CAFC vs Raynes Park Vale – Match Report
A Michael Dada brace ensured that the Robins progressed through in the Surrey Senior Cup on Monday evening following a comfortable 2-0 victory over Raynes Park Vale.
As expected, manager Peter Adeniyi made a whole host of changes following Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Cray Wanderers. Mackenzie Foley returned between the sticks after a lengthy spell on the sidelines owing to an injury sustained against Canvey Island in October.
Aziz Sankoh and Luke Read made way for Sanchez Ming and Charlie Kennett at full-back. Paris Hamilton-Downes was preferred to Fikayo Atewologun at centre-back. While new signing Michael Dada and veteran Dom Vose replaced Kwaku Frimpong and Tommy Bradford in the midfield. Finally, Luke Cook spearheaded the Robins frontline, having recovered from a hamstring problem.
It was a lively start from Raynes Park, who controlled the early stages and piled the pressure on the Carshalton defence. Louie Donny had the first chance of the game, coming onto the ball and blazing it high over the bar on the half-volley just inside the penalty area after four minutes. The visitors made it difficult for the Reds to play out from the back, bringing about the turnover by forcing the hosts long. Frustration grew as Cook managed to get in behind the Vale backline, but the assistant flagged the forward offside. An audacious 35-yard long-range effort that had Foley momentarily worried capped off a sloppy opening ten minutes from the Robins.
That said, the Reds capitalised on a shift in momentum to peg back Raynes Park moments later. Some trickery from talisman Bryan Ifeanyi down the right channel saw the young winger manoeuvre himself to the byline before he pulled it back for Dada to turn in off the crossbar on the swivel.
Growing in confidence, Ifeanyi carried the ball into the attacking third, skipped past a couple of blue and red shirts, but dragged the strike across shot-stopper Harvey Keogh and wide of the post. On the 20-minute mark, Foley came rushing out of goal attempting to clear a lofted pass in behind; instead, he bundled over Hamilton-Downes. The ball fell kindly in the path of the Vale attacker, who lashed it towards the empty net; thankfully, Ming’s outstretched leg blocked it and spared the Robins No. 1’s blushes.
Following a 5-10 minute lull in the match where Carshalton were the side in the ascendancy, Vose whipped a touchline set piece across the face of goal that narrowly eluded the outstretched leg of the onrushing Cook. Adeniyi’s side continued to enjoy the majority of possession towards the latter stages of the half but were failing to create any chances of note as Ollie Hamstead constantly tried to unleash Ifeanyi down the left flank with a number of ambitious diagonals. The Robins complacency was almost punished five minutes from the break when Vale’s press enforced the error in a dangerous position in and around the penalty area, and Donny found himself denied one-on-one from a tight angle.
In a bid to inspire greater attacking intent from the Robins, Adeniyi introduced Kola Salami to proceedings at half-time with Goather-Braithewaite making way. Cook had the Reds first chance of the half in the 52nd minute, using his strength to hold off a couple of Vale defenders before a sharp turn allowed him to flash the ball straight down the goalkeeper’s throat. A few minutes later, Ifeanyi drove into a central position to let fly from 25 yards, failing to trouble Keogh.
On the hour mark, Carshalton forged a two-goal cushion in bizarre fashion. Keogh miscued the attempted clearance from a backpass, and it ricocheted off the onrushing Dada, who was then gifted an empty net to stab home and complete the brace.
Midway through, Cook came agonisingly close to netting on return as he was denied by Keogh’s outstretched leg and glanced a header inches wide of the far post from a Vose inswinging free kick. Foley was called into action a couple of times approaching the 70th minute, performing a routine diving save to his right before an excellent stop at close range.
With a quarter of an hour left in the match, Adeniyi substituted Dada for Fikayo Atewologun, moving Hamilton-Downes into the central midfield to set up more defensively and make sure that the Robins held on to their lead and did not let the Vale garner any momentum going into the dying embers. As the clock ticked down, the Robins continued pushing to extend their advantage, and Ifeanyi carried the ball upfield unchallenged before he unleashed a venomous strike towards Keogh on the edge of the penalty area that grazed the crossbar. There was a lovely moment on the stroke of full-time as Joshua Koroma from the Reds academy replaced Ifeanyi on the wing.
Adeniyi’s side held on for the win to not only progress through in the Surrey Senior Cup but also extend their unbeaten streak to eight games and end a three-match winless run. There will be hopes that the Robins can carry forward the momentum into the league when they take on Whitehawk FC on Saturday.
Up Next
Date: Saturday, December 7, 2024 (vs Whitehawk FC)
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
