CAFC vs Kingstonian FC – Match Report
Carshalton Athletic confirmed their place in the semi-final of the Surrey Senior Cup following a 3-0 victory over Kingstonian FC at Colston Avenue on Monday evening.
Peter Adeniyi made several changes to his lineup after the dominant 6-1 victory over Bowers and Pitsea on Saturday. Mackenzie Foley returned in goal, while academy graduates Andre Stewart and Aaron Ackland occupied the right flank both defensively and offensively. Centre-back Dylan Pepe earned his first start, and Kola Salami was deployed on the wing following a brief loan spell at AFC Whyteleafe. Sanchez Ming and Nabeel Ghannam were the other changes to the starting XI. The bench featured three more youth team members—Josh Koroma, Lee Johnson, and Donte Augustus—joining David Smith and Bryan Ifeanyi as substitutes. The trio of Luke Read, Josh Shonibare, and Michael Dada were rested with Adeniyi casting an eye to the Reds pursuit of the play-offs in the Isthmian Premier.
There were a handful of corners in quick succession in the opening stages of the cup tie that saw the Robins threaten the Ks goal. However, it was Foley who was the first goalkeeper to be called into action when Junior Nkeng drifted inside off the left and fashioned the space to shoot; fortunately, the attacker did not get the intended connection, and the tame effort was straight down the Carshalton No. 1’s throat. After the Reds broke at pace through Stewart, and Saraiva drove a strike into the defender on the edge of the penalty area, Kingstonian won a free kick up the other end. Rocky Williams took responsibility but blazed it high over the bar. Ten minutes in, it had been a strong start to the game from both sides, yet the visitors would have been the happier of the teams approaching the quarter of an hour mark.
Moments later, Saraiva’s inswinging corner caused pinball to ensue in the penalty area. The ball was cleared but only as far as Stewart, whose swivelled strike sailed over the bar. That said, the Ks were causing problems on the counter-attack, and Nkeng, who was developing as the visitors main attacking threat, drove forward at pace. He threaded through Dan Rowe, whose side-footed shot was comfortably gathered before the assistant raised his flag for offside. On the 20-minute mark, Carshalton took the lead thanks to Aziz Sankoh.
A wonderful run from Ackland saw the ball cut back into the penalty area and eventually fall to Sankoh down the left channel, 20 yards out. The full-back manufactured the shooting opportunity by fashioning it onto his stronger left foot before flashing it to nestle in the far corner; the diving Liam Allen was helpless.
Growing in confidence, the Robins were beginning to move the ball well and enjoy the lion’s share of possession as the midpoint beckoned. A few minutes later, Tommy Bradford’s whipped delivery off a set piece picked out Saraiva at the far post, but his volleyed effort was the wrong side of the post. Entering the final third, the Ks were in the ascendancy, with Nkeng lashing the ball wide of Foley’s bottom left corner. The hosts were reduced to efforts from range, with Saunders-Henry sending a dipping shot goalbound that failed to test Allen. Towards the latter stages, Adeniyi’s side’s best chance since the goal fell the way of Salami. The returning Robin was sent clear away on goal and attempted to round Allen; however, the keeper managed to gather, and the referee indicated a free kick in favour of the visitors.
In the dying embers of the first 45, Kingstonian were putting the Reds under considerable attacking pressure, flirting with the prospect of a leveller on the stroke of half-time. Kyron Horsley-McKay and Dylan Pepe were trying to see out the remainder of the half, playing a number of passes between them to soak up the pressure. However, any time the Reds looked to go forward and penetrate the Ks backline, they struggled to maintain possession as the visitors forced the turnover. Two minutes of additional time were indicated, and Carshalton went into the break with a one-goal advantage, but Scott Harris would not have been displeased with his side’s performance.
Kingstonian started the second 45 strong. Nkeng battled his way through Ackland and squared it across the face of goal to Rowe, who applied the simplest of finishes, stabbing home into the empty net. However, the midfielder had the goal ruled out, having been adjudged offside by the assistant. In the 53rd minute, the Robins forged a two-goal cushion thanks to Saraiva. Stewart attacked right and saw his threatening delivery parried away but only as far as the No. 14, who fizzed a half-volleyed strike into the back of the net.
Galvanised by the second goal and the introduction of Ifeanyi, Carshalton were pushing to extend their advantage. Ifeanyi had the fullback twisting and turning before side-footing a dangerous cross into the arms of a diving Allen. Ghannam then whipped a delivery into the penalty area, and Bradford’s flicked header was straight down the keeper’s throat. On the hour mark, Salami’s smart turn and burst of pace deceived the Ks right back and saw the winger one-on-one with Allen from a tight angle on the byline. He managed to win the Reds a corner after his low-driven effort was denied by the shot-stopper’s legs.
Just after the 70th minute, Carshalton were comfortable. Kingstonian were allowing the Robins to play the game at their own pace, moving the ball under no real pressure. Saunders-Henry touched down just inside the Ks half and switched it diagonally to Ifeanyi on the opposite side, languishing in the penalty area. The winger beat the defender and powered it with some venom directly at Allen, who held on. Moments later, Salami had a flurry of chances. He squandered a golden opportunity following a poor attempted pullback to Ghannam in acres of space, and he also tried to angle a cute side-footed shot into Allen’s far corner one-on-one; instead, the visitors No. 1 made himself big to make the save.
Heading into the final third, Adeniyi’s side found themselves in a situation where all eleven men were behind the ball as the Ks probed their goal. That said, the lads remained resolute, soaking up the attacking pressure. It had been a strong outing from Horsley-McKay and Pepe, marshalling the Robins defence and frustrating the Kingstonian front three. With seven minutes until time, attention switched to maintaining Foley’s clean sheet. Not long after, there was a shift in momentum, and having survived a succession of shots and crosses, the visitors subsided. Saraiva rolled the corner short to Saunders-Henry, who found Bradford, and he laid it off to Ifeanyi. Darting into the penalty area, the winger breezed past several yellow shirts before he drove it low and hard underneath Allen to spark jubilation among the Robins Choir behind the goal.
The introduction of Johnson, Augustus, and Koroma in added time meant that all five academy starlets named in the Robins’ squad for the Surrey Senior Cup Quarter Final made it onto the pitch. This was a proud moment for Adeniyi and Aaron Lamont, the coaches behind Carshalton’s youth setup. Well done, lads – this is an achievement to be proud of!
Carshalton will take on National League South outfit Dorking Wanderers at Meadowbank in the Surrey Senior Cup semi-final, which is scheduled for 28 April at Meadowbank. Attention now turns back to the Isthmian Premier, and there will be hopes that the Robins can carry forward the momentum against Chatham on Saturday as they set their sights on play-offs.
Up Next
Date: Saturday, April 5, 2025
Venue: The Bauvill Stadium
Kick-off: 03:00 PM
Admission: £12 (Adult), £8 (Concession), £3 (Under 16) + £1.00 fee on the gate.
Tickets: Buy Tickets Here
