Kevin Hake has identified where he thinks his table-topping Chatham team have improved this season.

Chasing consecutive promotions, the Chats top Isthmian South East.

They already have more than 40 league goals this term and remain in two cup competitions.

While frontmen Dan Bradshaw and Emmanuel Oloyede are contributing, they are getting goals from all across the park, with defender Ike Orji and midfielders Seidou Sanogo and captain Jack Evans - from the penalty spot - netting in their 4-1 victory last Saturday at Ashford.

Boss Hake said: “Where we’ve developed, I suppose, this year, is we’ve got a good level of goalscoring.

“I think we’ve got three lads in double figures this year. As well as that, the defenders are getting up there and the midfielders are really contributing. It all counts.

“Sometimes, it’s just not your strikers’ day and you have got to rely on all sorts.

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"It took a lot for us to unlock it on Saturday - and it took a defender to unlock it for us.

“But we always try to play on the front foot, so we expect our defenders to get goals as well.”

Orji’s first-half effort at Ashford was his first of the campaign.

Hake said: “He tends to get one so we’ve given him the target of getting two this year.

“We keep saying ‘Keep getting into those positions Ike, have a go’, and it sort of unlocked us.”

Chatham, who lost 2-0 at title rivals Beckenham on Tuesday to end a run of six successive wins in all competitions, remain top ahead of this Saturday’s home fixture against Three Bridges.

They are a point ahead of Beckenham and two clear of manager-less Ramsgate.

“All the standard cliches,” said Hake. “I said to the lads before the [Ashford] game ‘Just concentrate on our game, don’t worry about anyone else’s results’.

“If we turn up, then we’ve got a good chance of getting the three points. It is [nice to be top] but there’s a long way to go.”

It has been quite the response since Chats started 2023 with a 2-0 defeat at Ramsgate.

Squad rotation has been vital for Chatham, who are in the Velocity Cup semi-final and recently beat a much-changed Dover side in the Kent Senior Cup.

Hake said: “We’re in another two cup competitions, which is nice to keep the lads fresh and up for it.

"The squad have shown they want to be in there.

“We had three lads turn up to Saturday’s game who aren’t in the squad. They’re doing a lot of work because they want to get back in the team.

"That’s what it’s all about.

“It’s going to take a squad of more than the 16 that you see out there. There’ll be 19 or 20 players who are involved.

"That’s who wins you titles - it’s not just the starting 11 out there.

“Fabio Saraiva is coming back from injury but, other than that, it’s just lads who want to be in the team, which is what you want.”

Chatham will look to stop Three Bridges doing the double over them after they lost 3-2 at Jubilee Field in November.

Striker Ronald Sithole has joined Chatham on loan from Gillingham and started at Beckenham.