Chatham chairman Jeff Talbot has welcomed the ‘feel-good’ factor that has returned to Maidstone Road.

The Chats are flying high in Ryman League, Division 1 North, bouncing back from their first defeat of the season last Saturday with a 1-0 victory at Ilford on Wednesday night – their fourth win in six league games.

Mr Talbot (pictured) said: "Three points away from home is always a good return. We were beaten by a good side on Saturday and it was important that we bounced back and we were able to do that away from home, which is always difficult, and to keep a clean sheet too."

"It was a bit scrappy, but you can’t play sweet football all the time and the result is certainly the most important thing. We are definitely a team on the up. We have noticed the gates starting to creep up and it is feeling a lot more like a football club now.

"It was important that we stayed in touch at the top and we have done that, and hopefully with this win the gate will be up past 200 on Saturday."

Attention now turns away from the league as Chatham host Worthing in the FA Cup first qualifying round on Saturday. With £3,000 at stake for the winners, Mr Talbot said victory would be a welcome boost off the field as well as on it.

He said: "It will be another tough game, Worthing will bring a strong side, and we’ll have to be up for a battle. It would be good to have a nice cup run going alongside a challenge in the league."