CAFC vs Hendon FC – Match Report
A first goal in Red for Bromley loanee Soul Kader sparked an emphatic 3-0 victory over Hendon FC in the Isthmian Premier Division at Silver Jubilee Park on Saturday to ensure Carshalton ended their five-match winless streak and returned to winning ways.
There were two changes to the Robins starting XI following the 2-2 draw with Whitehawk on Monday evening. Fabio Saraiva filled in at centre-back for the injured Luke Read, while Kwaku Frimpong came in for Joshua Shonibare, partnering Tommy Bradford at the base of the midfield, with Mason Saunders-Henry just in front of them.
It was an end-to-end start to the match; there were early shouts for a Hendon penalty when Stefan Ilic latched onto a lofted pass in behind and was brought down on the byline following a Fikayo Atewologun challenge; the referee waved away the Dons appeals for a spot kick. Up the other end, Bryan Ifeanyi drifted inside and saw his lashed effort angling towards the far corner blocked
before David Smith was squared the ball moments later only to drag the resulting strike the wrong side of the post from close range. The hosts then broke at pace, and the ball was pulled back for Lonit Talla to drive straight down the throat of Foley from the edge of the penalty area. A few minutes later, Kofi Anokye-Boadi attacked left and made his way into the box; however, he failed to test the Robins shot-stopper. Carshalton continued to move the ball well and probe the home side, but they were struggling to manufacture any shooting opportunities. That said, it was certainly a very entertaining opening 15 minutes.
After a brief pause to proceedings, so Foley could receive some treatment, Ifeanyi’s threatening whipped delivery to the far post almost crept in and had Roraigh Browne scrambling to parry it away. Fabio Saraiva’s inswinging corner followed and had to be tipped to the bar by the Greens keeper.
Mid-way through, the Reds were in the ascendancy and enjoying the lion’s share of possession. Nabeel Ghannam found Paul-Lavaly, who carried the ball down the right flank and crossed to Smith, glancing over the bar. Following wave after wave of Carshalton attacks, the tables turned. Saraiva was beaten for pace down the touchline, and the delivery into the penalty area saw the hosts rattle the bar from a header on the six-yard box before striking narrowly wide on the follow-up.
Into the final third of the half, it was difficult to predict which of the two sides would draw first blood; a well-worked corner routine allowed Bradford the space to shoot low and hard from a tight angle, forcing Browne into a save at his near post. With nine minutes until the break, Smith did superbly to reach the chipped ball over the top and tee himself up for a volley one-on-one with Browne that rattled the bar; pinball ensued before Bradford received the ball under pressure a few yards out and flashed an effort goalbound that was cleared off the line. On the stroke of half-time, Foley got down extremely well to push behind an Anokye-Boadi volley from just inside the penalty area. The resulting corner actually went in directly from the corner; however, the ref blew up for a foul on Foley.
The first chance of the second 45 fell the way of the hosts; the touchline set piece saw Foley attempt to punch clear; instead, he did not get the intended connection, and pinball ensued before Carshalton were saved by the assistant’s flag after denying a Hendon effort on the line. It carried on being an end-to-end affair, and Tella’s whipped cross to the back post was met by the head of Busari, who sent the ball sailing over the bar.
On the hour mark, the Reds took the lead thanks to substitute Soul Kader. Some Ifeanyi trickery down the right flank enabled the winger space to arrow the cross into the penalty area for Kader to apply the finish close-range with his head. It was the Bromley loanee’s first goal for the Reds.
Pushing for a leveller, the Greens put the Reds under increasing pressure; however, some excellent defending from Saraiva ensured that Foley was not called into action during the sustained attacks. Carshalton came agonisingly close to forging a two-goal cushion in the 70th minute. Ifeanyi managed to stab the ball across to Kader, languishing in acres of space just inside the penalty area, who controlled to work it onto his stronger right and finessed into the defender. Bradford followed up, but he was also denied, the ricochet coming close to falling kindly to the feet of Smith waiting at the opposite post.
With ten minutes until full-time, Ifeanyi attacked right and delivered towards Smith to touch down in the penalty area. Retaining possession under intense pressure, he worked the ball to the edge of box before manoeuvring left and sending a sweetly struck, swivelled effort powering beyond Browne. What a goal!
That is nine goals for Smith in the 2024-25 campaign. A few minutes later, Carshalton found themselves three goals for the good when a low-driven Ifeanyi delivery was turned in at the front post by the boot of the onrushing Bradford, nestling it cutely into the far corner across Browne to spark jubilation among the Robins faithful behind the goal. Interestingly enough, all three goals came when Bryan Ifeanyi switched to the right flank, perhaps Adeniyi has cracked the magic formula?
The win not only ended the Reds five-match winless run, but it also secured a much-needed clean sheet. The result moves the Robins up to 11th place on 36 points, two behind Folkestone, Cray Wanderers, and Chatham Town, respectively. Carshalton will have hopes that they can carry forward the momentum into the Surrey Senior Cup tie away at Abbey Rangers on Tuesday evening.
Up Next
Date: Tuesday, January 21, 2025
Venue: The Addlestone Moor
Kickoff: 07:45 PM
Admission: Admission: £12 (adults), £8 (concessions), £1 (Students and Under 18’s)
Tickets: Buy Online Tickets Here
