My first visit to the Bauvill in 2023, brought me to a really mouthwatering fixture, between Chatham Town, who sit currently second in the Isthmian League South East Division, and the third place team, Beckenham Town, who have four points fewer. The game attracted a big crowd of 1072, all eager to see who would take the points.

What made the match an even more attractive fixture was the fact that Chatham have, thus far, won all of their home matches this season and have three players with ten or more goals this season, Dan Bradshaw and Jack Evans (both 14) and Emmanuel Oloyede (10). Manager and Chairman, Kevin Hake has used the extensive budget, available to Chatham Town, to create a squad of quality and depth this season, as he aims to take them to consecutive promotions.

Beckenham Town too, have a top scorer with an eye for goal, as Louie Theophanous, with 14 goals this season, can demonstrate. Manager Jason Huntley will also be eyeing a consecutive promotion and success for the Eden Park Avenue side.

The game opened with Chatham on the front foot. In the tenth minute a header from a corner saw top scorer, Dan Bradshaw, secure his fifteenth goal of the campaign, as he put the home side 1-0 ahead.

Beckenham Town didn’t just lie down. They came back at Chatham Town whenever they could win the ball back, with Stefan Cox on the right wing, causing some complex problems for the home defence.

On 32 minutes Emmanuel Oloyede scored, drilling home Jack Evans’ cross from the right to give the home side a two goal lead and put a significant dent in Beckenham’s hopes of getting a result.

At half time the sides went in with the home side comfortably ahead. Beckenham Town knew they had to score early in the half, if they were likely to claw the game back.

The second half started with chances going in for both sides but in the 61st minute, a headed goal from a corner, by Emmanuel Oloyede, completing his brace, saw Chatham extend their lead to 3-0.

The match had some tough challenges and some fine goal efforts and saves to punctuate the final third, however at full time, it was Chatham Town who took all three points and cemented their place one point behind leaders, Ramsgate, with a game in hand. The rivalry between both these teams will reignited with the return league fixture on 31st January, at Beckenham.