Chard travelled away to Vale with only ten players to face a full side and two substitutes. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Chard showed great spirit and determination — echoing the energy from their strong second-half performance against Tiverton the week before.

A lovely one-two down the wing between Maisie and Summer created Chard’s first strike on goal, setting the tone for a lively opening spell. Further attacking efforts from Caitlyn, Sian, and Izzy kept the pressure on, and Chard took the early lead in possession and territory during the first ten minutes.

At the back, the defensive unit of Katy, Verity, Angel, and Frankie held firm, making several strong clearances to repel Vale’s advances.

Unfortunately, an injury reduced Chard to nine players for much of the first half, allowing Vale to grow in confidence. Despite some excellent saves from keeper Hannah, a rebound eventually fell to a Vale attacker who slotted home, giving the hosts the lead.

Rejuvenated after halftime — and back up to ten players — Chard started the second half brightly. With the sun no longer blinding the back line, they pushed forward with renewed energy. Fantastic individual runs from Summer, Caitlyn, and Maisie tested the Vale defence, but a solid performance from the home keeper kept Chard at bay.

Chard closed the match with the game’s only short corner, but Captain Katy’s strike went narrowly wide — deflecting off Vice Captain Frankie’s foot to end the chance.

Despite the narrow 1–0 defeat, Chard can be proud of a resilient, hard-fought performance full of teamwork and grit in challenging circumstances.

⭐ Player of the Match: Sian — for tireless work and composure in midfield, linking defence and attack throughout the game.