Sam Folarin’s brilliant strike was the only goal of the game at the Bauvill Stadium, as Chatham Town beat a Gillingham XI on Friday night.
Joe Dunne was at the helm for the game. Jack Nolan and Nelson Khumbeni started the fixture. Taite Holtam, Harry Webster and Harry Waldock were also named in the starting line-up. Stan Sargent was named among the substitutes.
Cruz Beszant came close after six minutes. Damien Theodore won possession inside the Chatham penalty area before laying the ball off to Harry Bridle. The forward found Beszant, who shifted the ball onto his left foot before shooting. However, his attempt was straight at Henry Molyneux.
The hosts should have done better when a low ball was sent in from the left in the direction of Tope Fadahunsi, who could not get his feet sorted, slicing his attempt well wide of the target.
Bridle was close to prodding Gills into the lead in the 17th minute. Khumbeni fizzed a volleyed pass in behind the Chatham defence for Theodore to latch onto. The forward carried it into the penalty area before dinking a pass towards the near post in the direction of Bridle, who could not find the touch to prod it goalward.
Sam Sene-Richardson did well to work his way into the penalty area before getting a shot away. Fortunately for the visitors, his attempt was the wrong side of Holtam’s near post, and it crashed into the side netting.
In the 32nd minute, the visitors were forced into a change. Zack Broadbent and Holtam collided inside the box, with the former unable to continue. He was replaced by Raif Jones.
Theodore nearly opened the scoring after a teasing cross from Webster. His ball just evaded the head of a rising Nolan before falling to Theodore. He did well to cushion his attempt first time towards the far bottom corner, but Molyneux got down to gather.
Moments later, a last-ditch challenge denied Theodore. The ball was played into Nolan, who smartly backheeled it into Theodore’s path. Just as he was about to pull the trigger, he had the ball taken away from his toes as it went out of play for a corner, which came to nothing.
Sam Folarin gave Chatham the lead with a fine finish in the 40th minute. The Chatham forward carried the ball goalward and was given the time and space to set himself on the right side before shooting from 20 yards out. His curling effort from the right of the centre nestled into the left corner of the net, leaving an outstretched Holtam with little chance.
HALF-TIME: Chatham Town 1-0 Gillingham
There was a scramble around the Gillingham six-yard box after a low cross caused havoc. Multiple Chatham players were attempting to prod the ball toward the goal before the visitors dealt with the danger.
Seconds later, in the 62nd minute, the visitors made three changes. Fletcher Hegarty, a Trialist and Kelly Adams replaced Holtam, Logan Dobbs and a Trialist respectively.
On 70 minutes, Gillingham made three more substitutions. Louis Dayal, Sargent and Nayam Grant replaced Khumbeni, Bridle and Nolan.
Fadahunsi had a good chance to double the hosts advantage as he was played through on goal. However, he dragged his attempt wide of the far post.
Waldock did well to get a shot away with less than 15 minutes remaining. He held off the challenge of a Chatham player before striking with his left foot. However, his attempt flashed just wide of the goal.
There was another trio of changes when Arthur Mhlanga, Kacper Kot and Alfie Cross replaced Theodore, Webster and Waldock.
Dayal was denied by a fine save by the Trialist in the Chatham goal after a nice build-up. Mhlanga drove into the opposing half before fizzing a pass into the feet of Sargent, who set it for the oncoming Dayal. His left-footed attempt had plenty of power as it curled towards the top corner. However, the Chatham goalkeeper did brilliantly to get across and catch the ball on the dive.
The Chatham goalkeeper produced another fantastic save seconds later, denying Dayal again. The ball was played out to Sargent on the right side of the box, and he drilled a low centre towards the six-yard box. Dayal was on the end of it, flicking goalward. However, the Trialist goalkeeper reacted swiftly to push it away from the goal.
The visitors made their final substitution three minutes from time, as Sullivan Booth replaced Jones.
FULL-TIME: Chatham Town 1-0 Gillingham
Chatham Town: Molyneux (Trialist A 70’), Evans, Nelson (Giles 67’), Butler, Aidoo, Robins (Trialist C 76’), Moynes (Belsham 80’), Garlinge, Folarin (Trialist B 70’), Sene-Richardson (Boissiere 86’), Fadahunsi (Trialist D 76’)
Unused Substitutes: Trialist E
Gillingham: Holtam (Hegarty 62’), Webster (Kot 78’), Dobbs (Trialist 62’), Broadbent (Jones 32’ (Booth 87’)), Trialist (Adams 62’), Khumbeni (Dayal 70’), Waldock (Cross 78’), Nolan (Grant 70’), Beszant, Theodore (Mhlanga 78’), Bridle (Sargent 70’)
