- Sunday 5th October
- 14:00 kick off
- Adams Park, Hillbottom Rd, High Wycombe HP12 4HJ
- Tickets available here
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On a double header weekend at Adams Park, it is the Chairgirls’ match which I am looking forward to most. Now in their eighth season in the FA Cup, they have yet to appear in the First Round but were so close last year, after going out on penalties to Comets. This is their all time record.
FA Cup Top Scorers
10 – Kayla Potter
8 – Tara Woodward
7 – Jess Watkins
5 – Charlotte Bagshaw, Chante Inniss
Chesham United are now in their ninth season as a Tier 4 side, after winning the Southern Region Premier in 2016-17 with a perfect record of 16 wins in 16 matches, 79 goals scored and only 8 conceded. Initially playing in National Division One South West, they have found it tougher going since moving to the South East division in 2022, first finishing bottom but not relegated due to a need to increase the number of teams. Last season they finished ninth out of 12, this season they have one point from five games. They did not play last weekend, their league cup group game was cancelled after Charlton Academy could not fulfil the fixture. Chesham deserve huge credit for maintaining their National League status for so long, it is a noticeably higher standard than Tier 5, as I think we will see.
The teams last met on 27 October 2019, also in the FA Cup 3QR, when Chesham won 3-0 at The Meadow. The match report on wwfc.com has been deleted (why?) but I did post reports during the game on the Gasroom, below.
"Chesham took the lead on 4 minutes when keeper Amy Batkin spilled the ball and the home team had an easy tap in [Fraser]. Amy made up for it with a fantastic point blank save in a one on one just after, and made other good saves. Sarah Harrison and Tara Woodward have had long range shots well saved, Tara also nearly scored when their keeper made a mess of a clearance, Emily Holmes won the ball but Tara just put it wide.
The second goal came on 30 minutes, the Chesham player [Smith] allowed to run unchallenged from near the halfway line, into the box and score close in.
In a pretty even game, Chesham are building attacks from midfield whereas the Chairgirls are more relying on attacks on the break, and long passes up front. A good crowd here, not far off 200 and many Wanderers fans. The pitch looks excellent, firm and smooth.
A quieter second half by both teams, Chesham grazed the bar with a header just after the break but Wycombe kept them at bay until the third goal on 82 minutes, good work by the left winger to give a tap in to the striker [Fraser].
The Chairgirls didn’t really test the keeper in the second half but they can be proud of their effort against the higher ranked team. Overall it was a fair result. I think they missed Lindsay Pinker in midfield, who I presume was cup-tied. It’s been a good cup run and they’ve banked a very welcome £1360."
Scorers: Fraser (4,82), Smith (30) - Att: 160
Chesham United:
Emma Bebbington, Stacey Blackburn, Kate Bowers, Emma Delves (Rebecca Fraser 46), Lucia Delves, Gemma Fraser, Kirsty Gladwin-Creed (Aalyiah Charles 80), Olivia Harris, Eden Kibrom (Jaqueline Hanson 60), Paula Lambert, Natasha Smith
Wycombe Wanderers:
Tara Woodward, Charlotte Bagshaw, Natalie Barette, Amy Batkin, Emma Dean, Sarah Harrison, Emily Holmes, Katie Hudson, Chante Inniss, Sam Jackson, Emma Newberry. Subs: Finlay Lennard, Rachel Southby, Emily Wheller
The only players involved in that match, and who will be on Sunday, are Emma Delves and Lucia Delves. Lucia first played for Chesham in 2015-16 and, in fact, played against the Chairgirls in the Southern Region D1N that season, in a 1-1 draw at Bells Hill Recreation Ground, Stoke Poges (close to Farnham Common!). Emma joined the following season and both have been key players ever since at The Meadow, until moving to the Chairgirls this summer.
The Chairgirls have played before at Adams Park in the FA Cup, in 2022-23 when they beat Sport London e Benfica 3-2 in a thriller in the 2QR, watched by about 250. Last season a record 567 watched them beat Reading there in the league, on a cold March evening, so a new record crowd on Sunday is on the cards. Playing at Adams Park goes back a long way, to at least 2002 when Stocklake visited for an evening match, in front of around 200 – see the match report and photos on http://www.chairboys.co.uk/onthenet/news0102/25apr2002-ladies.htm. The ever excellent Gasman has details on the first five Chairgirls seasons this century, at http://www.chairboys.co.uk/onthenet/wwlfc/index.htm. The early history of the Chairgirls needs exploring, I believe they started playing late 80s, I do remember Tony Horseman’s daughter, Julie, playing around that time.
Hopefully there will be a good contingent of Gasroomers at AP on Sunday. Seats are in the Origin Stand, not reserved - Adults £6, U18 £1, U5 free. Order in advance at https://tickets.wwfc.com/Stadium/Index?eventId=13092, or pay on the day with a card.
Parking is free and the Caledonian is open from 12:30, serving food and drink. See you there to hopefully see records broken!
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I was there at Chesham in 2019 and will be there tomorrow.
Watched the womens side last year, wasn’t much fun as they caned AFC Varsity 11-1. Ditto my other Womens FA Cup game this season - Ashridge Park 10-0 Highworth Town. Hopefully tomorrow will be more competitive, I think the gap has well and truly been closed since the 2019 clash.
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Opening 10, pretty even, Chesham keeper made a great block from Kayla steaming onto a Jess cross.
Any guesstimate on the attendance?
31’, WW 0-1 CU, looping shot from the corner of the area.
Edit - scorer Vicky Collett.
HT WW 0-2 CU.
Second goal on 45+8, a 25 yard free kick into the corner.
Two evenly matched teams in a very physical battle. After Chesham scored we lost impetus but have been in and around their box quite a lot, without really testing their keeper. The final pass is missing. Before the first goal, Chesham missed a golden chance, a Lucia Delves miskick went to a Chesham player who missed the unattended goal from 20 yards.
Was never a free kick for the second goal.
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Agreed, if anything it was a free kick to us. Not one of the better referees.
55’, WW 1-2 CU. Chloe Melton with a back heel close in after good work from Kayla.
57’ WW 2-2 CU, Melton shot.
We could have had two before these two, well on top now.
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68’, WW 3-2 CU, more good work on the wing by Kayla, to feed Jess at the far post to tap in.
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Wait to go 0-2 down then start playing. Sounds a bit familiar .
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90+3, WW 4-2 CU, Kayla runs down the left wing, beats a player and plants it into the far corner.
FT 4-2, fantastic second half performance!
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Attendance looked around 400-500.
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