Charlton Athletic 1-2 Gillingham - An ex player always wants to prove a point, says James Marrs

A crowd of 371 – mostly Charlton Athletic supporters – endured a miserable rain lashed night in Sevenoaks to watch Gillingham come from behind to clinch the silverware for the fourth time in their history, against Charlton Athletic's reserve side.
 
Charlton Athletic midfielder Harley Bennett scored from a brilliant half-volley from 40-yards, before Gillingham levelled on the stroke of half-time when striker Amy Taylor slid in to score from close range.

Gillingham’s clincher came from left-winger Jade Keogh, who came back to haunt her former club with a special strike.

Marrs said: “I’m so chuffed for them because the work that they put in away from the pitch, sometimes they, how can I put it, your rewarded for your hard work basically. Sometimes they don’t get their rewards for their hard work but they have tonight and I’m really, really proud of them, really proud.

“Terrible conditions, considering the (sunny) day that we had, absolutely awful conditions.

“In the first half we tried to play.  We continued to try to play.  I thought we done really well in the first half and it started to get a little bit boggy in the middle of the park, but we were still continuing to string passes together and that ultimately what won us the game.”

Gillingham gifted Charlton Athletic an early chance when a clearance from goalkeeper Charlotte Stephens ricochet off advancing striker Jenny Newman, the ball rolling out for a goal-kick with only 71 seconds on the clock.

The opening exchanges were even and both sides went close in the ninth minute.

Charlton Athletic’s right-winger Annabel Prior rolled the ball into former Gill, Katie Hardaker and she took a touch before steering her left-footed shot narrowly past the foot of the right-hand post from 20-yards.

Gillingham immediately went up the other end and right-back Lauren Williams’ delightful through ball released Taylor but she drove her right-footed shot narrowly wide of the near post from 25-yards.

Gillingham should have broken the stalemate in the 27^th minute when Danielle Carlton swung in a free-kick towards the far post where Taylor stretched and the ball skimmed off her head and sailed over the bar from six-yards.

But the best chance arrived for Gillingham moments later when Emma Tune rode a couple of challenges and released skipper Natalie Crinean through on goal but she dragged her right-footed shot wide of the far post with a right-footed shot from fifteen-yards when she only had keeper Kelly Cooper to beat.

Maars said: “We had the one-on-one with Nat that maybe should’ve gone in and that was through another good passage of play.  There weren’t too many clear cut chances but I felt that we were on top.  I felt we were the better side.”

Carlton arrowed over another left-footed free-kick from 28-yards before Charlton Athletic opened the scoring with a special strike in the 37^th minute.

Bennett was given acres of space and she unleashed a right-footed half-volley from 40-yards, which sailed over Stephens outstretched fingertips and crashed into the roof of the net.

“Fantastic goal! Absolutely fantastic,” said Marrs.

“I said to the girls’ at half-time we could’ve done better for the second ball because our centre half won the first ball so our reaction to cover and get in for the second ball wasn’t good enough, but saying that she’s hit an unbelievable 40-yarder there in the top corner off the half-bud. There’s no complaints about that.  Sometimes you have to applaud it really.”

It was a goal that deserved to win any cup final.

Charlton Athletic created a chance to double their lead when Kylie Manktelow had time and space to whip in a cross from the right for Hardaker to sweep a right-footed shot from 20-yards, which was comfortably saved by the Gillingham keeper.

But Gillingham were not going to give up their trophy that easily and they equalised just before the break.

They won themselves a free-kick in the right channel and Carlton whipped in a dangerous low free-kick with her left-foot which found its way towards the far post and Taylor showed the desire to slide in to poke the ball into the bottom near corner from within a crowd of players to score from two-yards out.

Marrs was full of praise for Carlton and said: “Her deliveries tonight were on point. All of her deliveries were on point, whipped in towards the back post and caused them all sorts of problems.  

“We should’ve scored from the first free-kick that she took where Amy Taylor headed the ball over when that should’ve gone in from five-yards out, but our set-plays caused them all sorts of trouble tonight.  We deservedly got the goal from that.”

That equaliser would have changed Marrs thinking inside the away dressing room at the break.

“I had a few extra bits and pieces to say, which was basically we know we were the fitter side so we knew the girls were looking forward to the second half.  We’re physically the stronger side so we had no worries about the second half.”

Charlton Athletic created a decent chance to level when Hardaker’s reverse pass found Manktelow in space but her right-footed drive from eighteen-yards brought a comfortable near post save from Stephens.

Dead-ball specialist Carlton then cracked another free-kick from 25-yards, which took a deflection off the wall and dropped over the bar.

However, Gillingham clinched victory in the 61^st minute, with Tune the architect to Charlton Athletic’s downfall.

Tune won possession, rode a couple of challenges before playing the ball out wide to Keogh, who had time and space to crack a first time right-footed curler, which sailed over Cooper’s head to find the top far corner.

Maars revealed he is delighted that Tune has taken on board his advice.

He said: “I’ve been going on at her since November about going high and nicking the second ball.  That’s twice in four weeks now that she’s gone in and nicked the second ball.  I’m pleased for her because the work she puts in she got her rewards for that as well.  Although she didn’t’ score the goal, she made it.”

The winning goal convinced the sponsors to award Keogh with the player-of-the-match award.

Marrs hailed his number 11 and said: “I’m so chuffed for that girl because she used to play for Charlton and she weren’t really getting a look in at Charlton so tonight was a big night for her, a massive night for her.

“An ex-player always wants to prove a point and she was man-of-the-match and deservedly so and scored an absolutely worldy of a finish so I’m pleased for her. 

“I’m hoping that she now sees she is good enough. She is good enough to be playing because her confidence was knocked. She was thinking about not playing and it can get to you when you get released by a club but she’s come back fighting and deservedly so – she’s got her rewards.”

Teams are always liable to switch off straight after a goal and a fine save from Stephens prevented Charlton Athletic equalising just 79 seconds after the winning goal.

Newman drilled a left-footed angled drive from 18-yards which needed Stephens’ fingertips to turn the shot around the far post.

Marrs added: “She made one world-class save and the rest were comfortable in and around her body.”

Keogh hit a speculative right-footed drive from 30-yards, which bounced once and was comfortably gathered by Cooper, before Charlton Athletic applied pressure on the holders, who stood firm.

Hardaker drilled a left-footed 25-yarder wide of the left-hand post and a corner from the left from substitute Megan Chandler was headed away and full-back Stef Simmons was left unmarked and sent her left-footed volley sailing over the bar from 25-yards at the death.

Marrs hopes tonight’s victory is the springboard in clinching victories in their last two league games to maintain their FA Women’s Premier League South status.

Fifth-from-bottom Gillingham face two sides below them in the table and victories at Lewes on Sunday and at home to Tottenham Hotspur on 5 May will be vital if they are to beat the drop.

“We’ve got three cup finals to go now.  We’ve got Lewes on Sunday – we need three points – we’ve got Westfield next Thursday in the Ryman Women’s Cup Final so another cup final and we’ve got Spurs on the 5 May, so we’ve got three more cup finals for us.

“If we can produce what they did out there tonight with their heart and their passion then there’s no reason why we won’t finish midtable and have two trophies under our belt.”

Looking ahead to their second Cup Final against Westfield, who play their games across the road from Woking’s Kingfield Stadium, Marrs said: “It’s a cup final so you know what it’s like. It’s difficult. They’ll have a game plan.  It just won’t be rock in there and pick up the win. It’s on their own turf as well so they’ll have a lot of supporters there I would imagine.  It’s a long, long way for us to go but we’ll be as professional as we can and hopefully that will be enough to get the job done.”

But Marrs does not want cup glory and relegation come the end of the season.

He said: “That’s what I’ve said. It’s a fine line between success and failure. If we don’t pick up the two wins we’ll end up getting relegated but if we win two cup finals it’s a bit of a mish-match.  But if we pick up two wins, which I’m confident of us doing and we pick up two trophies it’s the most successful season that we’ve had so it is a fine line.”

And credit must go to the 371 supporters who stood out in the rain to watch the game, proving that women’s football in the county is getting the support it deserves.

The Gillingham boss said: “Considering the weather if it could’ve been dry we might’ve had 571, but fantastic crowd.  I think 300 of those were Charlton judging by the reaction of the goals and stuff and the referee’s decisions.”

Charlton Athletic: Kelly Cooper, Louise Duffy, Stef Simmons, Harley Bennett, Athena Yennaris, Alice Singyard, Annabel Prior (Megan Chandler 77), Kylie Manktelow, Jenny Newman, Kate Hardaker (Gemma Shepherd 62), Liz Ejupi.
Subs: Emily Symonds, Gemma Hyland, Courtney Shanly

Goals: Harley Bennett 37

Booked: Harley Bennett 32

Gillingham: Charlotte Stephens, Lauren Williams, Emma Wood, Jay Blackie, Rachel Ahern, Vicky Ashton-Jones, Natalie Crinean (Deanna Cooper 73), Emma Tune, Amy Taylor (Nicole Pepper 86), Danielle Carlton, Jade Keogh.
Subs: Danielle Farmer, Kallie Balfour, Ruth Jackson

Goals: Amy Taylor 45, Jade Keogh 61

Attendance:  371
Referee: Mr Darren Whipps (Ashford)
Assistants: Mr Leigh Judd (Tunbridge Wells) & Ms Jessica French (Swanscombe)
Fourth Official: Mr Scott Petts (Sittingbourne)