Chatham Town Women returned to winning ways at the weekend with a hard -fought 3-1 win over lowly London Seaward. Defender Jas Auguste admitted after the game that it had been a frustrating afternoon for Keith Boanas’ side.

“I think we let ourselves down,” Jas admitted, “We didn’t finish a lot of our chances, but we got the three points!” 

The Chats made the better start – Amelia Woodgate drilled a ball across the face of goal and then from an Auguste corner that wasn’t really dealt with by the keeper, Grace Coombs had a header that was grabbed under the bar. 

The home side then took the lead completely against the run of play as the normally reliable Simone Eligon got caught out as a long ball forward didn’t run as the keeper expected allowing O’Brien to get on the end of a long clearance and lifted the ball over the Chats keeper. 

The Chats response though was instant as Darcy Wells forced keeper Baker into a good low save which only delayed the inevitable equaliser! Another Auguste corner caused home problems, and a first low drive was blocked but Wells reacted fastest to drive home! 

The domination continued without the goal it deserved – Ellie Perkins had a shot that was blocked fortuitously by Baker; Oti Charles then crashed an effort off the bar and quite how Amelia Woodgate wasn’t awarded a penalty for a challenge on her as she tried to force the Chats in front frankly beggared belief. 

The home side had a glorious chance through Long on the stroke of half time but the centre forward headed wide with the goal at her mercy. The half ended following the same pattern as the rest of the half with the Chats denied and frustrated as Maddy Woodgate had an effort beaten out by the keeper. 

That was to be Maddy’s last involvement as Lottie Sharp replaced her and with Sharp hugging the left touch line, if anything, the Chats dominance grew – Charles netted with a low drive only to be denied by a very late assistant’s flag; Sharp had a drive well saved before to end a mazy run Charles was clearly brought down only for the referee to again wave away the claims.  

The Seaward goal was living a charmed life – Amelia Woodgate fired in a ball that needed just a touch, before Amelia got the ball under her feet with Baker beaten by Sharp’s superb pull back. 

Finally, the substitute put the Chats ahead. Charles battled well wide and as the ball fell to Sharp, it whistled past Baker into the bottom corner.

Moments later Sharp looked to have returned the favour but Charles couldn’t keep her shot down before Amelia Woodgate finally settled the contest. Charles again battled to the goal-line and as the home defence inexcusably stopped claiming the ball was out, the Chats young striker netted from a yard. 

Charles almost got a fourth as her late shot was again beaten out by Baker – Wells denied a second by a good block – but the points were finally in the bag as the Chats kept up the pressure at the top of the table, not that the players were happy afterwards.

“Three points was the minimum, as were goals if you look at the League standing – we know that we need goals,” Jas Auguste explained.

“It was disappointing again that we didn’t get the goals that we need, but we got the three points so we will take that. If you look at the League and see where Seaward are, we obviously thought that we can capitalise on that.”

“If you look at the teams around us, they all have got good goals, and so in that respect this should have been a good game for us to close that gap, but we got the points. As the season goes on, we just have to keep closing that gap.” 

“People can see a difference in the team this year and that is an accolade to the staff really to be honest. That and the fact that we work hard off the pitch as well as on the pitch too shows that we have real continuity now and have a different vibe that echoes now when you see how we are off the pitch and how we play on it! Undoubtedly, we needed a change and change is good…” 

The Chats are back in action on Wednesday night when Dulwich Hamlet Women come to the Bauvill in the Quarter-Finals of the Isthmian League Cup.

“Dulwich are a good side,” Jas told us. “We have played them previously and know that they are a good side, but it’s another Cup that we look forward to being in and hopefully get into the Semi-Final.”