Chatham Town Women passed one big test last weekend and face another this coming Sunday.

Chats thumped London Bees 4-0 in their last match and travel to Real Bedford this weekend, a side with three wins from three in Division 1 South East.

Last Wednesday’s League Cup loss to Hashtag United had been a boost for Chatham despite losing 2-0. They performed well against the cup holders from a higher division and manager Keith Boanas was determined to see his team build on it.

They did just that with victory over London Bees.

“It was an excellent result,” said the manager.

“I identified four teams who will be up there and they are one of them and knowing the backing they’ve got, we were expecting a tough game, but it turned out not to be as such.

“They had chances but we dominated and probably could have had a couple more ourselves.”

Both teams were relegated last season but Otesha Charles scored twice in the second half and Madison Woodgate was also on the scoresheet.

Chatham’s opener came just before the break, scored by captain Grace Coombs.

Boanas said: “We have been harping on about scoring from set-pieces, even from last season, where we didn’t score enough. We know we put in good deliveries. Three of the goals came from set-pieces so that worked out well.

“The way we approached the game was that we wanted to carry the momentum on from the Wednesday and we did that.

“We answered the questions and the information we put up on the board and the things we said prior to the game were put into action and that was really pleasing.”

The game followed their League Cup loss against Hashtag.

“There was absolutely no shame whatsoever in [losing to Hashtag],” said the manager.

“We could have scored early on but were unlucky, it was cleared off the line, I think it was nip and tuck we gave as good as we got. It was an error for the first goal but we stayed in the game, came back at them a little bit and the attitude and the approach from the players was like chalk and cheese to the Sunday game before (losing 1-0 to Actonians) and what we had asked for.

“We played well against them last season, they are still a division above us, a title contender in that league and holders of that cup.

“I knew my players would raise their game but my ethos was that if they show they can do that, then there was no excuse afterwards.

“I was proud of the performance on Wednesday. We now drop into the Plate competition so we still have four cups to be involved in, still good things to aim at. The big message was there was no excuse now not to perform in every game in our league and if we do, we’ll win more than we lose.”

Chats followed it up with a big win over London Bees - a result the manager admitted he wasn’t expecting.

He said: “They are a fallen from grace kind of team that have invested a lot in the new management team, they turned up on a proper coach, while we’re mini-bussing! They certainly came prepared, fully staffed, and everything else and I would guess they were fairly confident they would get something from the game.”

Next up, Real Bedford, are a team that include much of the staff and players who had previously been at Milton Keynes Dons in the Southern Premier Division last season, a mass exodus that makes this weekend’s opponents well-fancied this term.

Boanas said: “They are a well-funded club and they are going to be a severe test.”