Wivenhoe Town 1 Chatham Town 0

Chatham Town must be wondering when their luck is going to change, as they were denied another point on Tuesday night, writes Neil Sanders.

Overall they edged the game on possession and certainly created more chances than their opponents.

However, only a very strange decision and a good performance from Wivenhoe Town keeper Ollie Sanders cost them a share of the points.

Chatham goalkeeper Kevin Fewell had to be alert as early as the 3rd minute when a clearance came back off a Wivenhoe forward and forced him to react quickly.

Chatham then went on the attack with shots from Hicham Akhazzan and the fit again Rob Denness going just wide, before Luke Harvey tested the keeper in the 16th minute.

A timely block kept out a goalbound shot from Wivenhoe's Jeff Shepherd, before the controversial incident of the match in the 24th minute.

Chats were awarded a free kick on the right. Andy Boyle got up well for the header and forced a defender to try to head clear. The attempted clearance came straight to Rob Denness on the edge of the box, who met it superbly on the volley and found the top corner of the home side's net.

A goal of the season candidate? Not according to the referee. After the ball had flown in he blew up for a free kick to Wivenhoe.

When questioned he stated it was for a "late charge". The home players looked as stunned as the visitors as they were already on their way back to the centre circle.

The only goal of the game came in the 33rd minute. Wivenhoe caught the Chats defence out with a free kick played down the line to wide man Earl Sterling . He knocked in a low cross to the near post which Lee Townrow tucked away from close range.

Before half time Fewell made a good block as Simon Thomas ran clear and Sanders saved well from an Andy Larkin header.

In the second half, Chatham's attacking quartet of Walker and Akhazzan out wide, and Denness and Harvey in the middle, did everything that could have been asked of them except find the equaliser.

All of them showed the ability to go past an opponent and the home keeper certainly earned his pay.

However, he could have had even more to do but for the rock hard pitch making clean shooting tricky.

Harvey hit the post twice, first from a header which the keeper did well to turn on to the post, then again when the same player rolled a shot from tight angle along the line.

Chatham could not be faulted for effort or commitment, but a change of luck wouldn't go amiss.

Chatham Town: Fewell, Boyle, D.Larkin, (Mortimore 84) A.Larkin (Binks 70), Bourne, Best, Akhazzan, Lyons, Harvey, Denness, B.Walker (Whitnall 75). Sub: Miles