Promotion-chasing Chatham battled to a hard-fought Isthmian Premier home derby win over severely out-of-form Margate on Saturday.
Top scorer Jamie Yila put Chats ahead in the first period and, although defender Tyrone Sterling levelled for troubled Gate after the restart, striker Rowan Liburd came up with the game’s all-important third goal in their 2-1 triumph.
It extended Gate’s winless run to 19 matches in all competitions and was an equally frustrating fifth straight defeat. Chatham captain Jack Evans had the first opportunity at the Bauvill Stadium as his fourth-minute shot was charged down by a defender in front of another bumper crowd of 1,897.
Seven minutes later, debutant home keeper Mitchell Beeney was called into action to block winger Kadell Daniel’s cross-cum-shot.