CAFC vs Billericay Town – Preview
Carshalton Athletic travel to the New Lodge ground to take on promotion hopefuls Billericay Town in the Isthmian Premier Division on Saturday.
Robins Review
Carshalton Athletic stunned Billericay Town in mid-November when the Robins inflicted the Blues first defeat of the 2024-25 campaign following a last-gasp screamer from midfielder Fabio Saraiva. The Reds headed into halftime 3-1 down; however, an impressive second-half attacking display saw the hosts come back from behind to edge their opponents in dramatic fashion. Fast forward three months and Carshalton find themselves languishing just outside the play-off places in sixth place on 51 points. The gap between Peter Adeniyi’s side and potential promotion has been reduced to single figures after a seven-match winning streak recently capped off by a hard-fought 1-0 win over tough-to-breakdown Potters Bar Town. There will be hopes the lads can continue the momentum into Saturday.
Billericay Town
Billericay Town are currently locked in a fierce battle at the top of the Isthmian Premier Division, sitting second with 60 points from 30 matches. It’s a tight race, with Ricay just one point behind league leaders Dover Athletic, while in-form Horsham Town are hot on their heels, also just one point adrift in third.
The Blues made an impressive start to the 2024-25 season, going 13 matches unbeaten in the league, including standout victories over Folkestone Invicta (3-0) and Dartford (4-0). However, there were a series of six draws, four of which ended 1-1, which would become a recurring theme throughout their campaign. Their only defeats during this run came in cup competitions—a 2-1 loss to Bowers & Pitsea in the FA Cup First Qualifying Round and a dramatic 6-5 penalty defeat to Chertsey Town in the FA Trophy.
Their first league defeat came at the hands of Robins in a seven-goal thriller that concluded 4-3 in favour of Peter Adeniyi’s side. But the Blues quickly recovered, bouncing back to avenge that FA Cup loss a few months earlier with a 2-1 victory over Bowers & Pitsea. Despite a brief setback when Chichester City handed them a 3-1 defeat, Billericay then went on a nine-match unbeaten run, which included crucial wins over promotion contenders Horsham (2-1) and Dover (1-0), boosting their push for promotion. They also made progress in the Velocity Cup, reaching the quarterfinals with victory over Cheshunt.
January saw a setback with a 2-1 loss to Horsham, but the Blues have since regained form, winning three of their last four league matches, including important wins over Dulwich, Cray Valley PM, a massive result, and Bognor Regis Town. The club also overcame Sheppey United 1-0 in the Velocity Cup Quarter Final. Their only recent defeat in recent weeks came at the hands of Dartford, who triumphed 4-0. With 12 points from their last six games, Billericay are in fifth place on the form guide, showing they are more than capable of challenging for promotion in the second half of the season and could even be favourites to lift the trophy.
Blues faithful will always remember the historic 2017-18 season where Billericay lifted the Bostik Premier trophy to seal promotion to the National League South. Ricay also triumphed in the Essex Senior Cup, overcoming Chelmsford in the final, and the Velocity Sport UK Cup Final after beating Met Police. The last time the club had won three competitions in one campaign was 1977-78.
The NLS newcomers impressed in their maiden season, finishing eighth, one outside Wealdstone in the play-off places. However, following two years of COVID, the Blues were relegated from step two in 2021-22. Eyeing an immediate return, consolidating themselves slightly above mid-table in the top half of the Isthmian Premier 2022-23, 10th, was disappointing. That being said, there was a vast improvement in the next campaign; Billericay clinched sixth position, which meant they narrowly missed out on the playoffs, the last spot of which was taken by fifth-place Horsham.
Likely line-ups
Carshalton Athletic
Foley, Sankoh, Atewologun, Read, Paul-Lavaly, Saraiva, Frimpong, Saunders-Henry, Ifeanyi, Smith, Ghannam
Billericay Town
Donkin, Panton, Davis, Williams, McKenzie, Sheriff, Miller-Rodney, Paxman, Steward, Akinwande, Emmanuel
Team news
Carshalton Athletic
Luke Read and Paris Hamilton-Downes returned to first-team proceedings in the 1-0 victory over Potters Bar Town on Friday evening. However, Bryan Ifeanyi and Tommy Bradford were absent, the former owing to injury.
Billericay Town
A combination of flu and injuries left Ricay with just ten players training in the lead-up to their match against Bognor Regis Town. Thankfully, manager Gary McCann didn’t have to rely on a depleted bench, which was bolstered by only three Blues personnel. The club was stretched thin in managing the team, with illness and injuries taking a toll. However, McCann has strengthened his squad in recent weeks, bringing in Elliot Long and familiar face Bradley Williams on loan from Welling United and Chelmsford City, respectively. Meanwhile, Ansu Janneh has rejoined Hastings United to gain more match time, Bobby Kelman has moved to Concord Rangers on a temporary transfer, Arj Krasniqi was recalled by parent club Maidstone United, Todd Miller’s loan from Wealdstone ended, and Ade Azeez has joined Sittingbourne on a one-month loan.
Pre-match Analysis
Billericay’s outstanding defensive record has been the foundation of their success in the 2024-25 season, with the Blues boasting the best defensive stats in the Isthmian Premier. Having conceded just 26 goals—five fewer than second-place Dover Athletic—Billericay’s defence has been a key strength. A major factor in this has been the exceptional form of goalkeeper Donkin, who has played a pivotal role in securing an impressive 12 clean sheets.
Key Player
Bradley Williams will be a familiar name to Robins fans, having started his career with the Reds before becoming a key figure in a successful spell at Colston Avenue. The 23-year-old was a regular starter, captaining the side on several occasions and amassing over 130 appearances in South West London. Williams’ versatility made him an invaluable asset to both Peter Adeniyi and Steve McKimm, particularly the latter, as he excelled in both defence and midfield. In his final season, he netted 16 goals, showcasing his all-round contribution. His impressive performances earned him a move to National League South side Chelmsford City in the summer, following a trial at Sutton United under Steve Morrison, where he featured in a pre-season match against Brentford B. So far this season, Williams has made 23 appearances in the NLS, and got two goals in two games for the Blues.
The Gaffer
Before Billericay, Gary McCann’s most recent spell was as manager of NLS side Hampton & Richmond Borough, where he spent four years in charge and led them to a number of FA Cup first-round ties. McCann was most notably at the helm of Hendon for 13 years; he was a mainstay in north London. He came agonisingly close to a playoff place in the 2019/20 season in the NLS but was frustratingly denied on a points-per-game basis, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Match Details
Date:Â Saturday, February 22, 2025
Venue:Â New Lodge, CM12 9SA
Kick-off:Â 03:00 PM
Admission: £13 (Adults), £8 (Concessions), £5 (Young Adult—12 to 17), £1 (11 or under)
Tickets:Â Buy Tickets Here
