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Chatham Town Women host Cambridge United at the Bauvill Stadium on Sunday in National League Division 1 South East – Keith Boanas’ side beat Chesham United 3-1 last weekend

05:00, 15 November 2024

updated: 10:03, 15 November 2024

Promotion-chasing Chatham Town Women host lowly Cambridge United this Sunday.

Chats boss Keith Boanas watched his side beat strugglers Chesham United 3-1 last weekend but admits they’ve been unconvincing against some of the National League Division 1 South East’s lower-ranked sides so far this season.

Chatham Town Women's manager Keith Boanas Picture: Keith Gillard
Chatham Town Women's manager Keith Boanas Picture: Keith Gillard

Points are more important than performances in the chase for the top spot in the division and Boanas hopes his side can keep their winning form going.

He said: “There seem to be a lot of Jekyll and Hyde teams in the league that perform from one week but not the next and you could include us in that with our performances. It’s a weird league and it’s looking quite open.

“We just have to keep winning, whether it is scrappy like it was last Sunday or a decent performance, as long as we keep winning I will be happy. But I don’t think there are any games you can predict.

“I know when we play those top sides we’ll be at it but it seems that when we play these teams that should be weaker our standards drop slightly and it’s complacency to a point. The players wouldn’t admit it, but it is visible that we’re not as on edge as we should be. We are not on our toes enough, not on edge enough.”

Last weekend’s opponents Chesham had lost 12-2 in their previous league game and 6-0 last time out against Fulham in the FA Cup. Their last match at home in the league, however, was a 2-2 draw against Norwich City, who are now fourth - a result that left Boanas wary.

On Sunday his own team went ahead on 15 minutes through Jess King, conceded on 45 minutes, but restored the advantage in injury time through Otesha Charles. Charles scored her second with 59 minutes gone and it remained 3-1.

Boanas said: “Away from home, on a dodgy pitch in my opinion, we just have to take the win and move on.

“It was another three important points, it wasn’t the greatest performance, as I envisaged it wouldn’t be an easy place to go. The grass was thick, slightly undulating and a couple of our girls still had moulded sole boots and there were a few Torvill and Dean moments going on.

“Looking at other scorelines [against them] it wasn’t great for us but when one of the top teams, Norwich, draw there, we’re pleased to get the three points and another win to bump us up the table.”

Chatham were short of players last Sunday and Boanas will hope to have more available this weekend. They beat Dartford 2-0 on Wednesday night in the first round of the Combined Counties Cup. Both goals came in the first half scored by Darcy Wells and Otesha Charles.

A decision on their abandoned game at London Seaward has been made, with the fixture now to be replayed on December 1.

Chats had been leading 2-0 when the match was abandoned due to a head injury to a home player.

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