Chatham Town Women returned to form in style with a 6-0 road win that condemned their hosts – Ashford Town (Middlesex) – to relegation from Division One South East of the National League.
Whilst their own title and promotion hopes all but now gone, the Chats produced a display, especially in front of goal, that has been missing on occasions this season. One such occasion was the reverse meeting at the Bauvill before Christmas where the Chats struggled to win 1-0.
This contest was to be completely different as two smartly taken goals from Lottie Sharp gave Keith Boanas’ side a 2-0 lead at the break and when Sharp completed her hat-trick just after the break, the shackles were well and truly off and further goals from the Graces – Coombs and Laverick – was added too by Lucy Jones’ stoppage time spot kick to complete a round half dozen… but to be honest, it could have easily been double figures such was the Chats’ total dominance.
But it could have been so different as the first chance of the game fell to Ashford’s O’Callaghan, but Chats keeper Simeone Eligon produced a wonderful save low to her right as the visitors were a touch slow out of the blocks.
They need not have worried for as soon as they got into their stride, the home side became more and more stretched. A lapse of concentration from home keeper Vibolo saw her pick up a back pass and quite how the home goal stayed intact is a wonder as the original shot was blocked and the follow-up hacked off the line.
Vibolo made a smart save to deny Amelia Woodgate but as the ball was hammered back in by Ciara Hynes, Sharp reacted quickest to turn the ball home. Almost immediately it was 2-0 as Woodgate intercepted some suicidal play at the back, and Sharp did the rest again.
The home side should really have pulled one back almost immediately as Kargbo and Cole combined really well and as the ball ran into the Chats box, Cole blazed over when she really should have made Eligon at least make a save.
Chats top League scorer Oti Charles should then have gotten onto the score sheet as she waltzed her way through the defence only to be denied by the keeper and as she miss hit the rebound; Ashford were very lucky that the ball was scrambled behind for a corner.
As the game for a while turned into an end to end contest with the home side desperate to delay their inevitable relegation, O’Callaghan fired in a low drive that bounced horribly in front of the diving Eligon, but the Chats keeper pulled off a really good save, whilst at the other end a Meg Maslak drive took a deflection off a defender and only just dropped over the bar.
Maslak had the second half’s first chance – shooting just too high – before Sharp completed her hat-trick as she side footed home Charles’ brilliant ball into the box.
Amelia Woodgate then shot straight at the keeper before, from a Jones corner, skipper Coombs bundled the ball home at the back post.
Maslak was then magnificently denied by Vibolo as the full back’s shot took off in front of the keeper forcing her to back pedal and tip over the bar. From the corner though the Chats did make it five as Jones’ flag kick saw Laverick bravely beat the keeper to the ball at the front post to score.
The scoring was complete when Sharp was denied her personal fourth as she was floored as she burst into the box, and Wells stepped up – in the absence of usual penalty taker Ellie Jeffkins who had been substituted earlier – and the left back slotted the ball home to put the finishing touches to a fine road win which will set the Chats up for their next game – the Isthmian Women’s League Cup Final against Billericay Town on April 2nd.
ASHFORD TOWN (MIDDX) – Vibolo, Bishop, Duncan, Huse, Southgate (Weaver), Luscombe, Middleton (Riley), O’Callaghan, Kargbo (Grossman), Cole (Gayle), Harris.
Sub not used – Large.
CHATHAM TOWN WOMEN – Eligon, Maslak, Jones, Perkins (Cofie), Jeffkins (King), Hynes (Dunn), Auguste, Sharp, Amelia Woodgate (Laverick), Charles (Maddy Woodgate).
REFEREE – Mr. Dewane