Chatham Town manager-chairman Kevin Hake reacts to his team's Isthmian South East title success

Boss Kevin Hake admits Chatham’s title-winning season has been beyond his wildest dreams.

Chats beat play-off chasing Cray Valley 2-1 at the Bauvill Stadium to be crowned Isthmian South East champions at the first attempt with a game to spare on Saturday, having been promoted from the Southern Counties East Premier Division last term.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” said Hake, whose side will host Welling in their Kent Senior Cup Semi-Final on Tuesday and visit Littlehampton in the league next Saturday.

“From where we’ve come from, it’s beyond our wildest dreams. To get back-to-back promotions is something that you only dream about, especially after losing the first league game of the season [1-0 at East Grinstead].

“But I go back to the Whitehawk game five games ago [which they lost 1-0 - the last time they dropped points]. I said to the boys ‘You’ve got to go and win seven now’... Alright, we’ve done it in six.

“Now, we can enjoy a nice Semi-Final against Welling in the Kent Cup and then we’ve got Littlehampton away, which will be a bit of a party for us.

“I’m just pleased we could do it at home in front of all our fans because they’ve been absolutely outstanding this season.

“There was another crowd figure of more than 2,000 today. They’ve come out in their droves and it’s just unreal.”

Chatham led at half-time thanks to a Jack Evans penalty before experienced defender Matt Bodkin struck after the restart and, despite skipper Denzel Gayle pulling one back for the Millers late on, Chats held on in front of a crowd of 2,329 and can now begin preparing for life in Isthmian Premier.

Indeed, they didn’t lose at home in the league all season in a record which dates back to October 2021.

Hake said: “It’s been a great league.