CAFC vs Beecholme Belles – Preview
Carshalton Athletics Women’s First Team take on Beecholme Belles in the historic Surrey Premier Division curtain raiser for the Robins on Sunday afternoon.
Robins Review
It has been a long wait for Robins faithful to see a Women’s side take to the pitch once again, but on Sunday the wait is over as Aaron Lamont’s team face off against Beecholme Belles in their much-anticipated Surrey Premier Division opener.
Preparations have been laid since April with Lamont building an entirely new-look squad from scratch. Trials were held, staff and players recruited, and a league eventually secured after an arduous process.
Eight friendly matches have ensued, beginning all the way back in early July, with five wins bagged, a phenomenal 28 netted along the way, and a current three-match unbeaten run where we are yet to concede.
Lamont has constructed a healthy blend of youth and experience with hopes of getting us off to the perfect start on Sunday. C’mon you Robins!
Beecholme Belles
Beecholme Belles secured a comfortable sixth-place finish in their maiden campaign in the Surrey Premier Division last season.
After a strong start to 2023-24, having registered three wins on the bounce and netting 12 times, which included a nine-goal thriller with Woking mid-September, the Belles fell to a humbling 9-0 defeat to eventual runaway champions Leatherhead later that month.
A 4-1 victory over Richmond Park in early October proved a false dawn and a seven-match winless run ensued for the Banstead-based outfit where they conceded 24 and managed just three goals.
Fast forward to February and the Belles returned to winning ways, edging Croydon 2-1. Thriving off final day favour, Beecholme capped off the campaign in fine fashion, beating Crawley AFC reserves 3-1.
Having garnered 21 points, they were well-safe of Milford & Witley Ladies 12 behind in the drop zone.
Established in 2000 by Gary Tuhill and Ray Watson, the Belles are recognised as Surrey’s first all-female club and they have since worked hard to create a development pathway for the girls into the first team and, more importantly, a safe, friendly, and supportive environment.
Seemingly spending the first 18 years of its existence youth-orientated, Beecholme enjoyed lots of success throughout the age groups.
What’s more, when the club was awarded a grant from Surrey FA and a second from the Football Foundation in 2014, together with the support from parents and the hard work of the voluntary committee, the Belles grew to nine teams from under-8’s (U-8’s) to U-18’s.
Things did not stop there, they boasted a full development squad and even a waiting list at the start of the 2016-17 campaign, as well as two U-18 teams.
Surrey FA came to their aid once again in Spring 2018, offering an SSE Wildcats Centre to give more local girls the opportunity to enjoy sport. It was a triumph, 50 girls signed up, bringing three new coaches into the club.
With the solid foundations of their development pathway, it was now time to give the girls something to aspire to and that year some mums in the U-18s decided the time was nye to form a team to participate in the FA Recreational Festival.
Before long, they were competing in the newly formed Southern County FA Flexible League.
The reintroduction of Women’s football in Surrey following the County FA’s creation of its own league for the 2021-22 season, the Belles joined having come off the back of two strong campaigns in recreational football. A fourth-placed finish followed.
Beecholme then took it up a notch for the 2022-23 season, entering a team to compete in the Surrey Counties Flexi ‘Super League – South’, finishing fourth, and an eleven-a-side team in the South East Counties Women’s Football League, which they won.
Their dominance that year was best surmised by the fact that the league’s top eleven goal scorers were Belles players: Hannah Bowles and Dion Newton first and second respectively, contributing to the impressive goal difference of 71.
A staggering 12 players in the 2022-23 squad had played at Beecholme as girls. This is testament to the Belles conveyor belt approach, providing a plethora of home-grown talent to ascend through the age groups until they are judged ready for the first team.
Given their infancy in Women’s senior football, six years, Beecholme’s successful development pathway will likely bear fruit in the coming years.
They were therefore promoted to the Surrey Premier Division for the following campaign and as mentioned above finished sixth. Furthering the point on development pathways, three youth players made their senior debuts in the win on the final day.
There was a change in the dugout over the summer, Ross Pizzey, formerly of Crawley AFC, joined the Beeles in June for the upcoming season.
Just two pre-season friendly matches are on record, a 5-0 loss to Horsham and an unknown scoreline against Petts Wood.
Likely lineups
Carshalton Athletic
Brown, Davies, Dady, Allen, Edwards, Olley, McCarthy, Tilly, Bale, Chapman, Rose-Dulley
Beecholme Belles
Bowles, Coyle, Mair, Mallows, Patel, Pinchbeck, Potkins, Raishbrook, Spooner, Stratten, Tremayne
Team News
Both teams are expected to have fully fit squads at their disposal.
Pre-Match Analysis
With their heavy emphasis on creating a pathway between the first team and academy sides, the Belles are a very young team and subsequently hungry for success.
Their 27 goals were only better than the two relegated sides, while their -21 goal difference disappointed.
That being said, it is important not to underestimate a side that have gone from strength to strength over the last few years.
Key Players
Attackers Amy Potkins and Hannah Bowles are ones to watch for the Beecholme Belles, contributing 48% of their goals last season, having netted 13 between them.
Picking up a combined three Player of the Match Awards, the latter started one more (13) than the former.
The Gaffer
Ross Pizzey has been appointed first team manager for the 2024-25 season.
Formerly of Crawley AFC, Pizzey secured the Reserves a fourth-place finish and Cup semi-final, while supporting the Development team to win the league.
He also has experience coaching at Eastbourne Town Ladies and Lewes Ladies over the past eight years.
Ross said on arrival (June 6th2024): “I’m looking forward to working with Lorraine and Chele over the next few weeks and getting to know existing players before kickstarting pre-season. I know from matches last season, this is a very talented group of players, and I can’t wait to start working with everyone to improve on last season’s SECWFL Premier Division 6th place.”
Match Details
Date: Sunday, 8 September 2024
Venue: Colston Avenue
Kickoff: 02:30 PM
Admission: Free
