CAFC Women vs Farnham Town – Match Preview
Carshalton Athletic Women take on league highfliers Farnham Town FC on Sunday away at the Memorial Ground.
Robins Review
After a strong start to the 2024-25 campaign with a comfortable 5-0 victory over Beecholme Belles in their historic Surrey Premier Division curtain raiser, as well as securing passage to the next round of the Women’s Isthmian Cup following a penalty shootout win against Guernsey, Carshalton suffered a first competitive defeat at the hands of a well drilled Dorking Wanderers Development side. Aaron Lamont’s side were desperate to make amends when we welcomed Croydon FC to Colston Avenue on Sunday, and the Robins sealed a hard-fought 2-2 draw. The ladies platformed tremendous spirit to fight back from being 2-1 behind at the break and had the majority of the chances in the second half, but had to settle for the point in the end.
Farnham Town FC
Farnham Town FC ran out 4-0 winners against Sutton United Reserves on Sunday to extend their unbeaten run even further. Despite the club sitting ninth in the Surrey Premier Division on nine points, they have a game in hand over league toppers Leatherhead, who currently boast maximum points.
Town announced the formation of their Women’s team around a similar time to the Robins in March. They would enter the National League System and FA Cup for the 2024-25 season and also hire “an accomplished management team” that would spend the summer building a competitive squad. In May, the club confirmed that Martin Wareham would be the Women’s First Team Manager, he boasted lots of experience both as a player and coach. Former Eversley & California and Guilford City player Luis Emanuel would join him as Assistant Manager, meanwhile, Reading and Wycombe Academy shot-stopper Jack Steele was named as the Goalkeeping coach. Farnham completed the quartet with a First Team Coach and Player Development Lead Ben Pack.
Early July saw an influx of six new signings, which included prolific AFC Stoneham forward Chloe Melton, recently installed captain Danielle Jones of Badshot Lea, and Jenna Morris formerly of Dorking and Badshot. Mid-way through the month, Wareham continued adding to his ever-growing and a few days later Town kickstarted their pre-season beating Step 4’s Maidenhead 4-2.
They then secured a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Portsmouth U23s at The Memorial Ground, leading for large portions of the second half. Larkspur were next up and Farnham ran out a whopping 7-2 winners, Melton grabbing herself a hattrick. Their free-scoring extravaganza carried on as they breezed past Brentford Women 9-0 in their final preparation match. Following that, the club’s first-ever competitive game beckoned, an FA Cup Third Qualifying Round tie against Farnborough FC. The ladies got their 2024-25 campaign off to a flier with an impressive 6-0 win, with Kaitlin Howard registering a hat trick. Unsurprisingly, Town went on to seal back-to-back 6-0 victories when they thumped Croydon FC in their historic Surrey Premier Division curtain-raiser in early September. Farnham would go on to maintain their 100% record in the league with a resounding 5-1 thumping of Epsom and Ewell. The FA Cup Second Qualifying Round beckoned, and Town faced off against Newhaven ladies, it was a first half brace from Emma Mutch which was the difference maker, finishing 2-1.
Likely line-ups
Carshalton Athletic
Solley, Nebbitt, Dady, Allen, Edwards, McCarthy, Measures, Throp, Bale, Williams, Gray
Farnham Town FC
Stait, Miller, Kinnane ©, Averill, Comerford, Theocharous, Thornton, O’Byrne, Howard, Melton, Mutch
Team News
Carshalton Athletic
Aaron Lamont has already demonstrated that he is not afraid to rotate his team, the squad boasts lots of strength and depth, which makes it difficult to predict who will start. Sarah Chapman could return from injury, while Ella Bale has returned to first-team proceedings fully.
Farnham Town FC
Deadly striker Chloe Melton did not feature in the 4-0 victory over Sutton United Reserves last week; however, it seems unlikely that she will not be included in the starting XI when the Robins visit Sunday.
Pre-Match Analysis
Farnham have scored a staggering 31 goals this season, which makes them the deadliest side that the Robins have faced to date. Not only that, but Town have conceded just seven times since their formation and kept two clean sheets in their first four competitive matches. Carshalton will have to expect to do a lot of resolute defending in this fixture; however, their quintessential high press could prove an effective way of getting the ball into dangerous areas.
Key Player
Since her summer arrival, Chloe Melton has proved her worth. A hattrick in the Larkspur pre-season friendly and netting in the FA Cup against Farnborough, where she should have had another hattrick for Town, as well as in the 5-1 win over Epsom and Ewell, has seen Melton emerge as one of Farnham’s main attacking threats.
The Gaffer
Martin Wareham has played semi-pro football as high as Step 3 and also comes into the role with experience coaching in the Women’s game, having been Assistant Manager / Head Coach of Badshot Lea Ladies, hence the influx of players from Wareham’s former club over the summer. Badshot applied their trade in the Southern Region Women’s Football League – Step 5 of the Women’s system.
Match Details
Date: Saturday, Sunday 6 October 2024
Venue: The Memorial Ground
Kickoff: TBC
Admission: Free Entry
