Chatham Town Women take on unbeaten league leaders Fulham this Sunday, looking to keep their promotion hopes alive.
A 5-0 win last weekend against AFC Sudbury keeps them in with an outside chance of snatching the runners-up spot in Division 1 South East, but they need to take points off the leading sides to make it happen.
A crucial game ahead this Sunday for Chatham Town Women and their boss Keith Boanas Picture: Nathan Munday
Fulham have won 14 and drawn two of their 16 league games, and lead the way, a point ahead of Norwich City.
Chatham are still some way behind and need a win this weekend at Fulham’s Motspur Park training ground.
Boss Keith Boanas said: “I don’t think Fulham are catchable, but we know we have to beat them to keep ourselves with any semblance of a chance of catching Norwich [in second], and we’ll have to beat them as well. I’m also hoping someone else might take something off Norwich.
“It’s not really in our hands, and I’ve got to be realistic. If we drop points, it’s turning possible into impossible.
“At this moment in time, we’ve got to look at Fulham as a bigger game in our season than any we’ve played. That would include the last game against Birmingham [in the Women’s FA Cup fifth round].
“It’s a fractional chance, but while it’s there, we’ve got to fight and give everything we can to try and get it.”
National League Division 1 South East table Picture: @FAWNL
Chatham lost 2-1 at home to Fulham back in September.
“We probably didn’t deserve to lose that,” said the Chats boss. “They’ve obviously gone on since then, and still haven’t been beaten.
“They’re nicking results, winning games, and they’ve made some major signings since, strengthening the squad.
”They’re not fully professional yet, but I certainly think they’re gearing towards that.”
Fulham have beaten mid-table sides Luton and Queens Park Rangers 1-0 in their last two matches to maintain their position at the top of the table.
Boanas said: “It proves that they can be held to a certain extent, but those teams probably would have gone defensively against them and be happy with those kind of results, whereas we need to go for a win.”
Chatham’s three international players are expected to return for duty this weekend, with Simone Eligon, Otesha Charles and Jasmine Auguste back available.
“It’s going to be hard just to throw those players straight back in,” said the manager.
“It’s obvious that you’re going to put in your best players, and as long as they come back uninjured, they’ll definitely be in the frame, but I would never guarantee players a spot if somebody else has gone in and played well.
“We’ll see how they return, how fatigued they are, and how they’re feeling.”
Lacey Hergest came into the defence last Sunday and impressed at centre-half in that win over Sudbury, while Abby Baravik was in goal in Eligon’s absence.
“It wasn’t a great first-half performance,” admitted the Chats boss. His side were 1-0 up at the break.
“But they put it together in the second half, and it was pretty convincing in the end.”
Jess King, Lottie Sharp (2), Amy Russ and Karesha Iton scored the winning goals.
Captain Grace Coombs returned from a back injury in her first appearance of the season.
Boanas said: “It’s been a long time coming for her and I’m really pleased. She’s still been around it, trying to be a captain, but not being able to play has been tough for her.
“She stayed on the bench for the Birmingham game, where she probably felt she could have been an influencer on the pitch, that must have been really tough and frustrating for her, but she got a nice reception when she went on on Sunday.”
Otesha Charles is among the international players expected back this weekend Picture: Nathan Munday
Boanas has a near fully fit squad, and last week’s Combined Counties Cup win over Ashford was an opportunity for others to stake their claim.
A 5-0 victory sent them into the quarter-finals.
Teenage keeper Zaira Aimey, who has been on loan at Cray Wanderers, kept a clean sheet on her debut while young forward Anjie Arije got another start and a goal following her recent move from Charlton.
Niamh Jestin was another starter, while academy player Summer Wiffen was on the scoresheet.
Boanas said: “We’ve got youngsters in the squad with potential and they’ve got a lot of energy and a lot of enthusiasm.
“There’s a little bit of a challenge now for my squad to show how badly they want to be in that squad and how badly they want to get where they want to get.
“We’re at a stage now where I have to be ruthless.”
Chatham’s development side have a big game on Sunday, and may have the likes of Wiffen back for that one as they close in on the Kent Division 1 Central title, playing at Dartford. Victory at Princes Park will secure the league crown.