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Chatham Town boss Kevin Hake hopes his men learn from their Kent Senior Cup exit at Ebbsfleet United after a ruthless display from the hosts.
A thriller at Stonebridge Road left Chats beaten 5-3 on a night where National League side Ebbsfleet displayed a more clinical edge in a game that was packed with goalmouth action.
Hake was delighted with the effort from his players in the semi-final clash and said: “We never like losing a game of football but I think the boys left everything out there and that was important.
“The supporters went away knowing we have been in the game, but it is always difficult to face someone who is full-time and their quality showed.
“We could have been 3-0 up in the first 10 minutes and they get one chance at the other end and go 1-0 up, that is the difference and that is what we have to learn, but it is all learning.
“We have come a long way in a short space of time, but these are the levels and the experiences we want, and so the guys need to get prepared for it.
“Ebbsfleet are a good team, this is where we need to get ourselves to. They are a team that is struggling in the National League but they’ve shown their class and if we are going to get to those levels then we have to show that we want to be better than that.
“This is the level we have to aspire to be and I think there are a few people that learned a lot.
“We couldn’t go full strength because of players cup tied and a few people picked up knocks on Saturday but the boys put a good account of ourselves and that is the main thing.
“You need decisions to go your way, you need to play your best and you also need them to have a bit of an off day.
“I think we were probably 80% of what we can actually achieve but the boys learned that taking one too many touches, they will nip in infront of you, the fifth goal was a tired goal I would call it.
“The fans will go away entertained and it was brilliant to see that amount of fans there on a Tuesday night. I am disappointed to lose, I don’t like losing any game, but if you are going to lose a game of football, a be entertaining and b give your all and I think the boys did.”
Out of a crowd of 867, 305 of those were in the Chatham end.
Chatham return to Isthmian Premier Division action on Saturday when they host lowly Haringey Borough.
Isthmian Premier Division table
With leaders Hornchurch destined to take the title, Chatham have to secure their play-off spot. With seven to play they have a 13 point cushion but Hake won’t relax until it’s secure.
He said: “There is a way to go yet, all we need to do is keep worrying about ourselves, because we have to play teams in and around us and we have a difficult run in.
“We will be looking to put as many points on the board as possible, and get ourselves ready to hopefully be in the playoffs, but we’re not saying it’s a foregone conclusion.
“It is a debut year in the division and to say we are in a Velocity Cup final, which is one stage further than last year, to go out in a very entertaining game of a Kent Senior Cup semi-final and the chance to finish second in the league, I would have bitten someone’s hand off for that.”
