Post Lockdown Tournament – Chatham Town 3-3 Punjab United
Saturday 22nd May 2021
Post-Lockdown Friendly Tournament
Chatham Town 3-3 Punjab United
Bauvill Stadium
Attendance: 450
Simon Baker and Jim Case reported on yesterday’s game for Non League Chronicles.
After many months without competitive football it’s great to be able to watch this mini tournament involving Chatham Town, Lordswood, Rochester Utd, Sheppey Utd and Punjab Utd, with Chatham hosting Punjab here in Game Two.
Punjab United would spring a surprise with the first real chance of the game in the 7th minute when captain George Goodwin headed home from Dieko Falade’s corner.
Chatham Town were immediately on the attack from the restart and skipper Jack Evans saw his curling effort scooped over the bar by Punjab goalkeeper Max Ovenden.
A fine passage of play in the 19th minute saw the Chats come close to an equaliser when Ryan Hayes squared to Luke Rooney who hit the post from 25 yards out. The rebound was cleared to Evans who saw his effort hit the side netting.
Defender Reece Butler had two efforts in the 30th minute when Hayes crossed and Butler’s header deflected out for a corner. Evans whipped the corner in but Butler could only head over the bar.
The visitors extended their lead on 37 minutes when Arun Suman’s defence-splitting pass found William Johnson-Cole who slotted the ball past Chats goalkeeper Henry Newcombe at the near post.
The Chats would again hit the woodwork in first half injury time when Hayes won the better of a 50/50 tackle and the ball dropped to Evans whose shot hit the post.
The majority of the second half was a scrappy affair with a Rooney shot straight at the goalkeeper and substitute Dan Bradshaw heading over being the only chances of note early on.
The final 13 minutes saw business pick up. Substitute Ike Orji burst down the Chatham right wing and his low cross was tapped in by Bradshaw to make it 1-2.
The Chats got their equaliser on 80 minutes. Substitute Harvey Brown produced some good play to weave his way into a packed box. The ball pinged around and was forced out for a corner. Evans whipped the ball in from the left and Mikey Dalton headed home to make it 2-2.
Punjab would retake the lead on 83 minutes when Luke Adams scored a penalty after Johnson-Cole was fouled in the box.
Captain Marvel Evans would rescue a point for Chatham in the 89th minute when he side-stepped his marker and sent a right footed curling effort past Ovenden and into the far corner.
NLC Man Of The Match: George Goodwin
A captain’s performance from the Punjab number 10 who fought for everything tooth and nail, dropped into the back line to stop Chatham attacks and broke the deadlock with a fine header.
Chatham Town: 1 Henry Newcombe, 3 Freddie Cray, 5 Reece Butler, 2 Christian Lawal, 7 Ryan Hayes (14 Ike Orji HT), 6 Mikey Dalton (15 Jack Parmby ‘80), 4 Jordi Robins, 11 Matt Bodkin (12 Harvey Brown ‘69), 8 Jack Evans , 10 Luke Rooney (16 Moses Abioye ‘73), 17 Andy Pugh (9 Dan Bradshaw HT).
Punjab United: 1 Max Ovenden, 2 Warren Beattie, 3 Reed Wilson, 4 Diljit Boora, 5 Jordan Campbell, 6 Stephen Ratcliff, 7 Dieko Falade, 8 Arun Suman, 9 Luke Adams, 10 George Goodwin , 11 William Johnson-Cole.
Gravesham – Medway – Swale -Tournament
