Croydon Women’s Development side clinch the Division 2 title in eight-goal thriller

BY JASON CASEY

Back in August 2022, Croydon Women head coach Lenin Nadison had a vision. He wanted to start a Development team that would benefit the 1st team by being a vehicle for players to return from injury and also to give new hopefuls an opportunity to show what they can do.

On a hard pitch in a wet and windy Tooting Bec Common, his reality exceeded his dreams with that development side, who won an 8-goal thriller to knock Queerspace off the top perch and clinch the Division 2 title on Saturday.

The Trams opened the scoring at the start of the second half when Iffy Chileze’s rebounded shot from distance bounced over the Queerspace goalkeeper and hit the right post. As the keeper backtracked, in rushed the alert Jarmily Arcanjo de Arcanjo, who reached the ball enough for it to have been edge forward and deemed to cross the line. 1-0.

The hosts equalised after an attempted clearance from Gracie Leigh Dunkley ricocheted off a Queerspace attacker and looped over Angelina Hewitt Williams to bring the sides level.

Another attack by Queerspace created one of the most bizarre goals ever. The ball bounced on the edge of Croydon’s half, and Croydon’s Daniella De Croix whacked it up and away from her area. The ball was caught the wind, sailed over the halfway line, and bounced in front of the Queerspace keeper, who misjudged the ball. Despite swiping away at the ball, the keeper was left red-faced as it crept into the net. 2-1 Croydon.

The Trams then extended their lead after Yoyo Oke’s cross was handled outside the penalty area. Kacie Nadison Singh floated the free kick into the mixer, and it pin-balled between players before Iffy Chileze was clean through. The keeper hesitated, and she slotted home. 3-1.

Queerspace hadn’t given up and got a well-worked goal back. Nice work on the right, and a far post header brought the match alive again. 3-2.

Chileze added Croydon’s fourth when she beat the keeper with a grass cutter low into the corner. 4-2.

A sublime Querspace one-two on the edge of the box and a cool finish again reduced the deficit to a goal. 4-3.

The Trams, however, had the title on their bucket list. A throw-in on the right was flicked by De Souza into the path of Chileze, whose unforgiven half volley rippled the net and sent the large following into raptures. It was the Trams’ 5th and the million-dollar hat-trick for Chileze.

POTM. Ruby Mugdock – Got the Trams Going in style with great skill, vision and determination to master the second half onslaught.

PICTURES: PETE BOWELL