Kentish Football 
We want to make history for the Gills, says skipper Jay Blackie
The Gills welcome Coventry City in an eagerly-anticipated top-of-the-table clash in the FA Premier Women’s League Southern Division.
Gillingham will win the title if they beat second-placed Coventry City, who can snatch the title with a win at Maidstone Road and away to Portsmouth next Sunday.
The team, managed by Kent FA coach of the year James Marrs, play some attractive football and have enjoyed their best ever season and Blackie hopes her team-mates can finish the campaign on a high note.
Speaking in her blog which was posted on the club’s website www.gillinghamladies.co.uk, Blackie said: “Three down and one to go! Kent Cup winners, Ryman Cup winners, Southern Counties League winners (Kent rep team) and now our final match with a win that would see us crowned as league champions.
“As captain of both teams, I cannot begin to explain how it feels right now! I am already over the moon with all of our achievements - and personally for me - my first year as captain at Gillingham could not have gone any better.
“But it is not all over yet and I’m not underestimating Coventry. There is still one massive game to go and one I am really looking forward to.”
Gillingham reached the fifth round of The FA Women’s Cup this season and their record run in the competition was ended by holders Arsenal. Two second half strikes from England superstar Kelly Smith ensured it was a proud day for the Kent side.
“We have played very good teams all season, in our league and in the FA Cup such as Arsenal, but I can already tell you there is going to be no game so far that will be as competitive and as dramatic as Sunday’s game is going to be,” said Blackie, who was previously coached by Tony Russell, who guided VCD Athletic to the Ryman League Division One North title on the final day of the season just gone.
“We have experienced ups and downs all season, and I’m sure this 90 minutes is also going to live up to all it is being cracked up to be.”
Coventry City will want to come to Kent to gatecrash the treble-winning party.
Blackie said: “Our record against Coventry is pretty even and there is everything to play for.
“A game like this creates its own atmosphere and I encourage people to come and watch this showdown and I can promise you will witness a great game of football.
“We beat Coventry in the league 4-0 at their place but they revenged our win knocking us out of the League Cup in the quarter final stages with a 1-0 defeat again at their place.
“This will be the first time we have entertained Coventry at home and we will be looking to produce a good performance.
“We haven’t lost at home all season so that is also another stat we will want to maintain and a part of the club's history we want to make.
“We have been concentrating all week on the game and I believe we can go out and put in a very good performance. All of the players are focused and as a team we are heading in to the game knowing what our own targets are and if we can get them out then that is all that matters.”
Gillingham came from behind to beat Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 last week, which pleased Blackie.
“Coming back from being 1-0 down at Brighton to keep our title hopes in our own hands was brilliant,” she said.
“We knew how we had to change our game in the second half and the management were asking questions of us at half time and we went out in the second half and answered those questions and came out with the result we needed.
“This shows how far we have come as a team, our character has come on so much and this shone through on Sunday, we don’t give up and every player works as hard as they can for the players around them.
“As much as it might sound silly, not at any point during the season have we set our targets to win the league or have we got carried away with how close we have always been.
“We have always set our targets on the game in front of us and looked to get all the points out our manager has made before the game and at training throughout the weeks. We haven’t concentrated on results but on performances.
“If each week you can improve your performance and try to be better than the week before the results will start to follow.
“At this point in the season last year we were battling to stay in this league and now we are at the other end of the spectrum, but there has not been any changes other than a few new faces.
“We have just remained patient and believed in what James has been coaching us to do. We started to learn a new style of play last year and with that came mistakes and losses but again we didn’t concentrate on results but on our performances knowing that eventually it would pay off.
“Everyone is going to make mistakes but by concentrating on your individual and the team’s performance each week those mistakes will become less and less and we are now getting our just rewards.
“Alongside that the attitude, commitment and desire of every player over the last two years and especially this year, has got us to where we are and that is why I believe in every player in this team and that we all deserve everything we are achieving together at this moment in time.”
Blackie captained the Kent Women’s representative side to glory as they came from behind to beat The Army 2-1 at Maidstone Road in midweek.
Blackie and her Gillingham team-mate Jade Keogh scored and Herne Bay’s Vicky Holness capped off an excellent season for her personally with Blackie signing her praises.
Blackie said: “During the week half of our team represented Kent in the last game of the Southern Counties league, another game where a win would secure us the league.
“The majority of the Gills players that were involved were also involved last year when we won it for the first time.
“The team for this game had many new faces, after a recent training session some players turned up and impressed and received their first call up. This was really pleasing to see that there is a pool of talented players to choose from and by winning shows what a strong squad we have got.
“It was a hard game against the Army who were very physical and were making it difficult for us in the first half with a solid defensive shape, cutting out many chances in the final third, resulting in us having to shoot from distance to try and cause any real trouble. We were also getting used to playing with players that we either don’t play with very often or have never played with before.
“The second half was completely different, it all just seemed to click as if we had played together for a long time. Everyone stepped up their game and their intensity.
“Some of the passages of play and combinations we got out from defence right the way through and in the attacking half were frightening. Our intensity was creating chance after chance after chance and it was only a matter of time before we scored.
“I was really pleased to score, in total that was my 12th goal of the season and for a holding midfield player I am really happy with. I get a lot of stick for my shooting sometimes so was really happy to keep good stats with Kent this year as I have scored in both games I have played in and being the equaliser to push us on for a win as captain made it even better.
“Jade to score the second was a really well worked goal and she deserved the goal for her work rate and performance on the night. Playing in somewhat of an unusual position for her she really shone and controlled the front line and showed that what was maybe seen as the weaker parts of her game can actually be her strong points.
“Jade is such a good player and when she plays with that air of confidence she is unstoppable. She has come on so far since joining Gillingham and can go a long way – just got to believe in yourself like the rest of us do!
“There were also some other outstanding performances especially in the second half, Gurrsy (Charlotte Gurr) played really well linking up between the midfield and the forwards, Amy Taylor marshalled the back line and swept up everything that wasn’t dealt with. Vicky Holness from Herne Bay played really well and deserved a goal, she looked really comfortable as if she had played there with us all season so really well done from me.
“I could mention loads of names, Georgia (Charlton) also played really well at centre back when she came on, as it’s not easy to come on when a team is 1-0 and stay solid at the back.
Gillingham deserve a big turn out for tomorrow’s game and it would be appreciated if supporters of the Gills can turn out in force to support one of their own.
“I’d encourage as many people as possible to get down and join in the atmosphere,” added Marrs.
“We need as many Gills fans as possible on Sunday to help push the girls on against Coventry.
“It would be amazing to have lots of fans there for the game and really do their best to give us that twelfth player mentality.”
Tickets for the biggest ever women’s football match to be played in Kent are on sale at the turnstiles priced at £3 (for adults) and free for under 16s.
Visit Gillingham Ladies’ website: www.gillinghamladies.co.uk
Gillingham v Coventry City
The FA Women’s Premier League Southern Division
Sunday 18th May 2014
Kick Off 2:00pm
at Chatham Town FC, Maidstone Road Sports Ground, Bournville Avenue, Chatham, Kent ME4 6LR
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd