The Crows were straight into the action, with Holmwood setting the tone early on in only the 2nd minute, with a confident save. That early involvement proved a sign of things to come and how quick this game would move. On the 5th, the Crows responded to pressure with some crisp, clinical passing up the pitch, slicing through Chatham, although the move broken down just as it reached its conclusion.
Chatham continued to test the back line, calling Holmwood into action again in the 7th, before the Crows carried the ball forward smoothly straight after with Lambden’s curling effort rising just a touch too high.

The game’s first major flashpoint arrived in the 14th minute when Ayoola squared the ball to Rushy who finished it into the net which we saw as a perfectly good goal, only for it to be ruled out for offside. A watch back later confirmed it was onside, something loudly voiced at the time, but the Crows had no option but to suck it up and knuckle back down to get on with the job at hand.
Relief followed in the 17th when Chatham had a goal disallowed at the other end for offside. From my view point it was impossible to judge (and I was still distracted by the earlier decision), but it was met with a collective exhale that things stayed level.
The game briefly paused on the 21st minute as Chatham number 21 received treatment, following his substitution 5 minutes later as number 2 took his place.

The breakthrough came in the 30th minute, with a moment that felt like it unfolded in slow motion. A speculative effort from distance travelled seemingly forever, dipping just in time over the final yards to beat the keeper and nestle into the net. Ayoola got the goal he deserved 15 minutes earlier and it was met by a chorus of celebrations from the stands. The Crows nearly doubled their advantage soon after in the 33rd, only to be denied again as a promising effort was pushed past the post.

What followed was a scrappier spell, leading to a bizarre and animated foul being awarded to Chatham. The danger was initially cleared before the ball was worked back into the area, where Holmwood once again proved dependable with a solid save. A few minutes later in the 39th, Rushy clearly won a 50/50 on the approach, yet the whistle went regardless, adding to the growing sense of frustration.
The half’s most chaotic moment arrived in the 43rd. Ayoola won a free kick, Pring delivered, and two Crows players were taken out during the goalmouth action. Play continued, further players from both sides went down, and when the dust settled it was Forster who emerged with a yellow card from all the commotion. After five minutes of added time, the whistle blew for half-time with the Crows holding a deserved 1–0 lead.

The second half opened tentatively and 10 minutes in an opportunity fell to Pearson but his effort went wide. Chatham responded with pressure of their own, earning a free kick in a dangerous area in the 57th, but Holmwood eventually smothered the danger by getting down well with hands on. Discipline became a theme as H. Mayhew was booked in the 59th, followed quickly by another Chatham free kick that raised eyebrows in the stands but ultimately drifted wide.
By the 61st minute, Chatham had made their approach clear, to favour long balls in an effort to stretch the Crows. Despite that, it was the hosts who came closest in the 66th. Forster unleashing one of his trademark long-range efforts, only for it to be handled and the moment lost. You have to give credit to the Chatham keeper on the save because it came from nowhere and was full of power.

The tension ramped up significantly in the 76th, with repeated clusters in the Crows’ box, our defence stepping up bravely, and plenty of stop-start interruptions from the referee. One such pause resulted in Lambden being shown yellow. More frustration followed in the 79th as Puffette was also booked, seemingly for questioning why a tackle had been penalised, a question shared by more in the ground.

Fresh legs arrived in the 83rd, with Forster and Pearson making way for Turner and J. Mayhew.
Chatham’s number 6 finally saw yellow in the 86th, a booking that felt as though it could have been several warnings overdue. Straight from this, Rushy was taken down once again, earning a free kick, and Pring came agonisingly close to adding a second as his effort missed by whiskers.
Chatham continued to press and in the 4 minutes added, the drama was far from over. 90+1’ brought the added time tension, a frantic scramble in the box leading to a Chatham corner, only for Holmwood to claim confidently once more. The final minutes passed in a blur, likely due to a collective lack of oxygen from holding our breath, but when the final whistle arrived, the result was secured. 1-0 The Crows

Despite the chances created at both ends, this was ultimately a game that demanded strong, disciplined defending, and the Crows delivered exactly that. The back line stood firm under sustained pressure, supported by a tireless midfield effort, and capped off by a brilliant night’s work from Holmwood between the posts, whose command and shot-stopping proved vital.
Player of the Match went to Will Puffette, who epitomised the Crows’ performance.

The Crows progress to the quarter-finals after winning 1-0 and knocking out the current holders of the Cup whom also play a step above. Chatham brought a strong and friendly following, and despite the cold, it was an enjoyable and entertaining evening of football. Best wishes to Chatham Town for the second half of their season.

Attendance 235

Crowborough will now face Redbridge FC in the Quarter finals. This fixture will be once again played at our home ground. A date in January is TBC.