Keith Boanas, the Chatham Town Women’s boss is piecing together a squad that he hopes will take the Chats back into the National League at the first time of asking after their relegation last season. 

“I am not quite sure what I expected from pre-season,” the manager admitted to KSN this week.

“We lost players, a couple into pre-season that I was not really expecting too after certain promises were made but not kept. It was a case of what do we have and what’s coming in, but I have been immensely pleased with what has come in.

“What there is now is a blend of experienced players and some exciting youngsters who have no fear and loads of energy. I think the balance is there and it is going to cause me major headaches leading up to the first couple of games of the season,” Boanas admitted, adding, “Its a luxury in a sense for me but I’d rather that than struggling to put a side out!” 

“I did not have that luxury last year and picking from that squad always resulted in emotional problems, attitude problems, and that negativity bled into the team even on matchday. I do not see that happening this year!” 

Reflecting on Sunday’s 1-1 draw with National League South side Watford Ladies, the Chats boss said, “I was really pleased with the workout at the weekend – it was the third one now, all against decent opposition and I think we have improved as we have gone along. In the second half of the last two games, I was really happy with.

“We were grateful to Rochester United for letting use their pitch at the weekend. We struggled a little bit to play football on an ankle jolter of a pitch.

“We know that we will play on pitches like this during the season, we did last year it is something that we must adapt to. At least on a grass pitch that is wet you know that you will have a bit of give in it and have the right footwear. I think I would have worn trainers on Sunday!!!” 

“The fact that we were able to play some football on it and keep possession for a decent amount of time and deal with what Watford threw at us, I was really pleased with.” 

Midfielder Darcy Wells was carried off just before the break with a knee injury that saw her watch the second half with ice strapped to her knee.

“Shes getting her knee looked at,” the manager told us, “It was painful but the fact that she was up and being helped away from the ground was a good sign, but it was swollen and couldn’t be assessed properly until that had gone down – I can’t see her back for a couple of weeks, and I just hope that its nothing too serious.” 

“We have got three more friendlies scheduled we are at home to Moneyfields from Portsmouth who are in the parallel division to us, and I know it will be a physical game. I know the manager and he is a forthright character, and he will demand that from his team.” 

“We have gone from peak to trying to play teams at our level so that we can start settling the side down and hopefully get goals in to build confidence. I would be lying if I said that one hundred percent on it in relation to my final squad – we are probably about seventy percent as we talk today!”