CAFC vs Leatherhead FC- Match Report
Carshalton Athletic were knocked out of the Velocity Cup in the fourth round on Monday evening following a 10-9 penalty shootout defeat.
Manager Peter Adeniyi made six changes from the side that ran out 3-0 winners over Bowers and Pitsea on Saturday. Mackenzie Foley returned between the sticks, Fabio Saraiva came into the midfield following suspension, academy products Michael Konan and Joshua Koroma enjoyed first starts at senior level, Sanchez Ming was deployed as a wide defender, and Luke Cook led the line.
Carshalton had the first chance of the match inside two minutes. Cook did well to retain possession down the left flank and teed up Konan to pull the ball back to Darnell Goather-Braithwaite, who was languishing unmarked centrally in the penalty area. The right-winger’s first-time side-footed effort was driven into the defender. Moments later, Leatherhead opened the scoring when Dontaye Whittaker cutely slipped through Deondre Date to slot home one-on-one past Foley, rooted to the spot. Pushing for an immediate response, the Robins were moving the ball well in the visitor’s final third; however, a loose Koroma pass saw Ian Selley’s side break at pace and threaten the Reds goal once more.
The Robins were enjoying the lion’s share of possession but struggled to break down the wall of blue in front of them. Former Tanner Fabio Saraiva tried to inspire the leveller himself, drifting inside and whipping the strike on the edge of the penalty straight down the goalkeeper’s throat.
They carried on probing, but there was not a great deal of penetration. The majority of the action continued to be in Leatherhead’s own half as they survived a barrage of deliveries into the box. Carshalton persisted with their tempered and patient build-up, failing to create any chances of note as the midway point beckoned.
Eventually, Adeniyi’s side received their just deserts a few minutes later when an instinctive finish from Cook on the swivel cancelled out the Tanners lead. The 22-year-old fired it low and hard from the edge of the area to Wheeler’s right, leaving the shot-stopper no chance. It was the striker’s first goal for the Reds since returning from injury; he has netted three times in the 2024-25 campaign.
With ten minutes until the break, Ming was causing a few problems whenever he attacked right and delivered towards the front three waiting in the box. Not long after, Konan’s burst of pace down the touchline got him ahead of the Leatherhead defender before he crossed venomously across the face of goal, but nobody in red was there to turn it into the net. Our lads were controlling possession; that said, the Tanners were alert to the slightest slip-up, nearly punishing us on a couple of occasions if it were not for some valiant defending from Fikayo Atewologun. On the stroke of halftime, Goather-Braithewaite’s delivery was diverted into the path of Konan by the boot of Cook; however, the young man squandered the opportunity, sending the strike sailing high over the bar.
There was more attacking intent on display from the Robins early in the second 45, but the Reds were lacking that killer pass in the final third. Ten minutes in, Ming’s lofted ball in behind saw Goather-Braithewaite give chase and successfully latch onto it before Wheeler managed to scramble clear.
On the hour mark, Tanners No. 10 Kane Fitzgerald forced a routine stop out of Foley from 20 yards out. Moments later, Goather-Braithwaite was sent clear away to attack down the right channel; he squared the ball across to Konan in acres of space; the winger controlled it but was wrestled off it by the defender before he could pull the trigger. Midway through the half, Saraiva issued a warning sign to his former side when he found the space to let fly from distance, striking narrowly over the bar.
Pushing to peg back Leatherhead, Adeniyi made a trio of substitutions approaching 75 minutes: Tommy Bradford, Mason Saunders-Henry, and Bryan Ifeanyi for youth prodigies Koroma and Konan, as well as Goather-Braithwaite. A few minutes later, Anuar Ceesay attacked right for the Tanners and cut inside to send a low-driven shot goalbound to sting the palms of Foley. With ten minutes until time, there had not been a decent save for either goalkeeper to make in the second half, and it seemed the tie was nailed on to go to penalties. Following a lengthy stoppage for an injury to Jamarie Brissett, which saw the attacker, unfortunately, have to be stretchered off, Cook kicked off the restart, carrying the ball down the right channel and powering towards the far corner; a diving Wheeler denied the striker.
Nine minutes of additional time was indicated, and the game suddenly burst into life. Ifeanyi squared the ball across to Cook, whose tame side-footed attempt was deflected to the wrong side of the post. From the resulting inswinging Vose corner, pinball ensued, and Read’s follow-up at the back post was cleared off the line.
There was only one way to separate the two sides: with penalties. It felt like the longest shootout ever, and the Tanners came out on top, progressing through in the Velocity Cup after a 10-9 spot-kick victory. Goalkeeper Sonny Wheeler converted the winner. The Robins return to Colston Avenue on Saturday to face off against fourth-placed Chatham Town in the Isthmian Premier Division.
Up Next
Date: Saturday, December 21, 2024
Venue: Colston Avenue
Kick-off: 03:00 PM
Admission: £11, £8, £5 (online prices) on the gate is a pound dearer.
Tickets: Buy online tickets here
