Chatham Town manager Keith Boanas admitted they had to win ugly on Thursday night to get their hands on the Kent Women’s Cup.

It was a physical encounter against a Dartford side who they had already beaten twice in other cup competitions this season. Goals from Jess King and player-of-the-match Lottie Sharp helped clinch a 2-1 win at Maidstone United’s Gallagher Stadium.

Chats keeper Simone Eligon saved a penalty from Shauni Griffiths in the first half and made two other top reflex saves to deny Dartford, who did get one back late in the game through Amy Russ.

“I’ve got nothing but pride for the players,” said Boanas, whose side had already won the Isthmian League Cup and will face Watford in the final of the Combined Counties Cup later this month.

“We knew what we were up against and despite the fact we said we weren't going to get dragged into that, we had no choice, and that's kind of credit to them. They’ve probably missed out on promotion and this was their cup. Same as when we went to Billericay, that was their cup, so we've now stolen two cups off two cup holders.

“I'm immensely proud of this group, the whole group, and they've really come together, even the players who didn't play and were on the bench.

“There was a bit of trepidation but they responded to what we said and we sorted out at half-time a little bit as well.

“We said ‘we're being too nice here, we're letting them do it, we've just got to give that back but we've also got to use our brains’ and I think we did. We started to get a little bit more composed.”

Chatham – cheered on by a noisy travelling support - had taken a 16th-minute lead when Dartford were unable to clear Lucy Jones’ cross and when the ball popped up for King she converted from close-range.

Referee Katie Allen awarded Dartford a penalty on 23 minutes after Megan Maslak had been penalised for leaning into Lizzie Adams, a rather soft decision in a game of fierce challenges elsewhere on the pitch. Griffiths stepped up to take the penalty and Eligon saved to maintain Chatham’s advantage.

Eligon made an even better save soon after when Xayla-Rae Alberts headed Davies’ deep free-kick goalwards, the Chatham keeper getting a good hand on the ball to send it wide. From the corner, Griffiths headed over.

Chatham’s Otesha Charles and Dartford’s Beth Powell had been booked in the first half for late challenges, while some others went unpunished. Alberts left the field complaining to the officials after a strong tackle on her just before half-time while Boanas opted to replace Charles after her caution.

In the second half Eligon again showed great reflexes to deny Dartford, saving from point-blank range when Russ’ free-kick into the box looked to have come off a Chatham defender.

Chatham began to look more dangerous as the game went on with Sharp a constant threat. She converted a cross from the hard-working Amelia Woodgate to make it 2-0 with 80 minutes on the clock.

Dartford’s men’s team had won the night before from 2-0 down and the women’s side threatened to do something similar when they got a goal back on 90 minutes after Russ converted from Davies’ deep free-kick.

Chats held firm, however, marshaled well by their captain Grace Coombs, seeing out eight minutes of stoppage-time to win the game and add another trophy to the cabinet.

Winning boss Boanas added: “I never once felt we'd lose the game, even if it had gone to penalties. We've got good penalty takers and we've got a goalkeeper who can save penalties.

“I told them before the game, ‘I 100% believe you're going to win this game, but it's how we win it, it might have to be ugly’. I know it's a cliche, but that's the way it was. We had to win ugly.

“This was the cup that I know Kevin Hake (the chairman) wanted for the club so that's my way of saying thank you to him. The league would have been better, I'm going to keep saying that, but he wanted Chatham's name on this cup and to be Queen's of Kent, and we are, we've proved that.”

Chatham Town: Eligon, Maslak, Jones, Coombs, Perkins, Hynes, Auguste (Cofie 88mins), Sharp, Charles (Rayner 46mins), A Woodgate (M Woodgate 88mins), King. Subs not used: Laverick, Dunn.

Dartford: Charlton, Dolby, Payne, Davis, Davies, Alberts, Powell, Adams (Smith 69mins), Woodhouse (Howell 58mins), Russ, Griffiths. Sub not used: Fowle.

Referee: Katie Allen