CAFC Women 3-0 Croydon – Report
Three is the Magic Number
Carshalton secured a 3-0 victory over AFC Croydon Athletic following an awe-inspiring first-half performance today.
Our ladies were 3-0 up inside 25 minutes this afternoon, ensuring the game was done and dusted. Croydon were the better team for large parts of the second 45; however, they had given themselves too much of a mountain to climb.
It is three wins on the bounce for Aaron Lamont’s side with ten goals scored in the same number.
In the opening stages, Croydon seemed to pose more of an attacking threat than our ladies have become accustomed to in recent matches; however, once Lamont’s quintessential high press began to bear fruit, most of the chances fell the way of Carshalton. The first opportunity came three minutes in, Georgie Edwards’ lofted pass in behind was allowed to make its way into the box before it was cleared only as far as Emily McCarthy arriving on the edge of the penalty area, who shot wide.
With the Robins’s intense press in full effect, AFC were forced into sloppy mistakes as they attempted to play out from the back. Edwards tried her luck from range and then drove an effort against the defender moments later for a corner.
It was not long before the Reds took the lead inside ten minutes. Following her stunner in the 5-0 thumping of Three Bridges on Wednesday, Demi Allen whipped in a marvellous out-swinging corner that was begging to be converted, obliging Edwards rose and nodded it into the keeper, who denied the captain, yet her alertness rewarded her a second chance and Edwards scored the rebound to open the scoring.
There were some warning signs from the visitors however when a quick throw teed up nine to strike from the left of the penalty area and into the side netting, as well as Tanya Dady having to clear a goal-bound header off the line.
Shakara Brown was called into action just before the 20-minute mark, denying number 12 from a one-on-one after diving to her right to parry.
At the other end of the pitch, an attacking move from left to right found Honey Rose-Dulley in space on the opposite side of the box and she drove low and hard across the goal, but nobody in red was there to tap it into the net.
Carshalton forged a two-goal cushion when rather unexpectedly winger Kenza Gueriani was at hand to get the slightest of touches on a corner delivery that was swung into the danger area.
Capitalising on the momentum gained from the two-goal cushion, Lamont’s side extended their advantage almost immediately thanks to some Sarah Chapman brilliance. Receiving the ball with her back to the AFC goal, Chapman, on the half turn, lashed a dipping half-volley towards the far corner and despite the goalkeeper getting a hand to it, she was beaten by the power.
Hungry to add to her tally, Chappers latched onto a defence-splitting pass in behind, deceiving the two defenders with some good footwork, she tried to manoeuvre towards a better angle to let fly, but she could not get the shot away.
During the final third of the half, AFC’s number 17 was slipped through and seemed certain to level; however, Brown was a match for it. Honourable mention to full-back Demi Allen who staved off Croydon’s right winger on multiple occasions throughout the first 45 minutes, platforming her good recovery speed and tackling ability.
Heading into the break, it was another very impressive display from our ladies.
However, AFC emerged a different side second half, eager to get bodies forward and take the game to Carshalton, and subsequently for the first time in a couple of matches, the Robins would have their defensive resolve tested at Colston.
As the half progressed, their bravery and desire to attack with more vigour was gradually paying off, turning the tables and creating a lot of chances. Number 19 rattled the bar for the visitors following an out-swinging corner, managing to get above her marker and connect with power. It was quickly followed by a goal line scramble, where nobody in yellow could apply the finishing touch.
Lamont’s side caught the opposition out on the counter-attack several times largely thanks to the tenacity and pace of Chapman. The forward attempted to round the keeper, but she safely gathered, returning to be denied once again, not long after.
After that, a bit of complacency crept in, which enabled the visitors to enjoy 10-15 minutes of sustained pressure, and it panned out a more open affair.
In the closing stages, Edwards received the ball on the swivel, spotted the run of Chapman left, threaded her through, and she lifted it over the goalkeeper, but the defender read the situation and diverted it around the post before it could trickle into the net.
There were penalty appeals when India Cox, who was introduced to proceedings just after the break, cut inside and was brought down, it was waved away, and the follow-up was saved by the legs of the goalkeeper.
Carshalton saw the game out and made it three wins on the bounce, having scored a huge ten goals over that period. With the season beginning on September 8th, Lamont will have hopes of carrying the momentum garnered over the last few matches into the next fixture.
Goals: Edwards, Gueriani, Chapman
