Ellie Perkins’ thumping second half header was enough for Chatham Town Women to see off Luton Town Ladies in a tight WNLSE1 game at the Bauvill on Sunday afternoon. 

Perkins timed her run perfectly to power home Lucy Jones’s right-wing corner to settle the contest although the home side were probably more comfortable that the score suggests and indeed were thankful to a fine late save from Abby Bavarik to secure the points. 

Chances were few and far between in the opening forty-five minutes – Perkins headed Jones’s first corner of the day a yard wide, Lottie Sharp drilled an effort into the side netting running onto a delightful through ball whilst at the other end, with the visitors’ best chance Taylor O’Leary fizzed a yard over the top. 

The Chats came out after the break on the front foot, but it was the visitors who so nearly took the lead when Tasha Fendome really should have done better with a header after good work from Andie Dickens.

Jones and Perkins combined in the box again and from Perkins’ flick Amelia Woodgate would have been disappointed not to test keeper Sarah Hudson more with a header although the keeper did need two grabs to hold onto the ball, but she was left as a statue midway through the half as Perkins powered home Jones’s corner for the all-important break through. 

The visitors were crushed and the home side could have easily scored more – Woodgate and Jess King combined brilliantly down the right and King was only denied by a brilliant block at the near post as Woodgate whipped in a delightful ball, and then following a Perkins up-and-under, the ball fell to Summer Wiffen, whose first time shot didn’t miss by much. 

Luton though almost snatched an undeserved point in stoppage time, but Bavarik who had little to do in the second period, pulled off a magnificent full length save away to her left to keep out Leighton’s effort. 

CHATHAM TOWN WOMEN – Bavarik, O’Shea, Wellington, Perkins, Jones, Madison Woodgate (Iton), Hynes, Perkins, Russ (Wiffen), Amelia Woodgate, Sharp (King).

Subs not used – Hunt, Wright, Sareen.

LUTON TOWN LADIES – Hudson, Lewis (Swarres), Blacksley, Tambula, Fensome, Mulvaney (Leighton), Maddix (McLean), Milliken (Makowska), O’Leary, Dickens (Makowska), Beaufort (Fryer).

Pictures supplied by Allen Hollands.