Bay Ladies win the County Divisional Cup 5-1

It seems only fitting that Maidstone, the County town of Kent, should be the venue for Herne Bay Ladies lifting the South East Counties Women’s League Kent Divisional Cup just two weeks after winning the Kent County Plate.

In their very first season in existence the Ladies have completed the second leg of a possible remarkable treble. With three leagues games left Bay are in a great position to take the title.

Herne Bay Ladies went ahead after just four minutes when Alice Franks cut in from the left and her shot deceived the Ridgewaye keeper, sneaking in at the near post.

Ridgewaye responded by pushing forward and on 12 minutes were unlucky not to equalise when a shot hit the underside of the bar and bounced away. Two minutes later Bay keeper Emily Johnson rose to tip a shot over the bar.

In the 17th minute Lesley Kay provided a supreme cross for Vicky Holness to net her 81st goal of the season.

Then Ridgewaye missed two great chances. Firstly they hit the bar for the second time and five minutes later Johnson failed to gather and went down at the feet of the oncoming Ridgewaye striker. She saved, with her face, from point-blank range. On the half hour Isabelle Tulett replaced Alice Franks. Bay went 3-0 up on 35 minutes when Kiya Mills headed in from a corner when under pressure from a Ridgewaye defender. Vicky Holness made it four with five minutes left in the first half when she struck from just inside the box.

Ridgewaye went into half-time disappointed to be so far behind but the main difference between the teams was that Bay took their chances.

The second half started with Ridgewaye looking to reduce the deficit but the Bay defence of Chantelle Bleau, Rachel Tracy, Enya Lynch and Charlie Hayes coping with everything that was thrown at them. Lynch, in particular, made one vital last-ditched tackle that saved a certain goal. Lauren Wiltshire and Lesley Kay anchored the midfield.

A good chance fell to Kiya Mills on 55 when she received a great cross from Shona Clark, and with just the keeper to beat the ball slipped from her control. Natalie Lewis was introduced late in the game. Bay held out and with the clock ticking past the 90 minutes Kiya Mills struck a fine half-volley to put the match beyond doubt.

Ridgewaye scored the consolation goal with more or less the last kick of the match.