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Whyteleafe gained three vital points and climbed another place in the table, giving them real hope of pulling away from the relegation places. This was twice in a week that they have come from behind to win a game, a sure sign that confidence is increasing. Also in both games it was no coincidence that this coincided with Chris O'Flaherty moving forward to his favoured position.
The game couldn't have started more badly for the visitors when Chatham took the lead with just 30 seconds on the clock, and to make it worse, 'Leafe scored it for them. Aaron Firth won the ball on the edge of the box. His weak shot was going wide but Dean Gunner stuck out a foot and saw the ball wrong foot keeper Michael Lidbury and go into the other corner of the net.
Daryl Coleman's ninth minute cross had keeper Adam Molloy in all kinds of trouble, looking into the sun, and he grabbed it at the last moment with 'Leafe's appeals that it had crossed the line turned down. Two minutes later Firth made a good run down the left and his cross was just out of reach of the unmarked Billy Shinners at the far post. Lidbury then made a good save in the 27th minute turning Nick Hegley's effort round the post.
'Leafe equalised in the 39th minute. A long through ball saw the lively Ryan Thomas outpace the Chatham defence. His shot struck the post but he was quickest to react and slotted home the rebound. This goal visibly lifted the team and they went close twice to taking the lead before half time. First Thomas shot on the turn from a long Coleman throw in the 41st minute then a minute later, Fabian Batchelor won a challenge for the ball on the left, laid it off to Bentley Graham who's shot from 25 yards curled just wide of the target.
'Leafe continued to attack from the start of the second half, with O'Flaherty released to a more attacking role with the introduction of Dan Frith at left back. Keeper Molloy did well to hold on to a free kick from Coleman in the 49th minute that took a deflection off the wall.
The winning goal came in the 52nd minute. Eligjah Ogunseye sent Batchelor off on the right. His cross found Thomas in the box. His shot was blocked, but he followed up to shoot again, this time Molloy stopped the ball, but O'Flaherty was on hand to gleefully hit the ball into the net from close range.
Chatham really should have equalised two minutes later when Firth rounded keeper Lidbury, who had done enough to make the angle more difficult. Firth's shot at the empty goal hit the post and bounced back into the grateful arms of Lidbury. Two minutes later Kane Race made a great saving tackle to deny O'Flaherty after Batchelor had sent him clear.
Ryan Laker made three good runs for the hosts on the left, the first in the 65th minute saw him cross to Gary Ward whose shot was deflected for a corner, then in the 69th minute his cross was headed over by Joe Fuller. His third cross in the 80th minute saw Frith make a great saving tackle to deny Ward.
Chatham continued to attack in their search for an equaliser, but Lidbury's handling was assured, catching well from a dangerous free kick in the 86th minute and a corner in the 88th minute.
Whyteleafe: Lidbury, Gunner, Coleman, Fleming, Aldous, Stripp, Batchelor, Graham (Frith 45), Thomas, Ogunseye (Webster 82), O'Flaherty.