CAFC vs Whitehawk FC – Preview
Carshalton Athletic travel to TheTerraPura Ground to face off against Whitehawk FC in the Isthmian Premier Division on Saturday.
Robins Review
A dramatic last-minute winner from Mason Saunders-Henry handed the Robins a 2-1 victory over Cray Wanderers in the Isthmian Premier Division on Saturday. Peter Adeniyi’s side now sit just outside the play-off spots in sixth place with 58 points, level with Chichester City. They have reduced the gap to Dover Athletic to just two points, although the former National League South club still holds a game in hand.
Whitehawk
Whitehawk currently find themselves in the bottom half of the Isthmian Premier Division, sitting 17th with 40 points from 34 games—the maximum number of matches played so far. The 2024-25 season has proven challenging for the Hawks, who struggled at the outset, failing to win any of their first three games. Although they broke that poor run with a 2-1 victory over struggling Bowers & Pitsea, a disappointing sequence of losses to Lewes and Hendon, the latter in the FA Cup First Qualifying Round, brought an underwhelming end to August.
September, however, brought a glimmer of hope as the Hawks strung together back-to-back 2-0 wins over Cray Valley PM and Potters Bar Town, briefly lifting the spirits around the club. Unfortunately, their momentum was halted by a 2-1 defeat to the Scholars in the FA Trophy, though they regained their footing by progressing to the Sussex Cup Third Round with a 2-1 win over Broadbridge Heath. The tide turned again in mid-October as Whitehawk endured a miserable run of form. Across their next six Isthmian Premier games, they failed to score and conceded a staggering 11 goals, including two goalless draws. This dismal stretch included a crushing 5-0 loss to Sussex rivals Horsham. The Hawks finally managed to secure a victory, but it came in the cup, with a 1-0 win over Haywards Heath Town—putting an end to an eight-match winless streak in all competitions.
After suffering a crushing 8-0 aggregate defeat to Chatham (5-0) and Hendon (3-0), Whitehawk managed to turn things around with a vital 1-0 victory over Folkestone Invicta at the end of November, ensuring their 10-match winless streak in the league didn’t stretch any further. As the festive period approached, the Hawks were involved in a thrilling five-goal encounter with Bognor Regis Town, emerging victorious 3-2. This was followed by back-to-back hard-fought draws against tough opponents Chichester City and Hashtag United. Entering Christmas with growing confidence, the Hawks continued their positive momentum by defeating Dulwich Hamlet 2-1, extending their unbeaten run to four games. However, their resilience was tested in the new year, as they were handed a heavy 4-0 defeat by Dartford, bringing a disappointing end to their recent good form.
The club quickly put the heavy defeat behind them, and after a dramatic late equalizer earned them a 2-2 draw against the Robins, the Hawks embarked on another strong run of form. They delivered a dominant 4-1 victory over Cheshunt, followed by a solid 2-0 win against Cray Wanderers, further boosting their confidence. February got off to a tough start for the club, with back-to-back losses, though both matches were closely contested affairs. Potters Bar Town edged a narrow 3-2 victory, while Horsham, arguably the most in-form team in the Isthmian Premier, triumphed by a slim 2-1 margin.
After a disappointing 2-2 draw with Hendon, where they likely felt they should have claimed all three points, the Hawks bounced back with statement victories over then-league leaders Dover Athletic (2-0) and a dominant 4-0 win against Canvey Island. However, their momentum was short-lived, as they subsequently suffered defeats to Wingate & Finchley (3-1) and Chatham Town (2-0). Over the last ten games, Whitehawk have shown promising form, sitting 10th with five wins and a draw, earning 16 points. It’s hard not to wonder: what if the Hawks hadn’t endured such a difficult start to the season? With a stronger beginning, they could have easily found themselves in or around the middle to top half of the table.
Manager Shaun Saunders reflected on the club being nine points clear of relegation despite the two recent results, insisting that the Hawks are “only a couple of wins away from safety”.
Likely line-ups
Carshalton Athletic
Watkins, Shonibare, Atewologun, Read, Hamilton-Downes, Saraiva, Dada, Frimpong, Ifeanyi, Babajide, Smith
Whitehawk
Osaghee, Wright, Johnson, Mensah, Okonkwo, Watson, Clark, Maguire-Drew, Kayani, Walker, Bridle
Team news
Carshalton Athletic
The club can confirm that goalkeeper Aaron Watkins has joined us on loan from Marlow FC for the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign. Watkins made his first start for the Robins between the sticks in Saturday’s slender 2-1 victory over Cray Wanderers at Colston Avenue.
Whitehawk
Hugo Atkinson joined Shaun Saunders’ red and white army last week, bolstering the squad for the remainder of the season. The former Ebbsfleet defender adds much-needed depth to the Hawks’ backline. However, the club were dealt a blow with the recent injuries of forward Rob O’Toole and central midfielder Andrew Briggs, a loss that Saunders feels significantly impacted the team’s core in their 4-1 defeat to Chatham Town. Adding to the Hawks’ woes, talisman and local hero Oscar Borg remains sidelined with a long-term injury.
Pre-Match Analysis
Before the Wingate & Finchley match, the club was in fine form, having scored six goals without conceding in their previous two games. However, in the following two matches, the Hawks’ fortunes took a downturn, as they conceded five goals while managing to score just once. As a result, the Sussex-based side currently sits 16th for goals conceded in the 2024-25 season, with 58 goals against, and 18th for goals scored, having found the net just 42 times.
Key Player
Harry Bridle joined the Hawks on a work experience loan from League Two side Gillingham in December 2024. Since then, the forward has made an immediate impact, scoring 10 goals in just six appearances, including a stunning hat-trick in the 4-0 victory over Canvey Island.
The Gaffer
Shaun Saunders made a return to Whitehawk succeeding Dave Altendorff in November, just months after leaving the Sussex-based club in May due to personal reasons and a request to be released from his contract. Saunders is widely regarded as one of the most successful managers in the club’s history, having guided the Hawks to a commendable ninth-place finish in their first season back in the Isthmian Premier League last year. He also played a key role in securing their promotion from the Isthmian League South East Division in the 2022-23 season.
Match Details
Date: Saturday, March 22, 2025
Venue: TerraPura Ground
Kick-off: 03:00 PM
Admission: £13 (Adult), £8 (Concession), £5 (13-18)
Tickets: Buy Tickets Here
