For the second time this season, Chatham Town Women have come within minutes of halting the march of Fulham Women to the Women’s National League Division One South East crown yet for the second time this season, they have come up agonisingly short.
In the first match at the Bauvill earlier in the season, Keith Boanas’s side were denied a back to the walls point by an injury time winner.
Sadly, history was to repeat itself at the Premiership side’s Motspur Park training ground on Sunday yet under such different circumstances as the league leaders were pushed to their very limits until netting goals in the eighty-sixth and ninety-second minute to seemingly ease to a 3-1 victory.
But this was far from easy for the home side, indeed it was quite possibly the most uncomfortable ninety minutes of League football they have face all season long as despite going behind early on to Leeta Rutherford’s flicked header from a corner, the Chats responded magnificently to the set back and soon levelled after Amelia Woodgate timed her run brilliantly to latch onto Ciara Hynes defence splitting pass to slot past Frankie Gibbs in the home goal.
With the sides level at the break, the impetus remained with the Chats for forty minutes in the second period but they just could find a way through and from a rare home attack, Fulham’s top scorer Eillie Olds scored a wonderful goal with moments left and as the Chats threw everything forward, sub Leila Lister outpaced a stretched Chats back-line to seal the points.
The home side started on the front foot but couldn’t find a way through with their best chance early on coming from Anna Grey who fired over.
Grey was to have Fulham’s next chance, and it brought one of the saves of the season from Chats stopper Simone Eligon. Olds played a ball in from the right and Grey directed it seemingly past a wrong-footed keeper. But Eligon reacted with lightning speed and changed direction and turned the ball away.
The home side took the lead shortly after as Rutherford beat Eligon to a free kick to flick the ball home. The Chats response was as instant as it was brilliant – Hynes’ sensational ball through to Woodgate who held her composure to score.
It was the spur the Chats needed as suddenly they were finding room to play some lovely football with Lottie Sharp’s runs down the left proving constant problems for the Fulham defence in the closing stages of the half as the visitors began to enjoy themselves.
That said, Olds should have put the home side back in front on the stroke of half time but missed an absolute sitter at the back post.
That miss didn’t though put the Chats out of their stride as the second period began. Madison Woodgate was denied at the second attempt by Gibbs after her sister Amelia played her through; Sharp found herself in a great position but was crowded out at the last moment; sub Karesha Iton drove inches over the bar; Amelia Woodgate was denied at the last second by a sensational tackle; Sharp had an effort whizz past the left post with Gibbs motionless before Amelia Woodgate couldn’t hit the target after a great pass from Jess King.
In response the home side were restricted to long range efforts with only Kayleigh Stead’s effort going close as it clipped the bar.
Just as it seemed as it had at the Bauvill, the Chats were going to take points off the home side, disaster struck as first Olds and then Lister netted to break the Chats hearts as the home side moved three points closer to a title that they have always been well favoured to lift.
For Boanas and his players, whilst they have already royally entertained their travelling vocal support in the Women’s FA Cup this season, this was arguably as good a performance as any of those on that historic run.
Football sometimes isn’t fair, and this final score certainly wasn’t fair on any in red on this Sunday afternoon!
FULHAM WOMEN – Gibbs, Milne (Mendes), Rutherford, Stormer (Tagliavini), Olds (Rolf), Gandee-Morgan, Stead (Parsonson), Stevens, Dale, Grey (Lister), McKenzie.
Subs – Oliver, Bradley.
CHATHAM TOWN WOMEN – Eligon, Madison Woodgate, Hargest (Iton), Perkins, Jones, O’Shea, Hynes, Auguste, King (Russ), Amelia Woodgate, Sharp (Charles).
Subs – Baravik, Jeffkins.
REFEREE – Mr. Kwak