron Walker came on to give them extra pace out wide. Steve Binks switched to a 3-5-2 formation in search of a goal to get back in the game, and it nearly succeeded when final substitute Adam Whitnall beat two defenders cutting in from left, only to see his shot saved.

Luke Harvey had Chats best chance with six minutes left, but his shot was always rising over the bar.

In the last few minutes Andy Boyle was pushed forward as Chatham switched again to what was virtually a 2-5-3 line up.

However, the Corby defence remained solid, whilst in attack they had a couple of late chances on the break, which the visitors defence did well to keep out. The Steelmen remain firmly in the playoff places as Chatham look towards their next two games against the 2nd and 3rd placed teams.

Chatham: Fewell, Binks, Mortimore, Boyle, Bourne, Best, Akhazzan (B.Walker 63), Lyons (Brooks 45), Harvey, Austin (Whitnall 72), Smith. Sub: Miles