Chatham Town Women go in search of silverware on Wednesday night as Keith Boanas takes his side to face Billericay Town at their home ground in the Women’s Isthmian League Cup Final. 

Going to Essex to face Billericay for silverware would be a concern to a lot of people, but not the Chats boss who said, “A football pitch is a football pitch at the end of the day. It will obviously be an advantage to them no question and they have changed the dressing rooms around as we were “listed” as the home team and they have made us use the away one, but apparently, we are in the home dug-out for whatever reason.”

“But we will just use that as an incentive, let’s stuff them on their own ground! The League have said that the decision to play the Final there was made last August, but it’s just a carrot that we have to dangle – let’s go and beat them at their own place and it will be even more satisfying if we do!” 

Reflecting on the women’s last game – a 6-0 win at Ashford Town (Middlesex) ten days ago, the manager told us, “On a surface like that one at Hanworth Villa, I’m delighted with the performance as they responded to everything that we worked on.”

“Their Gaffer at Real Bedford sent me the video of their previous game the previous week and we worked hard in training as to what we thought we could do against them and it all came into fruition – it was a bit scrappy in the first half at times, but I think the girls responded really well!” 

“League wise I am devastated that we haven’t won it,” the coach admitted, adding, “Me being me, I am now looking at my position and whether I still want to be around next year as we didn’t achieve this year what I wanted to achieve, so that’s something I will look at.” 

“For the players it’s keeping them going as we have potentially three Cup Finals – definitely two – coming up where we might still play Ashford in the last four as they must play Portsmouth in the quarter final!”

“So, for the girls it is making sure that they are not trophy-less this season as they deserve something from this season for all they have put into the campaign.”

“But for me it’s soul-destroying that we haven’t done better in the League, as I said it’s the “spilled milk” that cost us over the season; the officiating at Norwich and QPR, those things matter and the Actonian games, they are the ones that really hurt the most.”

“On our day I still say that we are the best side in this League, but consistency has always been the issue and burying the chances when they come along!” 

“We had a break as we couldn’t really schedule a friendly before Wednesday night as it was Mother’s Day, and we’ve always said that parents are important, and mums are especially important…” 

Whilst the Chats are third in Division South-East, their hosts on Wednesday after being something of a force during the season where Boanas’ side slipped through the relegation trap door, but this year has been a struggle for the Essex side that sees them in a straight fight with Plymouth Argyle to stay in the Championship.

Boanas said, “It’ll be a completely different Billericay side to who we faced last year; there is still a couple of our girls still there and they’ve been signing a lot of players recently.”

“It’s obvious that they won’t want to lose it on their home ground – look, both the Finals that we are in at the moment will be battles for different reasons, but we must take each one at a time and Wednesday comes first and we’re looking forward to it!” 

The Chats midweek performances have been good all season, a fact that isn’t lost on the boss. “It’s been consistent in that effect,”

Boanas admitted, “We talked about training last Thursday and having Tuesday before the Wednesday off, but every other time we have trained on the Tuesday to play Wednesday, it seems to have worked, so that’s the way that we have gone – they might get Thursday night off if they win it,” Boanas added thoughtfully.

“If they don’t, next Sunday we have another long journey in Sudbury away. The bottom line is that we are where we are, but it is a cliche, but if you had said to me at the start of the season we would definitely be in a couple of Cup Finals, possibly a third and third in the League, I would have taken it at that point, but I wouldn’t as I wanted to win the League.” 

“It’s progress from the end of last year, but at a level down, but I do think that the competition (at this level) has been stronger than I envisaged!”