Chatham leapfrogged visitors VCD Athletic into second place after beating them in convincing fashion on Tuesday.

Early goals from Dan Bradshaw and Jack Evans put Chats in control of the Isthmian South East clash before Emmanuel Oloyede’s effort 10 minutes after the restart snuffed out any chances of a fightback.

It was a relief to Chats, who had seen a 2-0 lead wiped out at the weekend in a 2-2 draw with Haywards Heath. The 3-0 win at the Bauvill Stadium put Kevin Hake’s side three points off leaders Ramsgate with a game in hand.

“We were really pleased,” said Hake. “The boys stuck to the game plan [and] kept a clean sheet as well against a really in-form side. Hopefully the fans were entertained and they went home happy.

“We’ve swapped positions and we are up to second but we are not getting carried away with things. The unbeaten run continues to seven and we have won four out of four at home, it is becoming a bit of a fortress now, which is what we want.

“There is a good dressing room there, the lads listen to instructions, we are all learning here, it is the first time the club has been at this level for a while.

“We have come up and are starting to compete and that is all we have asked of the boys.

“That was our best performance of the season. It was probably the best team we have played but the most control we have had in a game which is comforting to know, but no team at this level gives up, they all go to the end and they did that, they were still trying to create chances.”

VCD did strike the woodwork twice, once in each half, but Chats were always in charge. Bradshaw got in front of the VCD keeper George Kamurasi to score the opener and Evans scored a second in the 18th minute with a trademark free-kick.

The visitors might have gone down to 10 men had the referee given midfielder Daniel Phillips his second yellow for a foul on Evans. The official wasn’t afraid to dish out the cautions on the night but the VCD man got lucky. It made no difference in the end.

With 55 minutes played Oloyede side-footed home a third. Malachi Hudson created the move by picking out Bradshaw, he turned his marker and laid the ball off for a simple finish.

Having let slip a 2-0 lead against Haywards Heath, which had come in similar circumstances, with Chats two-up after 15 minutes, Hake was delighted with the evening’s work.

He said: “The measure of the team is that they were so disappointed. It felt like a defeat Saturday, not just because we were 2-0 up and it went to 2-2, but the lads have high expectations, even against Haywards Heath where the table probably lies to where they are.

“They have a big budget, guys are under pressure there. We wanted a reaction, they have gone and shown us that, which was great.

“To put this little run together is great, hopefully we can continue the home run as well against Chichester on Saturday. The fans are certainly behind us, we had a nice crowd for a midweek game [of 567] which was lovely to see.”

Chichester arrive on Saturday in good form, six unbeaten with three straight wins.

“On paper [Tuesday’s match] was the harder game but we can’t take Chichester lightly,” Hake insisted. “We played bottom-of-the-table Corinthian and they still came to us and had a go, we only walked away with a 1-0.”

On Tuesday Hake handed home debuts to combative midfielder Seidou Sanogo - signed from Corinthian-Casuals - and striker Daniel Thompson - loaned from Worthing. Both came off the bench, as they did at the weekend.

Dean Beckwith was rested on Tuesday after a groin strain.