Chatham Town Women stayed on course for a top three finish in the National League with a comfortable 4-0 win in their final home game of the season over already relegated Chesham United Women.
The game was over as a contest almost before it had begun as Ellie Jeffkins and Amelia Woodgate netted inside the first five minutes of the game and that was effectively that and the only real surprise was that the home side took until stoppage time to score a third – but it was worth waiting for – a fabulous team move finished off magnificently by Ciara Hynes.
In the second half, only a fine goal-keeping display from Chesham keeper Grace Amos stopped the home side signing off their home League fixtures in style before in added time Othesha Charles finally beat the keeper slamming home number four.
The home side without internationals Simone Eligon and Keresha Iton and then full back Charlotte O’Shea who was injured pre-game (Madeline Wright starting in her place with moment’s notice) flew out of the blocks and the Chats thought they had “scored” from the game’s first corner that Ellie Perkins turned home as the ball fizzed across goal.
But the home side didn’t have to wait very long as from the very next corner (in the second minute) Jeffkins drilled into the front post and the ball ended in the net.
Almost immediately the lead doubled as Lucy Jones’ great ball in from the left was steered home at the front post by Amelia Woodgate as she moved into the “twenties” for the season.
Wave after red wave poured forward – Amy Russ lobbed onto the roof of the net; a Hynes curler was magnificently tipped onto the right post and from the corner, Perkins will have been disappointed not to have hit the target; Jas Auguste was denied by Amos’s feet, and after sweet interplay between Woodgate and Jeffkins, the Chats skipper could only flick the ball into the arms of the keeper.
One down point for the home side was losing Parker Dunn to what appeared to be a concussion injury which was a blow to the Player of the Match from Wednesday’s Isthmian League Cup Final win but Lacey Hargest, like Wright, fitted in as the Chats back line looked so comfortable.
The third goal eventually arrived on the stroke of half time and left many in awe as it was a thing a beauty! Wright, Woodgate and Jeffkins were all involved in a swift build up and as Woodgate found Hynes on the edge of the box, a delightful side-step made room for the drive that crashed in off the underside of the cross bar.
Second period was very much damage limitation for the visitors as chances kept coming and sadly going for the home side with Charles’s ball across the face of goal; Jeffkins deflected drive and Amos’s fabulous touch to take Lottie Sharp’s super ball away from Woodgate the closest the home side came.
Until that was the third minute of stoppage time when Charles got on the end of a Holly Thompson cross to stroke the ball past a worn-out Amos in the Chesham goal to put the finishing touches to a truly memorable home season for Keith Boanas’s side!
With their goal difference and still having a game in hand on the fourth placed London Bees (who were held by QPR on Sunday and finish at Champions Fulham in two weeks’ time), the Chats go into Wednesday’s game in hand away to Dulwich Hamlet knowing that a point will secure third place and three points will better last season’s tally with a game to spare.
CHATHAM TOWN WOMEN – Baravik, Wright, Perkins (Coombs), Dunn (Hargest), Jones, Jeffkins (Thompson), Hynes, Auguste, Amelia Woodgate (Sharp), Russ (Madison Woodgate), Charles.
Subs – Jestin, O’Shea.
CHESHAM UNITED WOMEN – Amos, Almendros, Kosceilska, Bebbington, Hale, Colletti (Page), Euman, Fitzgerald (Cunnison), Walker, Slade, Nagle.
REFEREE – Mr. Simmonds