Chatham Town struck early in either half to bring Invicta’s 12-match winning run to an abrupt end on Saturday afternoon, a late strike from Ben Mason not enough to prevent defeat in front of a season-high crowd of 2,166 at the Alcaline Stadium.

Invicta went into the clash without Donell Thomas (ankle), Adam Lovatt and Joe Pigott (illness) and lined up with Liam Smith in midfield, where he played during the second half of the win at Ramsgate, alongside Ronnie Dolan and Jack Jebb. Joel-Michael Odeniran returned to the starting lineup for the first time since November and Dean Rance joined the squad having not featured since the win over Cray Valley PM last month.

The winter sun hanging low in the sky on a bitterly cold afternoon, Invicta kicked off proceedings and were the first to threaten to open the scoring after Ade Yusuff was pulled down just outside the penalty area. Jebb’s free kick looked destined for the top corner until Chatham goalkeeper Nathan Harvey got fingertips to it, Jebb’s corner then headed wide by Liam Smith.

Chatham then began to apply pressure on the Invicta goal, with former Gillingham winger Matty MacArthur looking a prominent threat, linking with Tope Fadahunsi to unleash an effort from distance that struck a defender and fell back into the path of Fadahunsi who rounded Collins but couldn’t hit the target with his effort.

The Chats broke the deadlock just a minute later, a Kasim Aidoo cross from the left headed away but only as far as Sam Sene-Richardson who flicked the ball into the bottom corner from 11 yards.

Having taken the lead, the visitors forced a short break for goalkeeper Harvey to receive treatment before MacArthur fired high over the bar with a free kick from distance.

Midway through the first period, Ade Yusuff jumped to challenge for a high ball on the halfway line and was caught by a shoulder, landing awkwardly. After a lengthy delay, Yusuff left the field on a stretcher and was taken to a nearby hospital with Josh Strouts replacing him. An update can be found here.

The Chatham defence stood firm as Invicta searched for an equaliser. Jack Jebb went closest after Harvey left his penalty area to head a ball clear, but the Invicta midfielder’s effort from range dropped just wide of an empty net.

Saunders turned to his bench at the break, bringing on Mikey Berry in place of Joel-Michael Odeniran who had picked up a booking during the first half, allowing Liam Smith to drop into the backline.

Invicta began the second half camped in Chatham’s defensive third, eventually Ronnie Dolan forcing a good save from Harvey before Kevin Lokko headed onto the roof of the net after the visitors failed to clear the danger.

Chatham relieved the pressure and began to apply some of their own, Fadahunsi fired wide from six yards before the visitors doubled their lead in the 58th minute. A MacArthur cross from the right looked to be dropping into the top corner before Ted Collins parried it but only into the path of Kian Moynes who fired home despite Lokko’s attempted block on the goal-line.

Invicta responded by sending on Montel McKenzie in place of former Chatham man Ike Orji as they looked to salvage something from the afternoon. Berry was on the end of the first chance to cut the deficit, a cross from the right finding its way to the back post where the midfielder forced a save from Harvey.

Substitute Kofi Anokye-Boadi forced a simple low stop from Collins as the visitors looked to kill off the game before Lokko went close at the other end, coming onto a Jebb corner at the back post but unable to hit the target.

It was beginning to look as if Invicta would fail to find the net for the first time this season before Ben Mason struck with his seventh goal of the season in injury time. A long throw flicked on at the front post by Sam German, Mason turned it beyond Harvey to give Invicta a glimmer of hope.

With Lokko now deployed as a centre forward in the dying seconds, Invicta threw the ball into the box in search of a dramatic equaliser. With far more than the five added minutes played, Collins joined the attack for one final throw of the dice. The goalkeeper got a flick to Jebb’s corner that struck Mason in the face before being cleared off the goal-line by Jordy Robins as the referee called time on the afternoon.

Defender Sam German was selected as Player of the Match by our matchday sponsors Beresfords Accountants. The defender has extended his loan from Bromley for a second month, you can read more here.

Invicta will aim to bounce back on Tuesday evening when we host Aveley at the Alcaline Stadium in our final fixture under the floodlights this season. Tickets are on sale now.