Chatham, red, take on Merstham at Maidstone Road Picture: Peter Still

Chatham left it late to secure the points against Merstham in their first Ryman League Division 1 South game for almost three weeks on Saturday.

Chatham showed few signs of rustiness as Brendon Cass headed a cross into the far corner inside 15 minutes.

After the break the visitors had Tristan Frontin sent off before levelling through Craig Carley, but Ashley Probets curled in a superb free-kick from 20 yards to restore the home side’s advantage on 78 minutes.

Merstham equalised again, through Billy Marshall, only for Lee Barnett to snatch the points on 85 minutes, turning his man and firing in a shot from the edge of the box which deflected past keeper Ian Chatfield.

Chatham boss Alex O’Brien was pleased with the points, even if he felt they should have been secured long before the end. He said: "It was nice to get a game and it was especially good to start the new year with three points.

"It was good to get Brendon and Lee back scoring, but in all honesty we should have been six or seven up, the number of chances we created."