After Thursday’s vital win over Brentwood, Redbridge came into this game with a confidence knocked out of them again over the course of this afternoon by Chatham Town.

The first goal for Chatham came on 12 minutes and it was their leading striker Austin Gacharu who got it, he broke free on the right, calmly advanced into the box and calmly stroked it past Michael Bowditch to give the visitors the lead.

They could have doubled that on 20 when a low inswinging corner was missed by Bowditch and Alim Sesay stooped to head it but couldn’t steer it on target.

Chatham knocked on the door a couple of times before getting their second on 24 minutes, this time Gacharu leaping high above a crowded box and looping his header under the bar to give a deserved lead.

Redbridge’s first real chance came a couple of minutes after that as early substitute Anthony McDonald picked up a loose ball on the by-line instide the box, tried to lift it over the keeper but it went wide.

Showing off his confidence, Gacharu tried from 30 yards, this time his effort just inches over, and he came even closer to the hat-trick a minute later with another header just over, clearly taking advantage of his height.

Instead, it was the Motormen who got the next goal, with Jacob Cleaver continuing his excellent goalscoring run , burrowing his way though on the edge of the box and steering it home on 35 mins to get Redbridge back in the game.

As we approached half-time though Chatham started to exert control again, with Sesay and Gacharu again both coming close before the break in torrential rain, adding to an already difficult pitch.

It wasn’t all bad news at the break though as Wroxham had a 2-0 lead against Ilford, maintaing Redbridge’s narrow two point lead against their relegation rivals.

Just one half time change as Charlie Portway came on for Emmanuel Kadima as the Motormen searched for another goal and a vital point.

Chatham started the faster of the two again with Taylor McDonald considering himself unlucky that his shot went wide in the first minute after the restart.

Austin Garachu got his hat-trick on 58 minutes with another goal to delight the travelling support and make the task much harder again for the Motormen.

It could have been four when 7 squared to 10, too close as he slid in with Lemar Lemonius who managed to clear and collide with the post at the same time, although after treatment he was fine to carry on.

The weather continued to affect play as the ball started to skid and hold up alternately, but Chatham were comfortable in holding their lead.

With ten minutes to go Charlie Portway had a good chance for the home side but slipped inside the box.

Two minutes later Redbridge got a penalty as Dubbs was tripped just inside the box. Jacob Cleaver stepped up with confidence and skyed it over the bar to accompanying groans, but it wouldn’t be fair to blame him for the miss, particularly as without his goals they may not be in this fight at all.

Charlie Portway had been lively since coming on and as Redbridge continued to press in the latter stages his long-range free kick was saved by Tim Roberts low just inside his post.

But that was to be the end of the chances as the game petered out as the rain pelted down, hopefully without too much more damage to the already heavy pitch.

Ware come to Oakside on Tuesday evening which won’t be an easy ask for this young Redbridge side as they desperately search for the points that will keep them safe. With Ilford continuing to struggle it may well be that results elsewhere are the biggest help, but you can take nothing for granted when its so close to the wire.

Before the match the Deputy Mayor of Redbridge came down to Oakside to support Redbridge in handing out £2000 allocated by the FA to be split between three local charities, Haven House, Uniting Friends and Redbridge Carers Support Services, which was in recognition of Redbridge’s great run in the FA Cup last season.

Report courtesy of www.time1075.com