It was a tale of three well taken goals on Sunday afternoon as Chelsea snatched a last gasp winner against the Gills in their friendly.

Chelsea had taken the lead through Helen Bleazard before Lauren Phillips levelled things up only for the visitors to score the winner through Kate Longhurst with just seconds left.

With three periods of thirty minutes being played the Gills attacked the park end as has become traditional since playing at Chatham Town.

Chelsea were on top from the off and kept the Gills pinned in their own half for much of the first period, without creating to many full shots on goal.

In the opening minutes a Bleazard cross flashed across the Gills six-yard area but no one could connect with the ball at the far post.

Danni Buet let fly after 14 minutes from distance after latching onto a Jay Blackie misplaced left with time and space to have an effort on the Gills goal but she couldn’t keep her shot on target.

After 19 minutes Danielle Carlton had the Gills first look at the Chelsea goal when she fired straight at Carly Telford from well outside the area.

Ashlee Hincks found herself in the Gills area shortly afterwards with just Sarah Quantrill to beat but the Gills custodian did well to snuff out the chance before Hincks got her shot away.

On the half hour mark, an Emma Tune shot was deflected into the path of Natalie Crinean but she couldn’t turn and get a shot on goal. At the end of the first period of 30 minutes the game was 0-0.

Shortly after the two teams kicked-off again Helen Bleazard found Sarah Quantrill in fine form to keep the scores level. With role on role off subs both teams were making full use of getting everyone valuable game time.

With 45 minutes gone Vicky Ashton-Jones slotted a pass across the 18 yard box to pick out Natalie Crinean, but the Gills striker sent her shot wide of the near post.

Ten minutes later the deadlock was finally broken, Katie Hardaker was adjudged to have handled the ball on the edge of her own area. Helen Bleazard stepped up and fired her free-kick into the top corner leaving Sarah Quantrill with no chance.

By this point Chelsea were beginning to dominate the game and were created a number of half chances, which included a shot wide from Sophie Ingle from distance. At the end of the second period of 30 minutes it was 0-1 to the visitors.

As the final 30 minutes got underway Lauren Phillips fired well over the bar and then Emma Tune saw her shot easily gathered by Telford as the Gills tried to get back in the game.

The equaliser nearly came in the 65th minute when a well worked move down the Gills left involving Phillips and Crinean, saw Jay Blackie about to pull the trigger on a certain goal. When out of nowhere Sophie Perry got back with a great last ditch challenge.

The goal came in the 71st minute when Crinean played in Phillips who from the edge of the area lifted her shot over Telford into the top corner.

A goal mouth scramble almost saw Chelsea go ahead shortly after but the Gills defence stood firm, under the pressure from the visitors.

Just as it looked as though the game was heading for a draw a corner wasn’t cleared by the Gills defence and Kate Longhurst fired a shot into the top corner.

Full Time 1-2

Attendance: 165

Gills: Quantrill, Williams, Carlton, Jones, Trialist, East, Tune, Blackie, Ashton-Jones, Crinean (c), Phillips

Subs: Smith, Hardaker, Stephens, Pepper

Chelsea: Telford (c), Fay, Perry, Davies, Bonner, Marwood, Spence, Coombs, Buet, Bleazard, Hincks

Subs: Lander, Longhurst, Ingle

Picture by Julian Hart Photography