Charlton Athletic 0-3 Gillingham - We should win more than we should lose, says James Marrs

CHARLTON ATHLETIC  0-3  GILLINGHAM
Kent Women’s Cup Final
Thursday 10^th April 2014
Stephen McCartney reports from The Gallagher Stadium

GILLINGHAM manager James Marrs says he is really pleased that his side have been crowned Kent Women’s Cup winners for the third season on the bounce.

The Gills defeated Charlton Athletic 3-1 on Sunday to extend their lead at the top of The FA Women’s Premier League Southern Division to five points, before outclassing the Addicks’ reserve side to claim the Kent crown for a record fourth time.

Charlton Athletic – who field their reserve side in this competition – were dominated by a Gillingham side that created 26 goalscoring opportunities but had to settle for three goals.

Lisa Fulgence scored a six minute brace as Gillingham raced into a commanding 2-0 lead inside the opening fourteen minutes, before she was replaced at half-time by Lauren Phillips, who headed home a third goal.

But a string of fine saves from Charlton Athletic keeper Alex Baker, 19, prevented Gillingham racking up double figures in front of a crowd of 361, a game played on Maidstone United’s 3G pitch.

“Absolutely delighted. I’m so pleased for the girls. They’ve put in so much hard work and their attitude has been outstanding over the past eight or nine months and they deserve every bit of success that they get,” said Marrs, 26, afterwards.

“I thought we played really, really well tonight as well to top it off.

“I wouldn’t say we outclassed them. I don’t like to use those words because I don’t want to be disrespectful to Charlton.  I thought Charlton worked really, really hard.  They had a really young side out there today.  They never gave up and it’s quite easy when you’re getting beat 2-0 and 3-0 to just throw the towel in but their attitude was brilliant.  They never gave up.  They stuck in all the way to the final whistle so massive amount of admiration for them.  I wouldn’t like to put it as outclassed but we were the better side definitely.”

Warren Clarke, 29, who is Charlton Athletic’s reserve team manager, says he was proud of his players for restricting a quality Gillingham side to three goals.

“I’m feeling very proud of the girls, despite the result,” he said.

“We’ve come up against a real good experience side who are flying in the Premier League so the girls made a fist of it.  They worked tirelessly and I am immensely proud of them despite the result.

“But we’re learning our game, learning our trade. It’s a learning curve for them and it’s something that we can look to improve in the future.”

Gillingham’s opening chance arrived when a ricochet inside the Charlton Athletic penalty area fell to Charlotte Gurr’s feet and the winger had her left-footed shot blocked by Baker.

But Gillingham settled their pre-match nerves by taking the lead with only seven minutes and 12 seconds on the clock.

Jay Blackie and Emma Tune linked up well and Fulgence drilled a left-footed shot into the top far corner of the net, helped on its way by the Charlton keeper high to her right.

“The girls were really nervous before the start in the changing room,” revealed Marrs, whose side have now won their last six games.

“It was absolutely dead silent. Normally they have a little bit of banter, even though their banter ain’t great! But they were completely silent before coming out. 

“A lot of people came to watch them today. There was a lot of support out there for our girls and they were a little bit nervous but it (the first goal) just killed the nerves straight away.”

Reflecting on the goal, Marrs said: “We’ve been on at Lisa to be a little bit more cautious in front of goal and think about what she’s doing in front of goal and she’s managed to do that in the first eight minutes so I’m absolutely delighted for us to see that.  I’m really, really pleased for her.”

Clarke was naturally disappointed with his side’s bad start.

“I said to the girls beforehand that Gillingham were going to start fast out of the traps and at half-time when we came in the girls said that they knew that they were going to start fast but they didn’t realise how intense the pressure and the tempo would be.

“But that just comes down to, in my opinion, experience and playing that level of opposition on a regular basis.”

Blackie swept the ball out wide to Nikita Whinnett, who floated in a cross-come-shot which clipped the crossbar and Gurr rifled the loose ball over the keeper into the roof of the net but the goal was ruled out.

Gillingham played their brilliant eye-pleasing brand of passing football to create another chance when Deanna Cooper, Charlotte Long, Fulgence and Long exchanged passes before Tune played Gurr in behind the Charlton back three only to place her left-footed shot just past the foot of the left-hand post from 12-yards.

But Gillingham looked destined to make it a cricket score when they doubled their lead.

Gurr was released down the left wing and she shrugged off the attentions of Charlton defender Ruby Southgate before cutting the ball back for Fulgence to shrug off Leigh Houlihan’s sliding tackle to side-foot her shot into the bottom left-hand corner from close range to score her thirteenth goal of the season.

Marrs said: “I took her off at half-time and she was on a hat-trick and she was fuming with that!

“A side-foot in to the back of the net and that’s what we’ve been going on to our forwards because a lot of time we tend to have snap shots and we create a lot of opportunities in the majority of the games that we play and we don’t quite take the chances that we need to but they’ve been thinking about their shots today. A lot more went on target.  We’ve still got loads to work on in that department but really pleasing to side foot home.”

Clarke admitted that the occasion got to his players, playing underneath Football League Two standard floodlights, a superb 3G playing surface and a larger crowd than normal.

“I think the girls were shell-shocked after conceding the first goal and it just took them a little bit of time to compose themselves and get back in,” he said. 

“The girls were a little bit taken aback.  They took their time to compose themselves but after that they settled down and they didn’t concede for the rest of the half.”

Fulgence was to be denied a 21^st minute hat-trick when she was denied by a fine save from Baker.

Fulgence started the move when she played the ball inside to Tune in midfield, who swept the ball out to Gurr, who played Fulgence in behind the Charlton defence, only to be denied by a fine block from Charlton’s best player on the night.

“She works very hard. I praised her work-rate at half-time. She hassled the whole of the back four. She was also nicking the ball in midfield areas so her work-rate was absolutely first class.  I’m really pleased for her. She more than deserved her two goals.”

Gillingham skipper Blackie was given time and space to unleash a right-footed drive flashing past the left-hand post from 25-yards.

Industry from Gurr saw her reach the by-line before losing the ball and then winning the ball back from Alice Singyard before she cut the ball back to Tune, who teed up another chance for Blackie, which sailed over the bar.

Gillingham’s quality passing game was bamboozling the Charlton Athletic players, but the Addicks should have pulled a goal back in the 31^st minute with their only shot on target.

Oliva Cole played a sublime diagonal pass from midfield which released lone striker Beth Rodgers through on goal, capitalising on a slip from Gillingham defender Amy Taylor, but her right footed angled drive brought a flying save to her left by Gillingham keeper Faye Baker.

Clarke said that the striker has a promising future at the club.

“Beth’s a product of the youth system. She started this season in the development squad and then managed to score a few goals for us in the league and in the cups.

“You always fancy Beth to score but once again because she’s young and she’s learning, she understands that the positioning of the shot wasn’t the greatest.

“However, it was on her non preferred side so she hit the target. That’s all we can ask of her, other than scoring a goal and she looks to improve for the next opportunity that she gets.”

Marrs said he was impressed with Rodgers, who has scored eight goals for the reserve team this season.

“Beth Rodgers’ worked really hard.  She weren’t a bad player to be fair.  She made some intelligent runs.

“That’s what we want. We want them to have limited chances in games and we were just focusing on Faye (Baker’s) talking and making sure that Faye stays engaged in the game and she’s making sure our centre halves were where they’re supposed to be when we’re keeping the ball and the recovery runs are going in when we haven’t got the ball.

“As much as they haven’t had too many chances Faye was still engaged in the game.”

The Charlton keeper made a fine save above her head when Tune’s right-footed chip looped into the keeper’s arms from eighteen-yards after she played a one-two with Fulgence.

Fulgence dropped deep to collect the ball before stabbing the ball out to Gurr on the right. She played the ball inside to midfield playmaker Tune, who played it back to Gurr, who cut the ball back to right-back Lauren Davis and she was given time and space to whip in a cross which was headed just past the near post by Fulgence from four yards.

Three Charlton Athletic players (Southgate, Francesca Tye and Cole) walked over to speak to some friendly faces on the other side of the perimeter fencing - as their team mates headed towards the home dressing room for the half-time break.

Both managers were asked their thoughts at the break.

Clarke said: “We were being outplayed and the messages at half-time was to try to get on the ball more, have the confidence to get on the ball so that we can give ourselves a little bit of respite and also force Gillingham further back up the field. 

“I felt as though we were working extremely hard to get the ball but then when we did have the ball back it was breaking down within two passes.

“That was one of the main pointers that I said at half-time as well as changing the two wide players so that the shape and we would confirm better to the tactics that we were trying to employ.”

When asked whether the occasion got to his players, Clarke admitted: “I would put the start down to the occasion. We’re notorious bad starters anyway from league form but I feel as though with the crowd and the stadium and the actual occasion I do believe that had some part to play but not as big as a part what could have happened.”

Marrs said: “At half-time we look at things we can do better in the second half and things we may be able to put on in certain areas of the pitch.

“We changed the shape completely at half-time because we wanted to play in and around their box a little bit more.  I wanted us to basically get hold of the ball and keep it.  We didn’t need to go out and score any more goals.  We just wanted to keep possession of the ball for the rest of the game and we managed to do that for 75% of it so that’s pleasing.  It’s really good when you can adjust your shape.”

Gillingham took just under two minutes to fashion their first opening of the second half when Gurr’s angled drive was parried away by Baker at her near post, high to her left.

Shortly afterwards, Gurr cut a corner back to Tune, who was given time and space to drill her right-footed shot towards goal from 25-yards, which stung the Charlton keeper’s fingers to save at the second attempt.

Phillips, who replaced two-goal striker Fulgence at the break, was to be denied a goal in the 49^th minute when her shot rolled past the keeper but Singyard got back to clear the ball off the line.

Whinnett centred low for Phillips, but her right-footed shot on the turn lacked power and Baker gathered.

Phillips turned provider for Tune, who rifled her right-footed shot over the bar, before Baker thwarted Gillingham again.

Gurr whipped in a corner from the right and Whinnett held her head in her arms in agony as her downward header saw Baker dive to her left to make a fine save.

Baker made her best save of the night in the 61^st minute when she used her right hand to push away Whinnett’s right-footed curler from 25-yards, which was destined for the top far corner.

“She did have a busy night tonight, which was not what we wanted but you never want that when you’re playing any football match but she was definitely our player-of-the-match,” said Clarke.

“She kept us in the game especially when we were 2-0 down in the first half and she made some vital stops.  There was a one-on-one that she blocked and there was a goalbound shot that looked to be heading for the top corner and she managed to pluck that one out of the air and tip it around the post. She performed really well and it’s just unfortunate that she came out on the losing team.”

“How many chances did we have?” asked Marrs, who was full of praise for Whinnett.

“What a great game she had tonight! She’s settling now. She had a bit of a poor time when she was struggling to settle in.  Now she’s training three times a week now. We’ve got her ten times fitter than what she was. 

“We’ve had interest from WSL (Women’s Super League) clubs for her, which is not surprising.  She’s just pleased to be out there playing really well and keeping as fit as she possibly can.  I’m absolutely delighted for her to get player-of-the-match award as well. It’s really deserved.”

Gillingham substitute Jade Keogh went close when her dipping right-footed free-kick from just outside the corner of the penalty area curled narrowly over the crossbar.

But Gillingham killed the game off by scoring a third goal in the 68^th minute.

Gurr and Whinnett linked up well down the left and Whinnett whipped in a cross from the left towards the near post where Phillips glanced her header into the bottom corner from seven-yards.

Marrs was pleased to see that the striker’s hard work and patience has paid off.

“I’m not sure if she meant it but it was a great delivery in and she’s just guided it in,” said Marrs.

“Absolutely brilliant to see that go into the back of the net for her because she’s worked really, really hard. She hasn’t moaned when she hasn’t been in the first team. She’s trained with the reserve team, she’s going out to do her own running. She’s had a few set-backs but she’s continuing to work hard.”

Marrs added: “She hasn’t had too many opportunities in getting into the first team this season because we’ve been playing so well so it’s been limited opportunities for those members of the squad.

“But I gave her, her opportunity out there today and she played really, really well as well and notched herself a fantastic goal so I can’t tell you what that would do for her confidence. She’ll be absolutely beaming with that! I’m delighted with her.”

Clarke added: “That was a frustrating goal to concede because we know Gillingham like to play centrally so we didn’t mind them having space in the wide areas because we felt as though their most likely goal threats were going to come from central areas as supposed to out wide.

“But it was good movement from the striker. She was able to get in front of the defender, just anticipated the ball coming in quicker than the defender, which you see top flight professionals doing so you can’t be too harsh on the defence to be able to deal with that and expecting the cross to be cut out at the source.”
 
Gillingham continued to press and their passing game was simply brilliant.

Marrs said: “It’s difficult because you can play the longer passes. There’s nothing wrong with playing the longer passes if you set up your team to do so but my philosophy is if you kick the ball around and you move the other team about and try to put it in little pockets of space and try to commit defenders etc I find that a lot more attractive and a lot more enjoyable to coach.

“The girls’ find it a lot more enjoyable as well so we like to stick to that philosophy and getting the ball down and play. Sometimes you do need to ping it in behind them and we did that a couple of times as well so we’ve got quite a nice balance.”

Clarke added: “I think possession wise it was dominated very much so by Gillingham and also territory and that was something that we failed to deal with. 

“We had to press a little bit further up the pitch and win the ball higher up the pitch but because their players are really comfortable on the ball it’s hard to maintain a constant level of high intensity for 90 minutes.”

Blackie played a sublime diagonal ball to release Whinnett down the left, who cut inside Southgate to reach the penalty area but she dragged her right-footed shot agonisingly wide of the far post.

The Charlton keeper went down on her knees to make a comfortable save to deny Blackie scoring with a left-footed shot from 20-yards.

A poor clearance from Baker sailed to Keogh on the right who clipped the ball forward for Blackie to drift her right-footed shot wide of the post from 25-yards.

Out-classed Charlton Athletic created their second chance of the night in the final two minutes when Gemma Hyland flashed her right-footed angled drive wide of the near post from 25-yards.

The official player-of-the-match Whinnett latched onto Gurr’s through ball but her right-footed shot from the edge of the penalty area brought a comfortable save from the busy Charlton keeper.

Gillingham should have won by more, but credit goes to Baker for putting in a brilliant performance in goal for Charlton Athletic.

“There’s always frustration, you can always do better,” said Marrs, whose table-topping side play five more league games and are still involved in another two cup competitions.

“There’s never a perfect performance.  I’m always going to moan at them.  I’m always going to be disappointed that we should have scored more goals but we’ve kept a clean sheet and we’ve scored three good goals.

“We’ve played some fantastic football. We’ve entertained a good crowd hopefully and we’ve lifted the Kent Cup so I have to be as buoyant as I can be really especially going into the game on Sunday against Arsenal, which is our focus now.”

Gillingham have now won the Kent Women’s Cup on four occasions, one more than Charlton Athletic.

“We’re really pleased that it’s three seasons on the bounce that we’ve managed to collect the trophy,” said Marrs.

“I’m fortunate enough to be involved in those three occasions as a coach and as a manager.

“The girls have still got the bit between their teeth as you saw tonight.  The cup games never get boring especially finals. We love getting into finals and we’re really, really looking forward to our Ryman Cup Final that we’ve got coming up as well soon - and our other Cup Final on Sunday (FA Women’s Cup last sixteen tie away to holders Arsenal at Boreham Wood’s Meadow Park) so I think every game from now on until the end of the season is basically a cup final so if the girls can go out and produce anything like they did tonight, then we should win more than we should lose.”

Clarke added: “The cup’s going to be around for a long time. I think the clubs will be around for a long time so there’s plenty of time to tip the scales in our favour and there’s always next year as well.

“I hope this experience tonight will galvanise the squad and motivate them to train harder, as they do as always, and encourage and work on the little bits of technical detail that is required to compete against that level of opposition.”

Clarke said he is satisfied with a runners-up position in the league and runners-up in the Kent Cup.

He said: “This is the last competitive game of the season.  The girls have over achieved, in my opinion, for this season.

“It’s a real, young group. We’ve had about five or six players that have moved in between the first team squad and the reserve squad so as a coach from my perspective that’s a job well done.

“The aim is to improve players to move them up to the next level. Getting to the final of the Kent Cup, it’s always going to be a proud occasion for them and a proud movement for them as well so they can take that on board.

“As well as a runners-up finish (in the league) and we’ll be looking to improve for next season. 

“Playing against this level of opposition and it is their first team will motivate them to improve and identify the areas that they need to work on both as individuals and as a unit, or team.”

Charlton Athletic:  Alex Baker, Ruby Southgate, Alice Singyard, Leigh Houlihan, Francesca Tye, Clare Rogers, Eliz Ibrahim (Megan Mulholland 46), Gemma Hyland, Beth Rodgers, Oliva Cole (Issy Hunter 71), Ellie Searle (Katie Hardaker 46).
Subs: Megen Lynch, Chloe Shields

Gillingham: Faye Baker, Lauren Davis (Jade Keogh 55), Fliss Gibbons, Jay Blackie, Amy Taylor, Deanna Cooper, Nikita Whinnett, Emma Tune, Lisa Fulgence (Lauren Phillips 46), Charlotte Long (Danielle Carlton 72), Charlotte Gurr.
Subs: Lauren Williams, Rachel Ahern

Goals: Lisa Fulgence 8, 14, Lauren Phillips 68

Attendance: 361
Referee: Mr Leigh Judd (Tunbridge Wells)
Assistants: Mr Stephen Cole (Sevenoaks) & Mr Ian Barker (Ashford)
Fourth Official: Mr Ian Swift (Margate)