Chatham Town’s players were without a midweek fixture, but legendary ex-world champion boxer Johnny Armour made sure they were kept on their toes.

The Isthmian South East promotion-chasers were left without a game on Tuesday night as freezing temperatures meant the pitch at Whitehawk was unplayable.

The team instead got a workout at the Armour Plated Boxing gym in Chatham ahead of a tough couple of away games.

Chats boss Kevin Hake said: “It’s great Johnny opens up his gym for us and puts the lads through their paces. It’s good to keep their fitness ticking over and is great for team bonding as well.”

Armour, now 54, is still in good shape a couple of decades after his successful world title fights and was glad to help, saying: “I’m born in Chatham and its nice to work with the local football team and make them get a sweat on in the gym.

“They are a great bunch of lads and I wish Kev and the team well for the season.”

Chatham head into the weekend just a point and a place behind leaders Ramsgate with a game in hand. They beat high-flying Beckenham last Saturday 3-0 with a goal in each half from Emmanuel Oloyede following Dan Bradshaw’s 10th-minute opener. It was their 25th consecutive home league victory.

They head to play-off chasing Ashford United this Saturday before meeting Beckenham again on Tuesday night at Eden Park Avenue.

Hake said: “It was nice to get the win on Saturday. The lads have hit a nice vein of form of late and to do it against a strong Beckenham side made it equally as pleasing.

“To reach a milestone of 25 straight home wins in the league now is something I’m really proud to say we’ve achieved. At this stage it means nothing but we put ourselves in a nice position now.

“Everyone around us won as well on Saturday but on paper we had the hardest fixture.

“They don’t get any easier now with our next two being both Ashford and Beckenham away. But we will go into them with an open mind like we have done all season.

“The only pressure we have from now until the end of the season is what we put ourselves under now. As a group we have high standards and we all push each other with the aim of keeping this great momentum going.”

Chatham made a couple of additions before the weekend. Defender Ashley Sains has joined the club following a long-term injury, having previously been with Sheppey United and Cray Valley. He’s gone out on loan to tenants Welling Town to gain match fitness.

Striker Daniel Thompson has rejoined the club, having previously been on loan from Worthing scoring three goals during his month with the Chats. He was an unused substitute last weekend.

Chatham have launched a tea, tidy and chat afternoon to take place weekly on Thursdays between 11am-1pm at the stadium. Volunteers are required to “help keep the Bauvill a stadium we can be proud of” and there will be plenty of tea, coffee and biscuits to those helping out.

The club are also looking for new female players. They are hosting a talent ID event for girls under-11 to under-16 on Thursday, February 16 between 10am-12.30pm at the ground.

Visit the club’s social media pages for more details.