Swale Ladies produced a stunning display to make it a day to remember for Swale football as they won a thrilling Kent Reliance Women’s Plate against a Bromley Ladies side who were defending the crown that they’d won 12 months earlier.

Playing in their third successive final, Bromley had no answer to the way that Swale took the game to them, as the Ladies made it a day to remember for Swale football as they clinched the crown to follow on from Sittingbourne’s win in the under 18s final earlier in the day.

Co-manager Chris Baacke was jubilant when he spoke to KSN – he told us, “what a great day it is for Swale football.  It’s a real credit to everyone involved.  It’s a credit to all the coaches and the players for their hard work in our case of all of whom are local girls.  Although we’re separate clubs from Sittingbourne, we’re all behind what we’re doing in Swale and today has been a real success for all of us in the borough.”

Bromley boss Hayley Pickett was understandably disappointed when she spoke to KSN after the game.  “Sadly today’s mirrored our League form this year – we’ve played some great football, but not taken anywhere near enough chances, and that was the difference today – they took their chances and we didn’t,” shrugged the frustrated Bromley boss.  “The girls have achieved something today by getting here again (it was Bromley’s third Plate Final in a row) and that’s something that we’re very proud of and rightly so!  We’ll dust ourselves off regroup and hopefully be back here again next year.”  The Bromley boss also paid credit to Swale’s match winner – player of the match Sarah Fletcher.  “She was rightly given the award,” Coach Pickett said, “she was a pest all game – everything you want in a striker, she’s fast, and strong; a dream centre forward.”

It was the Swale side who were quickest out of the blocks as Natalie Long was twice denied and then scored in less than a minute.  A long ball forward released the Swale striker who was first of all brilliantly denied by Bromley keeper Kirsty Higginson, and then as the ball span around in the box, the keeper tried to push the ball to safety but only succeeded in pushing the ball into Long forcing the Bromley keeper into a smart save to give away a corner.  From the flag kick, Higginson lost her bearings completely leaving Long with the simplest of chances to cushion header her side into the early lead.

The lead was doubled on 24 minutes when Sarah Fletcher broke behind the Bromley defence on the left before cutting in and curling a stunner into the top corner.  But within a minute, Bromley were back in the game as Rebecca Bays thundered home a drive from the edge of the box past a motionless Maisie Jones in the Swale goal.

Higginson then kept her side in the game with a fine save to deny an Abby Jackson free kick and from the resulting corner the same player had a header magnificently clawed out from under the angle by the Bromley keeper.

After a cagey start to the second half, the reintroduction of Fletcher from the bench inspired Swale to re-establish their two goal lead as she outpaced the Bromley defence to send a superb angled drive beyond Higginson and into the net sparking wild scenes of joy on the pitch.  Scenes that didn’t last long as Bays again was allowed far too much time and space before planting a low drive beyond Jones and into the bottom corner of the Swale net to give Bromley a life line.

Jackson was then denied by another fabulous Higginson save as she curled a free-kick over the defensive wall only for Bromley’s keeper to tip the ball onto the bar as the game went into the last ten minutes.

Final word must go to Swale’s coaching team – Baacke and Ian Jackson, who admitted his relief at the final whistle.  “To take part in a game like that makes it all worthwhile – all those training sessions in the wind and the rain – we started putting this side together last summer with all the real work starting back in July.  Even last Tuesday in all the wind and the rain, we had a full turnout which was real testament to everyone, and even helped us with the first goal which came from the set piece!  To do a day’s work and then have to come and coach some might call a chore, but not with these girls; it’s been a privilege!”

“We can relax now and I think we might just enjoy ourselves tonight and go and celebrate!”

BROMLEY LADIES – Kirsty Higginson, Rhiannon Davies, Kimberly Morris, Samantha Tyler, Jemma Spinks, Emma Rolfe, Alex Rusk, Nikki May, Tanya Holley, Chloe Robertson, Rebecca Bays

Subs – Rachel Baker, Amy Cannon, Beth Donovan, Emma Jones, Georgia Edwards

SWALE LADIES – Maisie Jones, Sharon Lyons, Abby Jackson, Gemma Murrey, Jemma Barton, Samantha Miles, Megan Seymour, Sarah Fletcher, Grace Baacke, Gemma Hook, Natalie Long

Subs – Bethany Catchpole, Farron Rayment, Shannon Burdenm Bethany Jackson, Beth Rodger

Pictures supplied by Colin Nash – CK Portraits