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Sport

Ex-Chatham Town Women forward Holly Turner set to face swift reunion with former club as Hashtag United visit Bauvill Stadium for cup action; Keith Boanas’ side at Actonians this weekend

By: Thomas Reeves treeves@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 05:00, 23 August 2024

Updated: 10:20, 23 August 2024

Former Chatham Town Women’s forward Holly Turner is set to face a swift reunion with her old club.

Turner played for Chats last term, on loan from Ipswich Town, but is now at Hashtag United - the FA Women’s National League Cup holders set to visit the Bauvill Stadium in that competition on Wednesday.

Darcy Wells celebrates scoring against AFC Sudbury in Sunday’s 5-1 win for Chatham Town Women. Picture: Allen Hollands

Before then, Keith Boanas’ troops will look to build on their opening-day 5-1 FA National League Division 1 South East home win over AFC Sudbury at Actonians on Sunday.

Boss Boanas said: “Actonians away is a tough one.

“I went there when I was at Millwall. It’s quite a tough venue and they’re a good side at home.

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“That’s going to be a different test. I’ll need to think about that first.

“Then Hashtag, obviously, they’re a team we lost to towards the end of last season. They have now signed Holly Turner, who was with us last season.

Grace Coombs on the ball for Chatham Town Women. Picture: Allen Hollands

“It’ll be nice to see her but, hopefully, she doesn’t come and damage us! I suppose that’ll give us a really good benchmark, playing a team at that level.

“They had a really good win on Sunday, beating Watford 3-1 and we drew with Watford 1-1 in pre-season. I can gauge it from that.

“Hashtag have retained their stronger players and signed Holly.

“We think a lot of Holly. They’re managed by her step-father (Jason Stephens), who I’d imagine has had an influence on that.

“We’re gutted we lost her. But I believe our signings have covered our losses and I don’t think we’re a weaker squad than we were last season.

Lottie Sharp in action for Chatham Town Women. Picture: Allen Hollands

“(Player-coach) Jess King wasn’t available on Sunday with her work at The FA but she’ll be available this week, and she’s kind of a replacement for Holly in that sense.

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“I don’t want to go over the top. But if you would have asked me if I’d have taken that result on Sunday, of course I would have.”

Boanas was satisfied with what he saw from Chats on the whole in their opener, despite a slow start, albeit knowing there is still more to come from his new squad.

He reflected: “They were a team that, on paper, we should beat, based on last year. But I didn’t want us to take that for granted and we didn’t.

“We started okay on Sunday - but they probably had two chances before we kicked into gear.

“Even in pre-season, we have been notoriously slow, whether that’s for a period of the first half or all of the first half, before we kick into life. That’s something we have got to get over.

“I’m glad that happened against them and not maybe against slightly stronger opponents. When the goals started to come, one of the things we had highlighted in big capital letters in the dressing room was ‘Finishing!’. That’s where we felt we had let ourselves down.

“I know we scored eight in the last (pre-season) game - but that probably should have been 15 or 20. We knew we were creating chances in pre-season and not burying enough of them.

“Even in training, you do finishing exercises and it hasn't been to the standards that I wanted. So, we made a big point about that.

“All five goals came from what we discussed in terms of how we wanted to play. We knew we’re putting good deliveries in the box. Even last season, we were doing that but we weren’t converting enough.

“I think all bar one of the goals came from a crossing situation, either in live play or a set-piece. I was really pleased with that.

“We could have had a couple more, they could have had a couple more, and there could have been a quite realistic scoreline of 7-3 or 8-3. It was a massive confidence-booster.

“But we know there’s more to come. That was the message after the game.”

Guyana international forward Otesha Charles starred for Chatham with a hat-trick.

Amelia Woodgate and Darcy Wells also were on the scoresheet before Charles’ controversial third rounded things off.

“There was a lot of debate about that because it was off the top of her shoulder,” said Boanas. “It was a really tight one as to whether it was off a defender’s back, whether it was straight in from Elle Jeffkins, because it was a perfect in-swinging corner, or off her arm.

“My view was that Otesha forced it in with the back of her shoulder. Would it have gone in anyway? Maybe, it would have come off the post and gone in. But Otesha made sure.

“On reflection of the game - with her other two goals - she was player-of-the-match on Sunday. It was fully deserved.

“Her work-rate was superb and her fitness levels have gone up - and most of the team’s fitness levels have gone up.

“That's a really good testament to them.”

Chatham’s weekend hosts Actonians secured an opening-day league 1-0 victory at Cambridge United last Sunday.

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