Chatham Town manager Kevin Hake reacts to comeback 3-1 FA Cup third qualifying round home win against lower-division Deal Town

Boss Kevin Hake was delighted to see Chatham show their mettle in their comeback FA Cup third qualifying round victory over Deal on Saturday.

The Isthmian Premier Chats fell behind to striker Rory Smith’s goal in the sixth minute at the Bauvill Stadium.

But Chatham were back in control by half-time against the Isthmian South East side, with teenage striker Stanley Oldfield’s double sandwiching a bullet header by defender Alex Giles.

“You want to see a reaction when you go behind that early,” said Hake. “That’s exactly what we got.

“There’s already been a couple of times this season when we have had to go and do that.

“It’s not all just about playing good football and getting either one or two goals ahead, and the ‘Olés’ come out.

“Sometimes, you have got to dig deep - we had to do that on Saturday - so all credit to Deal for taking it to us and giving us a good game.”

Report: Chatham 3-1 Deal

Young midfielder Sam Sene-Richardson also proved key, with Chats’ first two goals coming from his pinpoint corners, and they held on reasonably comfortably after the restart despite Steve King’s visitors threatening to set-up a grandstand finish.

Hake said: “We always knew Steve and his Deal team are a decent team. I think their league position (sitting 18th) is not really reflective of how good they actually are as a team.

“They work the ball really well. Offensively, they’re a good team and I knew they were going to cause us problems.

“Obviously, it wasn’t a great start for us, making a mistake, and then them capitalising and scoring.

“But I think the lads stayed calm - which we always ask them to do - and got the three goals back. Then, it was just a case in the second half of keeping a clean sheet and we’re through to the