A new attendance record was set at Chatham Town on Monday as close to 2,000 watched the league leaders beat promotion rivals Sheppey United.

The Southern Counties East Premier Division clash was watched by 1,876 at the Bauvill Stadium - doubling the previous record in the league. Dan Bradshaw claimed both of Chatham’s goals in the 2-0 win against his former team.

Chatham started the day top of the Premier Division, four points ahead of second-placed Sheppey. The previous best SCEFL crowd was the match between the two sides at Chatham in December 2019, with 927 watching that day.

The attendance on Monday bettered by some way the 1,055 crowd that watched Furness and Dartford lock horns in effectively a Kent League title decider at Green Court Road in the 1995/96 season - the biggest crowd at Step 5 in the county in recent years.

• Dennis Wise among those watching at Chatham

Shortly after the action started, Sheppey keeper Adam Molloy almost gifted Chats an early lead. He failed to hold onto Ryan Hayes’ inswinging corner and was grateful to see the ball cleared after bouncing off the crossbar.

It was Hayes who created the opener on 24 minutes, getting past full-back Renford Tenyue before firing in a low cross which bounced out to Bradshaw and the lethal finisher made no mistake from infront of goal.

Sheppey were struggling for clear-cut chances infront of a Chatham defence that included new signing Dean Beckwith. Fellow newcomer Danny Kedwell was named on the bench.

When Sheppey forward Jefferson Aibangbee did break through, he was denied by Andy Walker’s fine save.

At the other end Chats captain Jack Evans saw keeper Molloy save his effort from the edge of the box and another lob from much further out.

Sheppey striker Warren Mfula headed wide at the far post as The Ites looked for a way back into the game. At the other end, a header from Jordan Robins was kept out by Molloy.

Chatham got their second goal on 80 minutes from Hayes’ corner. Molloy was unable to hold it at the near post and Bradshaw was credited with the goal as Sheppey tried desperately to clear.

Joint manager and chairman of Chatham, Kevin Hake, said: “It was great to see the crowd rocking and my phone had not stopped, even right up to kick-off with people asking for tickets. It is great to see.

“Hopefully people are seeing that we are looking to do special things here and they can be part of it. This is the first stage of hopefully getting to the Football League, that is the dream. One step at a time, one win at a time.”

Sheppey boss Ernie Batten felt his side did enough to get something from the game and added: "What Kevin Hake has done at Chatham is unbelievable, really given something back to the community, and hats off to both clubs.

“A few seasons ago Sheppey weren’t in existence and Chatham were in the doldrums a bit and came out of the Isthmian League. To see a Step 5 game with nearly 2,000 fans there in a fantastic stadium, it is full credit to everyone involved.”

Chatham: Walker, Orji, Beckwith, Butler, Smith, Dalton, Robins, Evans (Palmby 87mins), Hayes, Bartlett (Bodkin 70mins), Bradshaw. Subs not used: Kedwell, Osideko, Gill.

Sheppey: Molloy, Birch (Hamill 80mins), Tenyue, Howlett-Mundle, Sains, Gillies, Orome, Bennett (Grant 75mins), Aibangbee, Hudson (Aikhionbare 70mins), Mfula. Subs not used: Allan, Hagan.

Referee: Joseph Dann-Pye.

Attendance: 1,876.