Kevin Hake can draw on his father’s words for inspiration as Chatham bid to continue their fine form.

Chats have recovered from a slow start to move into the Isthmian Premier play-off places.

Last season’s beaten play-off finalists sit fifth after a 4-1 home win over Folkestone last weekend extended their unbeaten run in the league to 11 games.

Boss Hake is enjoying the chase, in contrast to last season, when Chats spent most of the season defending their position near the top of the tree.

He knows the demand for success in football has never been greater but his late dad, Tom, a former Chatham manager, had things right.

“People want instant success,” said Hake.

“No one wants to work at it.

“There’s a phrase my dad taught me years ago - a lot of people want the view but they don’t want the climb, and that’s what you’ve got to do, just keep grinding results out.

“Consistency wins the race at the end of the day.”

For Hake, it’s all about staying level-headed.

He knew Chatham had moved into the top five after Freddie Sears’ double - including a spectacular opener - and goals from Rowan Liburd and John Ufuah saw off Folkestone.

But the manager was quick to play down any significance at this stage of the season.

“I’m not going there,” he said.

“As I said to the boys, you win a game and you get into the play-offs, now we’re all getting promoted. You lose a game and it’s doom and gloom.

“We’re not doing that rollercoaster thing.

“We’ll take every game as it comes and at the end of the season the league table never lies.

“We have to be level-headed. A lot of people wrote us off at the start of the season.

“I’m not saying we’re going to be anywhere but it’s a long, long season.

“Two weeks ago Folkestone were in the play-offs and we could find ourselves out of the play-offs in two weeks just as easily, or the next game.

“There’s six points between fifth and 17th so it’s nothing to get too excited about.”

Chatham, 2-0 winners at home to Burgess Hill in the Velocity Cup on Tuesday night, have found their feet, however.

After a squad overhaul, it was always going to take a bit of time.

“We’ve changed a lot of players,” said Hake.

“We released I think nine players at the start of the season and brought a lot in. It’s never easy to do that.

“We’ve got the stalwarts who’ve been here a few years and know what we’re about but it takes time for a new team to bond.

“That’s what I’ve put it down to.

“It’s a great dressing room and we’ve just got to keep churning out the wins and good results.

“They’ve worked hard on the training ground.

“If it was just a case of chucking good players together, it would be easy but it’s not that, you do have to work at things.”

Chatham visit eighth-placed Carshalton this Saturday (3pm).