Myles Maddix made four changes from the side that defeated Mansfield Town in the Women’s FA Cup on Sunday, including a first start for Natalia Makowska after an impressive debut display against the Stags.
Town asserted dominance early on, Jànaye Beaufort set off on a mazy run through the centre of the pitch, only to drag her long-range effort wide of the right post.
Chesham’s first charge on the counter-attack was abruptly ended by a perfectly-timed sliding challenge from Taylor O’Leary.
Beaufort and O’Leary were dictating the play early on. The two produced some impressive linkup play in midfield, Beaufort’s smart flick was played into the path of O’Leary who saw her effort tipped around the post for the Hatters’ first corner of the evening.
A driving run from Chloe Tambula down the Town’s right-hand side saw her advance into midfield, where she played the ball into Tasha Fensome who, on the turn, fired goalwards but wasn’t able to hit the target.
But with moments remaining before half-time, Fensome got her goal. Leyah Maddix’s headed flick set the Town forward through on goal and she was able to poke past the stranded Chesham United keeper to give the Ladies a one-nil lead at the halfway stage.
Five minutes into the second-half, Tasha Fensome cooly finished her second of the evening. Brilliant work in the buildup from O’Leary saw her avoid multiple challenges before slipping in Fensome who slotted the ball into the back of the net.
Chesham halved the scoring with twenty to play, through Jya Ratteray-Smith.
Nicole Melling was called into action in the second minute of additional time, she made an exceptional reaction save to keep Chesham out.
In the fourth added minute, captain Leyah Maddix bagged her fourth of the season. The skipper caught Chesham’s keeper off her line and her lobbed effort wasn’t able to be kept out, despite the shotstopper getting a strong hand to the ball.
But the Town wasn’t done there. In the tenth minute of additional time, Tasha Fensome sealed her hat-trick. Fensome picked up the ball in midfield, before charging into the Chesham area, where she made no mistake with her finish to pile the misery on the league’s bottom side.
The Ladies are back in action this Sunday, when they host third place London Bees at Barton.
Town: Melling, Blacksley, Swarres, Tambula, Fensome, Mulvaney (sub Dickens 68), Maddix (sub Fryer 90), Milliken, O’Leary, Beaufort, Makowska (sub Lewis 68).
Subs not used: Hudson, Wilson, Leighton, Gayle.
Report Owen Williams Photos Duncan Jack
