Benny Benny Benny

In this weeks Dorset County Cup semi-final interview, we catch up with Sherborne Ladies opponent Gillingham Town Ladies captain Charlie Benefer.

Charlie has been playing football from a very young age, catching the football bug by playing in the garden with her brothers and her love of football grew as well as her love for the outdoors. Around 4 or 5 years old, she joined Woking boys as there were no girl’s teams. She remembers playing in the cold and having to wear several layers including trousers!

As well as football Charlie is a sports fan and willing to try new things, for example cycling, hiking and running. Her biggest achievements are completing the London Marathon and completing Ride London (which is cycling 100 miles). Both are incredible achievements well done Charlie! She is planning for some 10K runs and a cycle ride from Lands End to John O Groats as well as football.  

Charlie’s playing career has been hit with injuries; a broken ankle is a tough one to suffer with. She did a lot of ligament and tendon damage at the same time. Charlie told me that it is important to keep mentally strong to take your time to ease back into it. It took her a long time to recover and she was very hesitant when she went back to playing, she ended up not playing for over twelve months and took her games very softly to start with no slide tackles.

Over the years Charlie has played all over the pitch, mostly playing on the left sided midfielder but since joining Gillingham she still hasn’t found her preferred position, enjoying the challenge of centre back as it isn’t a natural position for Charlie. As a mostly a attacking minded player she has settled into the centre midfielder role for Gillingham, depending on how they line up Charlie can play in any position.

Gillingham are currently 7th in the Dorset County League, and with a semi-final in the Dorset County Cup, I asked Charlie how her season was going. “In my opinion we are having a disappointing season as we haven’t been consistent, we’ve managed to get some cracking results and then lost games that they shouldn’t have. However it’s all a learning curve and from where we (Gillingham) have come from a couple of years ago we have improved immensely. The plan for the rest of the season is to take each game as it comes and try and get the 3 points, the Dorset County League is a hugely competitive league and there isn’t an easy game.”

However Gillinghams form in the cup has been unbeatable so far, they beat Broadstone Ladies 6-1 in the first round, then beating current league leaders Dorchester 1-0 in the quarter final. They now face Sherborne Town Ladies (current Dorset County Cup holders) in the semi-final. Charlie played them twice last year in the league and knows what a tough side they are. The Dorset County Cup is very special to these local teams and we wish all the best to Charlie and the rest of Gillingham against Sherborne and for the second half of the league.

Greenline Journalism will be at the semi-final of the Dorset Cup between Sherborne Ladies and Gillingham so watch this space for photographs.