Chatham Town Women gained three more points in their pursuit of the leaders of Division One South East of the Women’s National League with an extremely comfortable single goal win over Cambridge United Women at the Bauvill on Sunday afternoon. 

Otesha Charles’ eleventh goal of the season proved enough for the points as the visitors simply couldn’t find a way through the red and black defensive wall the Chats strung in front of Simone Eligon’s goal with skipper Grace Coombs outstanding in the middle of the back line.

Indeed, such was the home sides total dominance the biggest mystery of this Medway Sunday afternoon was the fact that the victory margin wasn’t a lot wider! 

Darcy Wells had the first of many opportunities in the opening half for the Chats as she was inches away from converting Lottie Sharp’s delightful driven centre.  

Charles then tried her luck from distance that didn’t really threaten Sophie Shults in the Cambridge goal, but when the Chats top scorer next saw a chance, she took it as a long free kick was hammered into the United box and as Shults spilled the ball under pressure, Charles was on hand to poke the ball home. 

The home side went in search of a second – Meg Maslak drilled a shot straight at the keeper after a terrific interchange with Jess King; moments later from Kings lay off after forcing the defensive mistake, Sharp darted inside and thundered a drive against Shults’ left post with the keeper grasping thin air.

Sharp then saw another shot well saved before the home side were inches away from doubling the lead with the last play of the half as Charles raced away down the right and whipped the ball in towards King at the front post who missed the ball by a whisker whilst following up at the back post, Sharp’s control was brilliant but sadly her shot was magnificently blocked by a defender. 

After the break the visitors had more of the ball but the magnificent Coombs and her defensive partners – Lacey Hargest, Maslak and Lucy Jones – outstanding throughout keeper Eligon whilst handling some difficult balls in brilliantly didn’t really have a shot worthy of the name to save. 

Meanwhile at the other end, the Chats created chances, King shot narrowly wide after Coombs’ through ball; Charles hammered a shot wide from the edge of the box, whilst following a lovely Ellie Jeffkins free kick, sub Maddy Woodgate was inches away from sealing the win. 

The Chats also had loud penalty cries waved away by referee Lofgren as Wells appeared to have her shirt pulled almost off her back but as on many other occasions in the game, the referee baffled many of the decent crowd with his non decision. 

Three points though is three points and keeps the Chats third in the table and means that they have now dropped just two points at the Bauvill in six League games thus far.

Next up for Keith Boanas and his squad is a trip to Barnet and the London Bees looking for a place in the third round of the Women’s FA Cup. 

CHATHAM TOWN WOMEN – Eligon, Maslak, Wells, Hargest, Coombs, Perkins, Auguste (Jeffkins), Wells (Gilson), Sharp (Maddy Woodgate), King, Charles (Amelia Woodgate) 

Sub – Sareen 

CAMBRIDGE UNITED WOMEN – Shults, Smith (Gillies), Rouse, Jackson, Willis, Cobb (Plummer), Hubbard, Wodhams, Marsden, Wiltshire, Simmons 

Subs – Webb, Otten, Stojko-Down 

REFEREE – Mr. Lofgren  

Images courtesy of Allen Hollands