A bold but essentially brilliant triple substitution just past the hour by boss Keith Boanas meant Chatham Town Women stayed right in contention for a top three finish in the FA Women’s National League as Cambridge United left Medway with nothing.

The visitors defended doggedly and with the Chats getting more and more frustrated – at least in the stands – boss Boanas made a triple change and how it worked as first Karesha Iton and then Otesha Charles scored the goals that keep the Chats tucked nicely in fourth with games in hand.

The visitors started brightly with the Chats on the back foot early on. Jade Bell fired in an early shot that Simone Eligon held onto in the home goal really well, and when Bell got away down the left after defensive hesitation, Lucy Jones was on hand to clear.

The home side created very little in the opening twenty minutes but then could have scored three in forty-five amazing seconds; first Amy Russ saw a half volley really well saved by Lauren Webb, and from the corner, Russ was denied pint black by the keeper as she met Ellie Perkins’s header, and as the ball was recycled, Madison Woodgate crashed an effort that beat Webb but not the right post.

The second half was dominated by the home side although early on it still seemed it would be one of those days for the Chats. Charlotte O’Shea – who had another really assured game at full-back – found Russ who’s lay off found Jas Auguste and her drive was brilliantly blocked by Abby Jackson, knocking the Cambridge defender off her feet.

Lottie Sharp finally got some joy down the left and as the visitors really struggled to clear her centre, Ellie Jeffkins saw her shot ricochet through a load of Cambridge legs only for the ball to almost apologetically trickle past the post.

Boanas then played his master stroke ad he changed Woodgate, Russ and Sharp who had all pulled and probed the visitors since the start for Iton, Charles and Jess King with the switch soon paying off as Hynes found Iton at the near post which allowed the substitute to slide the ball home breaking the Cambridge resistance.

Charles joined in the fun forcing Webb into a brilliant save before the Chats striker got on the end of Jones’s cross to superbly thump a header flying past a despairing Webb to double the advantage and effectively seal the points.

It could have been more – King had a drive brilliantly handled by the keeper after she and Iton had picked defenders pockets in the corner; Parker Dunn was denied a goal that would have capped a splendid defensive performance, but Webb was to save her best until last as she magnificently somehow kept out King’s late flick.

CHATHAM TOWN WOMEN – Eligon, O’Shea, Dunn, Perkins (Coombs), Jones, Auguste (Jestin), Jeffkins, Hynes, Woodgate (King), Russ (Charles), Sharp (Iton)

Subs – Hargest, Wright

CAMBRIDGE UNITED WOMEN – Webb, Jarvis (Jayes), Rouse, Jackson (Beeson), Rodgers (Callum), Townsend (Thomas-O’Keefe), Miles, Edgar, Curson (Heal), Coupar, Bell

Sub – Jackle

REFEREE – Mr. Amber

Images courtesy of Allen Hollands