Chatham Town Women are out of the FA Cup after seeing their hopes blown away by the London Bees Women. 

Despite taking the lead twice through Lottie Sharp and Amelia Woodgate, the Chats chose the wrong day to turn in one of their most disappointing displays of the season as defensive frailties surfaced at the wrong time and had a hand in all three of the home side’s goals and that alongside some very strange decisions from the match official, sent the Chats tumbling out of the competition. 

With the wind still as strong as it had been on Saturday, the first thing that was noticed was a lack of corner flags around the playing area as the visitors started brightly with Woodgate being bravely denied in the opening minutes by Bees keeper Ginn.

The Chats though sensed an early goal and after Ginn and her defence got into a right muddle, Jess King was able to force the ball through to Sharp who bundled the ball home. 

The lead though didn’t last long as with the wind swirling and gusting, the Chats defence didn’t really deal with a ball into their box and as the ball dropped Tambula let fly with a drive that rocketed into the top corner of Simone Eligon’s net giving the Chats keeper no chance. 

Eligon was then called into making a really fine save after a firm downward header in the box and from the resulting corner the Chats actually retook the lead. King was able to clear the ball ling up field with Woodgate in chase just in case there was an error… and there was as the Bees keeper dallied horribly, had her pocket picked and the Chats youngster got her rewards walking the ball into the net. 

Deep into first half stoppage time came the moment that in hindsight turned the game. Ellie Perkins was bizarrely penalised on half way for a “challenge” which the Chats defender clearly won – what was even more ridiculous was the yellow card that Perkins received from the increasingly inconsistent official.

The free kick was thumped into the Chatham box and with the visitors struggling to clear, Tambula was on hand to stab the ball home. There wasn’t even time for the game to restart before the half time whistle blew still with the Chats players fuming. 

The second period began with the home side having the wind at their backs and a free kick which Eligon saved magnificently. 

Perkins was so unlucky not to give the visitors the lead for a third time as from an Ellie Perkins corner, the ball fell to Oti Charles, and as she was challenged, Perkins hammered a shot goalwards from penalty spot distance only for Ginn to pull off a sensational save. 

The home side took the lead shortly afterwards when again the Chats couldn’t clear a corner with the home side eventually working the ball back to skipper Hoteit who unleashed a drive that flew into the net sparking wild scenes of celebrations. 

The Chats were up against it now but so frustratingly couldn’t find a way through as time and again they seemed to want one too many touches in front of goal instead of just shooting. 

The introduction of Millie Rayner did give the Chats another option up front and the substitute was desperately unlucky as she was denied by Ginn as she raced onto a good ball from Maddy Woodgate, and even then, in the melee that followed, the official failed to notice what looked like a clear foul on Rayner. 

The game ended on a sad note for home defender Flynn who was carried away on a stretcher after appearing to have damaged her knee and not even the near ten minutes of additional time could save the Chats as their WFA Cup journey blew away in the gale at The Hive! 

LONDON BEES WOMEN – Ginn, Hoteit, Tambula, Flynn (Fleil), Lee, Isherwood, Lanza, Burrows, Wozniak, Campbell (Whitelock), Hoare. 

Subs not used – Charles, McDermott, Bartlett, Affori.

CHATHAM TOWN WOMEN – Eligon, Hargest (Holmes), Jones, Coombs, Perkins, Jeffkins (Hynes), Auguste (Wells), King, Amelia Woodgate, Charles (Raynor), Sharp (Maddy Woodgate).

Subs not used – Gilson, Sareen.

REFEREE – Ms. Freullet