There were a couple of changes to the side that lost 2-1 away at relegation threatened Hendon last time out. Keeper Kieran Magee and skipper Rob Hutchings both returned to the starting XI to accompany Ryan Davidson, Curtis Da Costa and Ben Pashley in defence. Joe Moore dropped to the bench and Emmett Dunn moved up into midfield alongside Mo Jammeh, Joe Clarke, Bello and Lloyd Rowlatt with Lewis Rustell up top once again in place of the injured Jimmy Wild.
A minutes applause on the anniversary of Graeme Gee’s passing took place before kick off.
Chi beat the Chats 2-0 in the reverse fixture at Oaklands Park thanks to an early Jammeh goal and an Ethan Prichard injury-time strike in January but might have fallen behind here after only 30 seconds or so when Freddie Sears, former Ipswich and West Ham player, followed up a couple of shots and turned the ball beyond Magee only for the officials to chalk it off for an infringement.
Left back Kasim Aidoo won a throw next and Sears got clear again when the cross came over without really troubling the Chichester custodian.
Dunn fouled captain Jack Evans and Jammeh managed to rebuff things after Harry Webster delivered the free kick.
Magee, not for the last time, denied Evans on 6 minutes and the visitors won a set-piece when Rustell was impeded. Hutchings took the kick but it went straight into Henry Molyneux’s gloves.
Bello hooked away Lewis Chambers’ throw-in and Davidson headed clear as Chambers and Simon Cooper combined.
Pashley, under pressure from John Ufuah, steered the ball back to Magee and Clarke got tackled after Rowlatt and Hutchings linked up.
A long pass was collected easily enough by Molyneux in the 10th minute and both Bello and Cooper went down for some lengthy physio treatment which put a stop to things.
Next, Jammeh, Bello and Rustell exchanged passes but the move petered out for a handball and the away team won a set piece that drifted harmlessly out for a goal kick.
On 15 a long pass was too firm for Aidoo and the hosts’ Jordy Robins beat Bello but not Rowlatt as Chatham probed.
The ball then bounced up and Ufuah hand-balled before the away side won a throw that came to nothing.
Jammeh cleared in the 17th minute and an Aidoo cross was diverted without any further trouble.
Molyneux got out smartly to concede a throw when Rustell threatened and Dunn did well to smuggle it back to Magee before Aidoo was flagged offside.
Da Costa headed away after Jamie Yila and Cooper attacked down the right flank and Cooper’s effort was blocked at the mid-point.
An Evans’ cross was cleared and first Clarke and then Pashley made towering headers to divert the danger.
Reece Butler had a go blocked by Clarke and Chi won their first corner which Rowlatt took before a foul in the box.
In a decent spell Chichester earned another corner after Rowlatt skipped past two challenges and at the other end Yila spurned a free-header to hit wide of the mark.
Butler won the ball cleanly when Jammeh and Bello tried to combine and Yila’s cross was simple for Magee on the half hour.
Dunn’s ball to Magee was almost intercepted by Ufuah and Robins went down – no yellow card according to referee Gerry Heron.
Butler won the ball with a lovely header but the final pass to Sears had too much on it before the Chats earned a free kick on the edge of the penalty area which Evans thumped into the Chi wall.
Robins and Evans then combined but Yila’s shot was awful 10 minutes ahead of the break.
And then Chi had a spell when Bello launched three long throws and a Hutchings’ corner was met with a fierce shot that Molyneux did well to save.
Next, Hutchings had a go blocked and Dunn lost the ball but either Yila or Ufuah were adjudged offside.
In the 43rd minute of the game Chi took the lead with what would prove to be the only goal when out of nothing Bello dinked the ball over Molyneux.
60 seconds later Ufuah won a corner which sailed past Butler at the back stick for another on the opposite side.
Evans delivered this once more and Davidson hacked away.
Mr Heron added three uneventful minutes.
Rowan Liburd replaced Robins at half time and Evans burned Clarke for a header that was no trouble for Magee.
First Butler and then Hutchings headed safely back to their respective keepers and the Chi skipper made a brilliant recovery to concede a throw-in.
Pashley cleared a 48th minute corner and Yila, not for the last time, was flagged offside.
Evans threatened but Hutchings diverted it back to Magee as Chi dug in to protect their slender advantage.
Dunn struck a forward pass too hard; Ufuah and Cooper tried to get it going only for the ball to roll out for a Chichester goal kick; and Bello almost doubled the lead but fired wide after neat stuff with Rowlatt.
Davidson got away with one after a strong tackle on Liburd 9 minutes in – no pen apparently thought Mr Heron but not the Chats’ fans.
Chambers cut out a slick Chi move and Magee made a classy save to prevent Ufuah from equalising before Yila’s cross was cleared by Davidson.
The right back then received some physio and Magee was called into action once more to deny Webster, palming the ball out for a corner somehow.
Clarke and Jammeh exchanged passes although Rustell couldn’t keep the final pass in play and Molyneux saved when Magee picked out Rowlatt on 64.
Cooper got swapped for Kareem Isiaka and a rather wayward pass was played towards Rustell moments later.
A busy linesman flagged Liburd offside and Webster came off for Jordy Mongoy before Hutchings made a lovely sliding tackle to give away a corner for the Chats.
The Sussex side cleared on the line as Yila and Sears linked up and then Rustell was subbed for Olly Munt on 72.
Dunn got given a talking to for catching Chambers before Da Costa and Yila collided with Chi strangely getting the free kick.
Rowlatt found Munt but his cross was too deep and Jammeh cleared in the last 10 of normal time.
Pashley then did well to shrug off an attacker and Magee made another fine save to deny Evans before Munt pulled one wide in the 84th minute.
Both teams exchanged throws as we headed towards full time and Chambers fired over a Butler cross.
Chatham then hit a corner beyond everyone for a Chichester goal kick and the officials signalled 6 minutes of additional time.
Magee saved Ufuah’s effort with his arms and the hosts headed well over the bar on 92 before the Chi No1 repelled Sears’ go one-handed.
Munt impeded Evans as full time edged even closer; Dunn headed away; and Ufuah shot wide of the mark with practically the last kick of the game.
All the teams in the top five won so Chi remain sixth in the league, but now four points off Cray Valley PM in the final play-off spot who were docked three points in the week for fielding an ineligible player against Potters Bar.
Next up is a match against Cheshunt at Oaklands Park on Good Friday 18th April (Kick Off 3pm) before Whitehawk away on Easter Monday (Kick Off 3pm).
Chichester – Magee, Davidson, Hutchings, Clarke, Da Costa, Pashley, Bello, Dunn, Clarke, Rustell, Rowlatt, Jammeh. (Moore, Munt, Bennett, Scrimshaw)
