Chatham Town could seal a play-off place on Saturday while making Isthmian Premier leaders Hornchurch wait a little longer to celebrate the title.

Kevin Hake’s second-placed Chats need one more win from their remaining four games to ensure they will be competing in the end-of-season play-offs while hosts Hornchurch will secure the championship by avoiding defeat.

Neither of the division’s standout teams will want to go easy in a top-versus-second clash.

“We know anything but a win for us means they win the title,” said Chats boss Hake.

“Over the course of the season, they have been the most consistent team in the league and fully deserve to be where they are.

“I would have liked to have run them closer but they have been the front-runners for most of the season.

“Although they may have slipped up a bit of late (with two defeats last month) for them to not win the league from this position would mean they have to lose a lot of games which you can’t see happening.

“We will approach the game the same as the remaining four games. We aren’t mathematically in the play-offs yet and we want to finish as high as we can to gain home advantage if we do reach the play-offs.”

Chatham have been holding onto second place for some time but won’t want to allow the likes of Enfield or Horsham to sneak in and claim the upper hand in those play-off fixtures.

Second will play fifth in the Semi-Finals while third hosts fourth with both games on Wednesday, May 1. The Final is on Monday, May 6.

Chats also have a Velocity Cup Final to look ahead to when they play Hashtag United at Aveley FC on Wednesday, April 17.

Hake said: “With four league games, a League Cup Final and potential play-offs in less than five weeks, that will keep us all on our toes and give the fans something to get excited about as this season approaches its climax.”

Chatham had another 2,000-plus crowd at the Bauvill Stadium on Easter Monday but they left it late to see off a stubborn Kingstonian.

The relegation-destined visitors took a surprise lead after 63 minutes but Chats equalised five minutes later through Simon Cooper and took the lead following a Jamie Yila penalty. Kareem Isiaka made it three and new loan signing Francis Mampolo completed a 4-1 scoreline in added time.

Hake said: “We were playing against a spirited Kingstonian side fighting relegation and they were always going to be difficult to break down but in the end, the win was a comfortable one.

“I was pleased with the lads for sticking to the game-plan and not panicking, even after going 1-0 down.

“Everyone in the top seven won as well so it was important we did the same.”

Goalscorer Mampolo is one of a handful of new recruits who registered ahead of the Isthmian League signing deadline. The 20-year-old winger has joined from Tonbridge Angels.

Striker Harvey Bradbury, who previously played for Dartford, has also joined from Farnborough along with winger Jacob Katonia on a dual registration deal from Fisher.

Chatham drew 2-2 at Cray Wanderers on Friday, denied a win after conceding a second goal deep into stoppage-time. Newcomer Bradbury scored Chats’ first and Mampolo got the second.