Chatham Town Women demolished Bowers & Pitsea Ladies to retain the Women’s Isthmian League Cup as striker Jess King played her way into Cup Final history.

Twelve months on from netting a hat-trick that was the corner stone of the Chats 5-0 triumph over Billericay Town Women, the Liverpudlian striker was at it again as she netted another treble that more than set the tone for the successful Chats defence of the first of the three trophies that Keith Boanas’s side won last year.

King struck twice in the opening minute firing home after Amelia Woodgate’s shot had been cleared off the home before Woodgate herself netted firing through the keeper for number two inside the opening four minutes!

Bowers to their credit kept plugging away and Shannon Drewe slotted home after being played through but that was as close as the Essex side got.

Ellie Perkins stooped to head home number three from a Lucy Jones corner, before King slotted home from Lottie Sharp – who had a super hour – for number four.

Bowers finished the half with a “how did that not go in moment?” With arguably the move of the match, they passed their way through the Chats defence with Evie Clarke left to advance on Abby Baravik in goal. The keeper did her best to force the striker wide, but Clarke was still able to get the ball towards the empty net – empty but not unguarded as Parker Dunn produced an incredible goal line clearance to keep the ball out!

If Clarke’s effort had instilled fresh belief, it was shattered moments after the break as King gloriously swept home a magnificently weighted ball from Woodgate for five-one and another Cup Final hat-trick! But that does the goal no justice as the ball to Woodgate was sublime from Charlotte O’Shea, Woodgate’s ball into the middle superb for King who didn’t have to break stride as she swept the ball home past Hope Smith in the Bowers goal who must have been praying for some hope by this point!

King was denied a fourth as she poked a terrific ball from Sharp the wrong side of the post before Sharp herself drove a rising shot too high!

Woodgate then got on the scoresheet again as she poked home Amy Russ’s battling ball before the young striker claimed her hat-trick as she finished off a fine move from subs-Othesha Charles and Niamh Jestin who both played super little cameos coming on for the closing stages.

Clarke looked to try and have the last laugh with a late free-kick but Baravik pulled off an excellent low save to keep her out and moments later the whistle blew and a remarkable back-to-back Cup triumph and a scoring feat that may never be repeated in this competition again – take a bow Jess King; Cup Final hat-trick hero TWO years running!!!

BOWERS & PITSEA LADIES – Smith, Wilson, Green (Styles), Billson, Kildean (Ciantor), Johnson, Clarke, Drewe (Luis), Newley, Sillitoe (FIsher), Garwood (Powell)

CHATHAM TOWN WOMEN – Baravik, Auguste, Hynes (Russ), Perkins, Jeffkins, Sharp (Charles), O’Shea (Wright), Amelia Woodgate, Jones (Jestin), Dunn, King (Maddie Woodgate)

Images courtesy of Chatham Town