Chatham Town Women hit the road on Sunday as they seek to edge closer to qualification in the Women’s National League Cup competition as they return to the scene arguably of the greatest win in the Club’s history when last season they won the Women’s Isthmian League Cup.
That Cup win propelled Keith Boanas’s side to two more trophies after they fell away in the League and they travel on Sunday looking to get back on track after being edged out in their last outing by Queens Park Rangers by the only goal.
That was last weekend as the Chats were beaten at home by a penalty early in the second period, and when we spoke to Boanas at training this week, he said, “Still disappointed, I think the first half was most disappointing as we couldn’t get our passing right and we lost too many one versus one duels. That was the simple fact. We had worked hard on stopping the playing out based on the video that we had watched from their previous game, and I think we were successful on that to a point, but then we lost battles in other areas that we should not have been losing!”
The Chats weren’t helped by losing both central defender – Ellie Perkins and Romany Wellington to injury at the break. “The last couple of weeks have been frustrating with regards to injuries to key players like that,” bemoaned the Chats boss. “Not having your skipper available (Grace Coombs), bring in another centre back who then gets injured (Wellington), we thought she was OK as it seemed to come through the session last week OK but was clearly carrying the injury in the first half on Sunday; Ellie having to fight through an injury to not let us down – she deserves amazing credit for that and I just hope that she hasn’t damaged herself too much by being brave. And that was after Parker Dunn who can drop back got the concussion injury at Sudbury and still under the concussion protocols.”
“We’ve got to put a brave face on things, but Sunday is handy as it’s not a League game but it’s a Cup that we want to do better in the new group format than that year when we lost in the First Round! With this new format it does make it less pressurised but despite their poor start, we know what we do when we come up against sides we are expected to beat, and we sometimes have a mental block. So, despite the fact there will be adjustments to the side, we must make sure we go into the game with the right mindset to win and make sure we finish top of the group to make sure that we go into the Senior part of the Cup.”
The Chats won their first game in the group – beating London City Lionesses development side – whilst Billericay lost to AFC Sudbury who travel to the Bauvill in a few weeks for what could be a group definer.
It will be the first time that Boanas side have played Billericay since their remarkable and brilliant win to lift the Isthmian League Cup in April. “Of course it brings back great memories,” the manager admitted, “Getting that first trophy as Chatham was a major milestone for us and for me – we were proud to do that on behalf of the Club, but this is a very different Billericay team who have struggled so far this season – it’s not a bad place to be going to and at least it’s on a Sunday and not in midweek.”
The injury list means that Coombs and Dunn will definitely miss the game, Perkins and Washington must be rated as very doubtful which means that some of the fringe players in the squad will see game time. “Thing is,” Boanas said, “It is replacing the positional injuries! If they were forwards it would be “easier”, but we have got cover in forward positions and more depth. When it comes to four centre backs being out, we can’t cover anymore to cover that area and its almost as bad as losing your keeper – two of the most important positions!”
For those not making the trip to Essex, the Chats new Development Side make their competitive bow at the Bauvill when they entertain AFC Gravesham with a 2.00pm kick off!