Preview: Chatham Town

The DFDS Kent Senior Cup semi-final looms as the Fleet face Chatham Town under the Kuflink Stadium lights for the first competitive meeting between the sides since 2011.

Aiming for a third successive promotion from second position in the Isthmian Premier Division, the Chats are pushing for National League South football next season as they look to secure a spot in the play-offs. With 21 wins out of a possible 35, only league leaders and champions-elect Hornchurch have managed more wins.

In the first round of the Kent Senior Cup, Chatham – runners-up last season – travelled to Folkestone Invicta where they cruised to a 5-0 victory, booking a spot in the next round. They hosted Tonbridge Angels and sent three past them to secure a quarter-final place where Hythe Town were sent out by an emphatic 7-2 victory.

Chatham are led by chairman-manager Kevin Hake, assisted by Danny Kedwell, and their squad has undergone much change this past few months with 11 new signings in recent months. They include well-known and experienced faces in non-league including former Chelmsford striker Chris Dickson, together with the likes of Rowan Liburd, James Dunne of Welling and Dover, ex-Dartford goalkeeper Mitch Beeney, former Welling and Millwall defender Sid Nelson and Khale da Costa, recently of Tonbridge and Chelmsford.

The Fleet at Chatham in summer 2022

The Fleet have played Chatham in pre-season in recent seasons but other than that it has only been occasional Kent Senior Cup clashes over the past 20 years and we haven’t met in the league since the 1980s.

Free matchday programme
We are making available our free online copy of Fleet Review for tonight’s game. You can download a PDF here.

Ticket info
Tomorrow evening’s match will be segregated. Chatham supporters will access the stadium via the away turnstiles and will be given access to half of the Swanscombe End as well as seating in part of the Old Main Stand.

Home supporters will enter through the main turnstiles with access to the Main Stand, Plough End and the Swanscombe End stand. Food and refreshments will be available for both sets of supporters in their respective areas and we remind you that alcohol is not permitted in the stands, or in sight of the pitch.

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