Sutton’s hopes of mixing it with the top flight of women’s football in the 4th round of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup were ended by Chatham Town, a level above Sutton in the women’s pyramid. Sutton battled well, but Chatham always looked to have a greater threat going forward and clinched the game with two goals in five minutes early in the second half.

Sutton started brightly and Emma Spear sent an early effort just wide from twenty yards, but Chatham took the lead in their first attack when Otesha Charles, the outstanding player of the first half, battled through several challenges before shooting low past Megan Taylor from twelve yards out.

The visitors came close to a second when Ellie Jeffkins hammered a shot against the crossbar, and just before half time Romany Wellington headed just wide from a corner, while Sutton, despite the return of Gabby Williams in attack, struggled to create clear chances, goalkeeper Simone Eligon’s only anxious moment an Ella Meehan free kick which she grabbed at the second attempt just before Milly Cutler could pounce on the rebound.

U’s weren’t helped by losing skipper Tessa Allen to injury before half time and also seeing Beth Humphrey suffer an injury which forced her off at the interval, and Chatham came out strongly at teh start of the second half, with Jasmine Auguste becoming the second player to hit the bar with a venomous shot from long range and Taylor’s fingertip save denying Amelia Woodgate, who had raced clear on to a good through pass.

Woodgate wasn’t to be denied, though, and moments later her low shot from the edge of the penalty area bounced just in front of Taylor and evaded the keeper’s grasp, and when five minutes later substitute Amy Russ’s free kick deflected off Sutton’s defensive wall and looped beyond Taylor, Chatham were almost assured of their fourth round place.

Sutton kept going to the end, substitute Becky Olumedeji keeping the Chatham defence occupied with some incisive runs, and Meehan again testing Eligon with a long range skidding free kick which the keeper again gathered at the second attempt, but the tier 4 side held out with some comfort for their victory.

The teams meet again at Chatham on Wednesday in the quarter finals of the Isthmian League Women’s Cup, kick off 7.45pm.

Sutton: M Taylor, T Allen (sub H Baptiste 35), E Meehan, Z Walters, B Humphrey(sub A Warren H-T), E Oliver(sub C Chase 74), E Spear(sub B Olumedeji 66), P Langley, M Cutler(sub B Gilbert-Lawal 66), G Williams, E Clark. Subs n/u M Heavingham-Ford, T Ciccardini, S Chapman, R Langon.

Chatham: S Eligon, C O’Shea(sub M Wright 84), J Auguste, C Hynes, R Wellington, E Perkins, O Charles(sub M Woodgate 74), E Jeffkins(sub A Russ H-T), A Woodgate(sub S Wiffon 84), L Jones, L Sharp(sub K Iton 74). Subs n/u S Sareen, A Boravik. Booked: Wellington, M Woodgate.

Referee: Abigail Freullet

Attendance: 426