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Chatham Town Women were beaten in the Semi-Final of the Kent Cup last Sunday and now have two weeks to prepare for their biggest game of the season.
Chats need wins for survival in the third tier of the women’s game and their next match, at home to Cardiff City on Sunday, February 11, could be make or break.
Keith Boanas’ side are five points adrift, still chasing their first win of the National League Southern Premier Division season, and the team directly above them outside of the drop zone are the Welsh side.
With nine games to go, Chats know they must win.
Boanas said: “The Cardiff game is a six-pointer, or more like a 12-pointer. At this point of the season it is probably the biggest game the team will play. That has got to be the way we look towards it.
“We will play a behind-closed-doors friendly this Sunday and then an open one the following Sunday where I will look at some of the players who haven’t had playing time - a couple of the new ones need minutes.”
FA Women’s National League South table
County cup success is no longer on the cards for Chats after losing 2-1 at Dartford, a team riding high in the league below.
A goal from Chiedza Madamombe had given them the lead but the Darts pulled it level and got a winner in the second half.
Boanas wasn’t able to use any of Chats’ newly-signed players because they weren’t eligible, while Tish Nicholls remained out injured.
The manager said: “We had to juggle the squad a little but it was still more than good enough to win that game, on paper, but conditions were difficult and the wind was a leveller.
“They adapted to it far better than we did, a lot of players made poor judgement calls in those conditions.
“It was on the tight astroturf pitch, not the stadium which was disappointing for a Kent Cup Semi-Final (the match between London City Lionesses and Crystal Palace was played inside Princes Park).
“They are a very organised side, I know the coaching staff, people I have coached and taught, and a lot of the players knew each other. There was bragging rights to the game but they looked and seemed more up for it, they looked more athletic and were more physical than us and a few of my players got bullied.”
Chats took the lead from a set-piece but moments before the break Darts levelled. Boanas tried to get instructions onto the pitch to prevent the inevitable happening, but a player got free to put in a cross to the back post, which is where they got their equaliser from.
“The wind was atrocious so it’s quite possible she didn’t hear,” said the manager.
Chatham had some good chances to get back in front during the start of the second half with several one-on-ones.
“We should have been another two goals in front before they got their next opportunity,” Boanas said.
“A poorly given away free-kick just outside the area, the player took full advantage of the wind, smacked it and it went in like a rocket. Severely aided by the conditions, our keeper had no chance.
“We kept having a go but I think had we still been out there now we wouldn’t have scored. Things weren’t falling for us, we were running into brick walls.
“They were definitely hungrier than us and they played the conditions and their pitch well.”
