Chatham Town return to Isthmian Premier Division action at the Bauvill Stadium on Saturday to face Haringey Borough after losing to Ebbsfleet United in the Kent Senior Cup semi-final

Chatham Town boss Kevin Hake hopes his men learn from their Kent Senior Cup exit at Ebbsfleet United after a ruthless display from the hosts.

A thriller at Stonebridge Road left Chats beaten 5-3 on a night where National League side Ebbsfleet displayed a more clinical edge in a game that was packed with goalmouth action.

Report: Ebbsfleet 5 Chatham 3

Hake was delighted with the effort from his players in the semi-final clash and said: “We never like losing a game of football but I think the boys left everything out there and that was important.

“The supporters went away knowing we have been in the game, but it is always difficult to face someone who is full-time and their quality showed.

“We could have been 3-0 up in the first 10 minutes and they get one chance at the other end and go 1-0 up, that is the difference and that is what we have to learn, but it is all learning.

“We have come a long way in a short space of time, but these are the levels and the experiences we want, and so the guys need to get prepared for it.

“Ebbsfleet are a good team, this is where we need to get ourselves to. They are a team that is struggling in the National League but they’ve shown their class and if we are going to get to those levels then we have to show that we want to be better than that.

“This is the level we have to aspire to be and I think there are a few people that learned a lot.

“We couldn’t go full strength because of players cup tied and a few people picked up knocks on Saturday but the boys put a good account of ourselves and that is the main thing.

“You need decisions to go your way, you need to play your best and you also need them to have a bit of an off day.

“I think we were probably 80% of what we can actually