Chatham Town Women are into the last thirty-two of the Adobe FA Cup for the very first time after a commanding and dominating Sunday afternoon 3-0 win at Sutton United Women.
An early strike from Otesha Charles was followed by two early second half goals from Amelia Woodgate and Amy Russ as the Chats eased into the Fourth Round and a possible meeting with one of the twelve WSL clubs who enter the competition at this stage.
Away for the fourth round in a row, Keith Boanas’s side had already seen off Beaconsfield Town (from the level below) before slaying two National League South sides (AFC Wimbledon and Exeter City) on penalties after epic draws.
The boot was on the other foot on this occasion with Sutton doing well in the League below, but the Chats never let their hosts look interested in causing an upset as the visitors dominated throughout.
The early goal undoubtedly helped as Charles raced onto a pass from Lucy Jones to drill across keeper Megan Taylor and into the bottom corner for a terrific start!
Charles turned provider for Jas Auguste whose deflected shot dropped fractionally wide of the post before Ellie Jeffkins crashed a shot off the Sutton bar with Taylor motionless.
The chances kept coming for the Chats and Taylor did well to hang onto a ball from Lottie Sharp and she was found by a Jeffkins ball.
Charles then dragged a shot wide when well placed and with the last play of the half, Romany Wellington thumped a header that flashed inches wide.
As the players left the field at the break, there were a few concerned voices asking would the Chats “pay” for their misses, and those thoughts began to get a touch louder when Auguste this time crashed a brilliant effort off the bar as Taylor looked on, whilst the home side were left to reflect on the red wall – with Ellie Perkins and Wellington at the heart – that they simply had no idea on how to breach Simone Eligon’s goal.
Woodgate then raced through on a ball from Russ and was magnificently denied by Taylor but then finally the Chats claimed the second that they so deserved, and Woodgate this time wasn’t to be denied as she hammered a low drive into the bottom corner beyond a despairing keeper.
The game was over as a contest ninety seconds later as Russ hammered a free kick that clipped the wall and looped over a stranded keeper and into the net for the goal that sealed the win.
Charles hooked a Jones corner over the bar, and Karesha Iton was denied by a last gasp challenge as the Chats looked to ice the performance, but the job had been done and for the first time ever the name of Chatham Town Women will be in the same draw as Chelsea Women, Manchester City Women, Arsenal Women and the rest of the Women’s Super League in Monday evening’s draw…
SUTTON UNITED WOMEN – Taylor, Meehan, Humphrey (Warren), Langley, Cutler, Clark (Gilbert-Lawal), Allen (Baptiste), Walters, Williams, Spear (Heavingham-Ford), Oliver (Chase).
Subs not used – Ciccardini, Chapman, Olumedeji, Langdon.
CHATHAM TOWN WOMEN – Eligon, O’Shea (Wright), Perkins, Wellington, Jones, Jeffkins (Russ), Hynes, Auguste, Amelia Woodgate (Wiffen), Charles (Maddy Woodgate), Sharp (Iton).
Subs not used – Sareen, Bavarik.
REFEREE – Ms. Freullet