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Maldon keep up impressive form

CHATHAM TOWN were minus skipper Steve Best and Frannie Collin for the visit of the league’s current form team, 3^rd placed Maldon Town.

Matt Solly started in midfield along with Mark Brookes and Israel Armadi both returned after injury.

The opening 15 minutes were evenly contested with neither keeper having to stretch themselves.  Maldon then started to show the form that had recently taken them on a 15 match winning streak, and took the lead after 18 minutes. Following a corner, the ball was laid back to Chris Wheldale to shoot low into the left corner from 20 yards. 

At the other end the pace out wide of Brookes and Armadi was giving the visitors defence some cause for concern and both Brendan Cass and Armadi came close to equalising. 

However, in the 34th minute Maldon made it 2-0 when a moments hesitation in the Chatham defence, enabled Tommy Noble to nip in and score from a tight angle. 

Five minutes before the interval their lead increased when Maldon’s impressive top scorer Simon Parker, converted a low cross from close range following a quick break on the right.

At half time Tom Binks replaced Matt Bourne and Chats switched to a 3-5-2 formation. This appeared to cut down the time and space for Maldon’s midfield and limited their attacking options.  

Chatham created more chances than their opponents in the second half, but it was always going to be an uphill battle.  They did pull a goal back in the 79^th minute when the ball came to Cass after a midfield scramble. He threaded a pass through into the path of Darren Adams and the ball was guided past the advancing keeper by what appeared to be a defender’s foot, although Adams may have justification in claiming it.

Maldon were clearly a solid team and with Parker up front they always look capable of scoring, but Chatham kept working hard and put in a decent second half performance.

Chatham Town:  Green, Bourne (Binks 45), D.Larkin, Boyle, A.Larkin, Solly, Brookes, Searle, Cass, Adams (Phillips 85), Armadi (Nicholl 73).  Sub: Hunt

Maldon Town:  Overland, Bell, Huttley, Shade, Coe, Sammons, Wheldale (Clarke 58), Parratt (Smith 87), Noble (Rugg 64), Parker, Howard.  Sub: Robinson