Second half strikes from Lucy Jones and Amelia Woodgate finally ensured three much deserved points for the Chatham Town Women in the Bauvill rain as Dulwich Hamlet’s “parked bus” was eventually towed away by a red and black tide.
Jones’ opener may have been a touch fortunate as a cross shot flew over the head of Dulwich keeper Saskia Reevs-Priestley and into the soggy net, but Amelia Woodgates second to seal the points for Keith Boanas’ side was superbly created by Darcy Wells through ball and excellently finished off by the young striker to win the Chats third home game out of four to start the season.
Manager Boanas admitted after Sundays 1-1 draw with QPR Women that his side had been bullied and made changes with Ciara Hynes introduced into the middle of the park and she must have been her managers dream snapping around all over the park and alongside the ever-industrious Darcy Wells controlling the middle of the park. To be fair, the home sides task was helped by the visitor’s reluctance to look forward and as a result, the home side enjoyed a lot of possession.
Oti Charles went close from a corner early on – her header being cleared off the line – before Hynes and then Lottie Sharp had efforts that tested the keeper albeit producing routine saves.
Jess King was next to try for the home side, but a block took the pace off her shot before a low skidding drive by Wells from the move of the half was a yard the wrong side of a post.
Hynes had second low effort tipped round the post and from the resulting corner skipper Grace Coombs had an effort blocked and bundled behind for another corner that came to nothing.
For all their dominance, a defensive mistake on the stroke of half time almost cost the home side dear as the unfortunate Ellie Perkins deflected a through ball away from a Dulwich shirt but also completely wrong footed her own keeper, Simone Eligon, but the keeper did really well to be able to clear under pressure.
The second period continued as the first with the home side dominating play. Meg Maslak hit a skimming drive that had the keeper scrambling across the saturated surface before the Dulwich goal had a mighty fortunate let off – from a corner Coombs rose highest and looped a header over the keeper onto the bar, and as it dropped, Wells, one of the smallest players on the pitch headed against the underside of the crossbar before the defence were able to clear.
The soaked home fans were just beginning to think that it might not be their heroines night as Jones raced away down the left from Sharps ball and whipped over the umpteenth cross of the night only for this one to completely deceive the keeper and fly into the net sparking wild scenes of celebrations from this in red and black as they all rushed to celebrate with a very bemused looking Jones.
Hynes and Wells both went close to doubling the lead before Wells slipped a magnificent through ball for Woodgate to run onto and the young sub not only left her defender for dead but also showed real composure to curl the ball wide of the oncoming keeper and into the net.
Only the cross bar stopped another sub – Ellie Jeffkins – from adding another goal in stoppage time, but by then, the Chats were worthy winners, and the points make it ten out of a possible twelve at the Bauvill so far this season.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Chats learned that in the Third Qualifying Round of the Womens FA Cup, they have been drawn at home to Horsham on October 13th at 2pm.
CHATHAM TOWN WOMEN – Eligon, Maslak, Jines (McGregor), Coombs, Perkins, Hargett, Hynes (Jeffkins), Wells (Auguste), Charles (Maddy Woodgate), King (Amelia Woodgate), Sharp
DULWICH HAMLET WOMEN – Reeves-Priestley, Lodge, Harbour-Brown, Gall (Corrigan), Taylor, Goddard (Jowle), Hickman (Searle), Stephens, Leitch (Searle), Dunbar-Bonnie, Price (Hutchings)
REFEREE – Mr. Lander
Images courtesy of Allen Hollands