CAFC vs Hadley FC - Match Report -

CAFC vs Hadley FC – Match Report

Carshalton Athletic exit the FA Trophy after suffering a 3-1 defeat to Step 4 Hadley FC away at Brickfield Lane Saturday afternoon.

The Southern Football League Division One Central side deservedly extended their unbeaten run to 12 games and while impressive, the Robins can be criticised for surmising the old cliché of expecting to win rather than playing to win.

For our first and unfortunately last Trophy tie of the 2024-25 campaign, Peter Adeniyi named an unchanged team from the side that beat Hashtag United 1-0 Tuesday evening at Parkside. Good news for Robins supporters, Centre-back Fikayo Atewologun and centre-forward Tom Stagg returned to the squad following injury.

It was a slow start to proceedings from the Robins with Hadley controlling possession and setting the tempo almost immediately. Patient build-up play in the final third enabled the Bricks to work the ball into our box several times in the opening five minutes. Full-back Caolilah McGettigan carried it into the Reds penalty area unchallenged, but fortunately, the attack fizzled out with a whimper. Not long after, on the opposite side, Callum Ismail was able to receive it completely unmarked, yet good defending saw it trickle out for a Mackenzie Foley goal kick. A few minutes later, Carshalton showed improvement, moving the ball nicely and probing the host’s backline, with Darnell Goather-Braithwaite’s delivery into the box, which was cleared for a corner, the only real highlight. Unsurprisingly, Hadley took a deserved lead in the 12th minute after Foley’s goal kick was intercepted and Bricks forward Aldridge was sent clear away to slot the ball calmly into the far corner.

The opener proceeded with some controversial moments involving centre-back Ollie Hamstead. On the 20-minute mark, Hamstead did well to disrupt Stones’s progress through on goal; however, Bricks faithful were furious and demanded the 22-year-old, who also happened to be the last man, receive a red card. Hadley then had their penalty appeals waved away when the former Burgess Hill defender had apparently pulled the shirt of Aldridge, which in turn was claimed to have impeded him from latching onto the ball in the penalty area. Entering the final third of the half, Tommy Bradford’s set piece was scrambled away but only as far as Bryan Ifeanyi whose follow-up was deflected past the post for a corner.

Carshalton Athletic vs Hadley FC 05-10-2024 FA TROPHY, Isthmian League, At Brickfield Lane. Barnet

Even though the Robins were starting to threaten, Hadley went up the other end of the pitch and took the lead. Left-back McGettigan had been causing a lot of problems and good footwork allowed him to make his way into the penalty area and square the ball across to the in-form Isaac Stones for a simple tap in from close range. Stones now boasts 13 goals in 2024-25. Despite having forged a two-goal cushion, the Bricks were keen to find a third and Foley had to deny Stones one-on-one, on the stroke of halftime to make sure Carshalton’s tough task did not get any tougher. The Robins signed off for the break with a speculative strike from right-back Luke Read, which sailed well over the bar.

Adeniyi made changes at half-time in a bid to freshen things up, and Kennett and Stagg took to the pitch. Although, before the duo could even touch the ball Hadley had made it three immediately after the referee blew his whistle to get the second half underway.A long ball over the top saw Aldridge give chase, battling Paris Hamilton-Downes who was trying to shield the ball for Foley to come out and claim; however, the forward managed to get a toe to it and smartly poke it over the onrushing Foley. Frustrated, Adeniyi then hooked Dominic Vose for Tom Jackson, the Manager desperate to garner some semblance to the team that drew against Lewes and Dover as well as beat Hashtag. Steve Gody and Sanchez Ming’s introduction meant the Robins had utilised all five of the substitutes they are permitted.

Having survived wave after wave of attack in the early stages of the half, the five fresh legs induced an improvement in the performance. That said, Foley’s alertness was required, quickly off his line to gather and prevent an almost certain fourth for Hadley on the hour mark. Kennett, meanwhile, had been the brightest spark since taking to the pitch and finely announced himself by displaying tremendous recovery pace over 15-20 yards to execute a superb sliding challenge and steal the ball from Ismail on the edge of the penalty area. Following that, the full-back was then contributing offensively, winning the Robins a penalty after weaving in and out of several defenders and being caught on the way through. He had single-handedly gifted the Reds a much-needed avenue back into the match.

The experienced Fabio Saraiva stepped up to the spot-kick and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way, calmly side-footing the ball into the far corner to inspire hopes of a comeback. Saraiva, carrying on from his penalty heroics, was then helping out at the opposite end of the pitch. The 30-year-old cleaned up at the back to make sure Stones could not be sent clear away while blocking the striker’s goal-bound strike moments later. Ten minutes from time, Gody drifted inside from the left but dragged a powerful effort narrowly wide of the post, while Ming’s volleyed right flank delivery was spilt by the goalkeeper and came agonisingly close to falling to Gody to stab into the empty net. In the dying embers of the game, Kennett controlled well on the right-hand side of the penalty area and attempted to cut back onto his left for the shot; however, he instead went to ground and despite his protests, the referee booked him for simulation. It was a case of too little too late for Carshalton and they failed to overturn the two-goal deficit which confirmed their 3-1 loss and exit from the FA Trophy.

Except for the five substitutes, in particular the outstanding Kennett, Adeniyi said that the remaining eleven members of the travelling squad had let themselves, the supporters, and the club down, while also taking accountability himself. So far in the 2024-25 season, the scorelines have not necessarily reflected the excellent performances against often tough opponents, but Saturday was the first of the campaign which was poor, and it was largely down to the effort and attitude of the personnel.