The year 2025 has yet to really get started for the Blues, after consecutive postponements; first a waterlogged pitch at Potters Bar on New Year's Day, before a frozen pitch at the Maurice Rebak Stadiuim last weekend, as the UK winter weather really starts to test the non-league ground staff around the country! Saturday's match sees us travel to Chatham Town for the second time this season, and with the Chats having a 3G surface, we should be safe to say that the club's 2025 fixtures will begin on Saturday.
Our Opponents
The Chats are currently at their highest position in their 140-year history after back-to-back promotions; promoted as champions from the Isthmian South East division in 2022/23 after also being promoted from the Southern Counties East Premier Division (step 5) in 2021/22. Off the field, Chatham Town have also made great strides in recent years, winning the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in recognition of their outstanding community service in 2022 and awarded the Non-League Paper’s Community Club of the Year in 2020.
Chatham Town had an excellent first season in the Isthmian Premier last year, and were 90 minutes away from making it three promotions in three seasons. While Hornchurch ran away with the title with 100 points, Chatham finished in second place with 79 points; two places and three points above the Blues as we took 4th position. In the playoffs, Chatham beat Horsham on penalties in the semi-final, but the Chats could not get past Enfield Town whose excellent second half display in the final saw them win 3-0 in front of a bumper crowd at the Bauvill Stadium.
This season, Chatham have picked up after a slow start, and the Chats are currently sat 8th of 22 teams with 35 points from 25 games (W9 D8 L8). This puts the Chats six places and four points above the Blues, having played two games more. In a disappointing start to the season, with four defeats in their opening eight games, Chatham started October in 17th position, however the Chats went on a 12 match unbeaten run in the league, until a 2-0 defeat at Carshalton on the 21st December. This run propelled the Chats up into 4th position, and some highlights of that run included a 7-1 demolition of Bognor Regis Town, being 6-0 up at half time. That result was preceded by a 5-0 win against Whitehawk, with 12 goals in two matches shared between seven players. Since Carshalton halted the unbeaten run, it has been a mixed bag through the end of 2024 and into 2025, with one win, one draw and three defeats on the bounce heading into Saturday's clash.
Head to Head
We have faced the Chats twice already so far this season, first a narrow 1-0 defeat in the FA Trophy Third Qualifying Round, Jordy Mongoy with the only goal of the game at the Bauvill Stadium back in October.
Our second meeting this season was part of the Chats' 12 match unbeaten run, as an early Ogo Obi goal was cancelled out by a Rowan Liburd equaliser in the 72nd minute in a 1-1 draw. It was a resolute display from the Blues, as we had been reduced to ten men shortly before the half time break, Billy Cracknell seeing red for two yellow cards.
Last Time Out
The Chats come into this clash having started 2025 with three defeats, and without scoring in any of those three matches. It was a 2-0 home defeat on New Year's Day against local rivals Dartford in front of over 3,000 fans, before another 2-0 defeat away at Chichester City, and in midweek, Hashtag United took a 1-0 win away from the Bauvill Stadium.
The Blues come into this clash without having played in a fortnight, our last game was a 3-2 defeat away at Folkestone Invicta on 28th December. Our own form has been disappointing of late, with no win in eight league matches, so Ahmet Rifat and co will be hoping that an extended break will have revitalised his squad to return to their early season heights.
Players To Watch
One player that joined the Chats this season, and appears to have played a vital role in transforming their early season form, is winger John Ufuah. Ufuah signed for the Chats in October, and has gone on to score 7 goals in 15 games in the league. Blues fans will be aware of Ufuah from his time at Hastings United last season, where he played a vital role, with 31 goal contributions, which helped to secure him a move to National League South side Slough Town in the summer. After a brief spell at The Rebels, he is back in the Isthmian Premier League with Chatham.
In the Chatham midfield, Jack Evans has been a vital part of the club's development in recent years, having joined in 2019 and been part of the Chats rise through the leagues. Evans, now 31, started his career at Medway neighbours Gillingham, appearing seven times in League Two for the Gills before playing at National League and National League South level for a number of years with the likes of Tamworth, Sutton United and Eastbourne Borough. A couple of brief spells at this level with Margate and Folkestone followed, before he joined Chatham, where he is approaching the milestone of 100 goals from midfield, including 8 goals this season already.
For the Blues, Ogo Obi has moved onto 21 goals in all competitions this season in rapid time, having only played 29 matches so far. With the battle for the league golden boot hotting up, we are sure that Ogo will be looking to get onto the scoresheet as soon as possible, having already netted once against this opponent this season already.
One of our more recent signings in the attacking third is Cain Keller, the attacker has started all four of the matches since he has joined the club, and contributed with a couple of assists already too. Blues fans will be looking forward to seeing how how relationship with the rest of the Blues attack will continue to develop this season.
Photos courtesy of Martin Addison.
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