Chatham Town’s promotion hopes are over for another season despite a spirited attempt at a fightback against Billericay Town.
The Kent side were up against it at 3-0 down but showed fight when Sam Sene-Richardson got a goal back before the break, and was denied another by the woodwork, before Kian Moynes reduced the deficit further to set up an exciting finish.
Chatham Town manager Kevin Hake Picture: Ian Scammell
Nile Ranger had a late header cleared off the line as Billericay held on. Their 3-2 win means they head into Monday’s play-off final.
There was little to separate hosts Billericay and Chatham at the end of a 42-game season in the Isthmian Premier Division.
Billiercay’s impressive late form saw them finish three points better off than the Chats and claim home advantage in the end-of-season play-offs.
Billericay had won both matches between the sides during the regular season but this one mattered most. It was win or bust.
The Chats were well backed at a packed New Lodge while many others were cheering the team on in Bobby’s Bar at the Bauvill Stadium, where the match was being streamed live.
Chatham looked to ease their way into the game but were rocked after conceding two goals in a six-minute spell.
Jon Benton curled a shot past keeper Nathan Harvey to open the scoring in the 12th minute and Ricay soon added a second.
Former Chats captain Jack Evans’ free-kick into the box was met by Frankie Merrifield and he headed home.
Chatham had a few half chances but when Kian Moynes needed treatment for a knock, it gave the visitors a chance to regroup and get some instructions from the management team.
The Chats began to play with a bit more confidence but found themselves up against a blue wall as the hosts sat back in numbers.
There was frustration when a number of Billericay challenges went unpunished. There were penalty shouts when Kasim Aidoo went down in the box but referee Fabio Roque waved the appeals off.
Chatham were claiming another foul as play continued and from a cross, Keon Lewis-Burgess got in front of a defender to tuck the ball away with 40 minutes played.
Chatham had it all to do but hope arrived just before the break when Moynes laid the ball off for Sene-Richardson and he picked out the top corner from the edge of the box.
Kevin Hake’s side went off at the break aggrieved at not getting the decisions going their way but were at least still just about in the game.
Harvey denied Merrifield early in the second half after the Billericay striker lost his man and ran in on goal.
Chatham made a tactical switch shortly after the restart, making two changes as they went to a wing-back formation.
Another penalty shout was waved off by the referee when Sene-Richardson went to ground in the box.
Jack Evans came close to supplying another assist for the hosts with almost an hour gone but Merrifield’s goalbound effort was spectacularly cleared off the line by Chats defender Ollie Evans with keeper Harvey in no man’s land.
Sene-Richardson came close to getting his second goal of the night with 25 minutes left but his low strike cannoned back off the upright following Evans’ cross.
Billericay introduced former Gills striker Macauley Bonne on 70 minutes but a minute after the switch and Chatham were right back in it.
Tope Fadahunsi got a touch and set up Moynes, who crashed the ball home from 12 yards in front of the noisy travelling contingent.
Chatham sub Nile Ranger came agonisingly close to an equaliser after more good work down the left from Evans led to Sene-Richardson’s cross and a header from the striker that was cleared off the line.
Hake’s men kept up the pressure, and there were seven minutes added on, but the visitors were unable to get the third goal to level it up.
More appeals came in stoppage time when Ben Allen went down on the edge of the Ricay box but the referee again wasn’t interested.
Chatham: Harvey, Giles, Aidoo (Evans 49mins), Robins (Nelson 52mins) Butler, Hobden, Moynes (Macarthur 84mins), Leathers, Oldfield (Ranger 77mins), Sene-Richardson, Fadahunsi (Allen 86mins).
Referee: Fabio Roque
Attendance: 2,717
