Herne Bay Ladies underlined their credentials and ability to climb the Women’s Football Pyramid with this outstanding 3-0 win in the SECWFL League Cup Final over Bexhill United Ladies.
Bexley United Ladies had already been crowned as SECWFL League Champions having won the Premier Division. Herne Bay Ladies, meanwhile will finish runners-up in Division One (East).
The gap in current status, whilst not a gulf, was no barrier to Bay’s performance although Bexhill started brightly in both halves and had they scored might have shocked Herne Bay Ladies confidence. But that was not to be.
Champions Bexhill threatened to take a grip of this Final early on but their efforts were dealt with competently by the Bay back four and when the goal was actually threatened, custodian Breeze Handley was equal to the task. In the 25th minute Handley flung herself to the right to push Laura Bolton’s 25 yard free kick round the post.
As Bexhill’s inability to break down Bay’s resistance increased so did Bay’s confidence and they came into the game more and more with the Sussex side’s defence having to work much harder to deny Chapman and Holness.
At times, the Premier Division team displayed a more physical character with Kate Foster being a target, her runs were causing problems. But Foster dealt out retribution of her own for the harsh attention she was being paid.
In the 35th minute she latched on to a clever little chip from Chapman to force the ball home for the opener past the onrushing Bexhill ‘keeper.
Her reward was to be clattered to the ground as the two collided. But Foster is made of sterner stuff and it would take a dislocated ankle to force her out of the game in the 65th minute, for which a lengthy stoppage ensued during which she left the field on a stretcher and an ambulance was summonsed.
It is an injury that may keep her out of the Kent Women’s squad into which both she and Vicky Holness have recently been called up.
Bexhill, out early for the second 45, started brightly again, in control of the opening phase of the half. But again, Herne Bay soaked up the pressure, dealt confidently with the attacks and then, of course, there was Handley between the sticks should the goal be in any real danger.
The pattern of the first half re-imposed itself on the second. Bay came back into the game with Sarah Holmes becoming increasingly effective down the left and in the 54th minute, Holness doubled the Kent side’s advantage when she cheekily chipped Calder in the Bexhill goal.
The loss of Foster nine minutes later through injury did not stop Bay’s flow and they added a third with 11 minutes of normal time remaining when Holness chased down toward the right hand corner flag, released Harriet Chapman inside, who cleverly beat two defenders to slot home from an acute angle.
Herne Bay might have added two more in stoppage time. Both chances fell to Isabelle Tullett but her first effort came back off the left hand post and rolled along the goal line to be cleared and the second, a chip that had too much weight on it and went over the bar. It mattered little, Herne Bay were home and dry and deservedly collected their fifth trophy in the space of just two years.
A delighted Herne Bay manager Anthony Deer, who had delayed his 35th birthday celebrations from the previous day, said afterwards,
“On paper, we were the under dogs, but this season we like that tag. These girls have been amazing from front to back all season and have proved to be a force to be reckoned with. The achievements they have had in the second season, not just the trophies they have won but the manner they have won them plus the way they have conducted themselves throughout the season and each game they have truly become a team to fear.”
Herne Bay Ladies Squad: Breeze Handley, Emma Brown, Rachel Tracy, Beth Nugent, Debbie Blackmore, Lesley Kay, Kate Foster, Sarah Holmes, Carly Farrow, Vicky Holness, Harriet Chapman, Isabella Tulett, Lauren Wiltshire, Bella Smith, Elizabeth Lehan
Bexhill United Ladies Squad: Hayley Calder, Samantha Thompson, Anne-Marie Pier, Carrie Burke, Michelle Compton, Naomi Shorttle, Zoe Jackson, Rachel Cherriman, Hayley Rootes, Lucy Knight, Rosa Donovan, Jen Atkins, Jess Mitchell, Kiera Chapman, Lucianne Johnson, Laura Bolton, Rebecca Strutt, Fay Denyer, Chantelle Barkworth, Cyneberley Smith.
Referee: Gary White Assistant Referees: Gary Strangewood, Ricki Tate.
Herne Bay Ladies (1) 3
Foster 35
Holness 54
Chapman 79
Bexhill United Ladies (0) 0
Match action picture supplied by Julie Hoare.