Manager Paul Piggott will be using every trick in the book to try and engineer a great escape for Chatham.

His team were criticised by rival boss James Bracken for adopting “ultra negative” tactics in a 2-2 draw last weekend.

Piggott doesn’t care how his side pick up the points after the draw against promotion-chasing Corinthian Casuals last Saturday moved them a point closer to safety.

Responding to Bracken’s comments, Piggott said: “He’s clearly never been in the bottom three and conceding goals for fun. Maybe if he was in our situation, he would do the same.

“I have never done it in my management career before but it’s a case of needs must.

“We are fighting for our lives and we’ve tried three or four different formations and ways of playing and they’ve not worked. We try all avenues.

“We went with a game-plan and out-thought them.

“There is more than one way to win. We will try anything we can, within the laws of the game and if the worst happens, then at least we can say we tried everything."

Chatham’s battle against the drop from Ryman League, Division 1 South, doesn’t get any easier. They host second-placed Dorking Wanderers on Saturday.

Piggott said: “Before we arrived, Chatham went to Dorking and won, so it just shows at this level what can happen if you take a team lightly.”

George Benner is available having missed last weekend’s game after a knock above the eye impaired his vision.