Chatham 2 Whyteleafe 1

AN EARLY goal from Danny Oakins gave Whyteleafe a great start but they left Kent with no points last Saturday.

Oakins volleyed home from a narrow angle in the sixth minute after Fred Fleming had headed on Rob Kember's free-kick.

Leafe thought they had scored again five minutes later when Chris O'Flaherty's corner was headed in by Fleming but the referee disallowed it for an off-the-ball infringement.

Chatham should have equalised in the 18th minute but Brad Potter missed a sitter after a mistake from O'Flaherty, but they eventually did so midway through the half as Rob Denness found Jack Pullen in the box and he scored from close range.

Shortly after the game turned on its head as Rob O'Hara misjudged a punch clearance that fell nicely to Pullen who headed home to give the hosts the lead.

Pullen should have completed a first-half hat-trick when he headed wide from a corner despite being unmarked, and O'Hara also made a fine save when Denness broke clear.

But Leafe also had chances, Oakins shooting wide and Darren Watson just failing to reach O'Flaherty's cross from the left.

The visitors were unfortunate not the level in the second half and Fleming twice had efforts blocked on the line in the space of six minutes.

Whyteleafe: O'Hara, Goodchild, D Coleman (Worley), Fleming, R Coleman, Holmes-Lewis (McCann), Kember, Smith, Oakins (Platel), Watson, O'Flaherty.

Whyteleafe host Leatherhead in Ryman League Division One South tonight (Tuesday).

See Friday's Croydon Advertiser for a match report and reaction.