CAFC Women vs Beecholme Belles

CAFC Women vs Beecholme Belles – Match Report

Carshalton Athletic ran out comfortable 4-1 winners away at Beecholme Belles on Sunday afternoon in the Surrey Premier Division thanks to a brace from forward Sarah Chapman.

From the get-go, Carshalton unleashed Aaron Lamont’s quintessential high press, eager to force the turnover in the final third. The first chance of the match came inside the first minute for the Robins, Honey Dulley threaded through Heather Eade down the right channel, but her shot was blocked following an excellent sliding challenge. Moments later, the attacking duo combined again, Eade did well to keep the ball in play and capped it off with a well-cushioned lofted pass into the path of Dulley languishing centrally in the penalty area, the subsequent stabbed effort was tame.

Carshalton’s attacking pressure received its just deserts when Lamont’s side took the lead in the sixth minute. Eade drifted inside off the right flank and laid off Dulley to send the young winger clear away to then fire into the roof of the net.

Before long, it was two goals in quick succession thanks to Sarah Chapman. Chappers lashed an audacious long-range strike beyond the host’s shot-stopper. Up the other end, Beecholme searched for an immediate reply and the attacker called Solly into action for the first time in the game with a left-sided shot that forced a routine beat away. A quarter of the way through, Evie Nebbett platformed an outstanding last-ditch challenge to dispossess the forward and deny a certain goalscoring opportunity, the defender injured herself in the process.

On the 20-minute mark, Eade was taken down on the edge of the penalty area for a free kick, Chappers stepped up, and drove it into the wall before sending the follow-up sailing over the bar. Mid-way through, Abbey Measures was teed up down the left channel, the wing-back carried the ball into the penalty area under pressure and at full stretch poked the dipping effort wide.

Approaching the final third of the half, the ball was whipped into the Carshalton penalty area from the left flank and Robins centre-back Tanya Dady turned it into her own net, angling the attempted clearance the wrong side of the post. It was very unfortunate for the former Leatherhead defender. Beecholme had halved the deficit almost out of nowhere and against the run of play. Pushing for the leveller, Beecholme’s deep touchline set-piece evaded everyone in red and was allowed to fall kindly into the feet of the attacker, who had her swivelled effort just inside the box denied by the outstretched leg of Georgie Edwards, it was a vital block. A threatening floated delivery to the back post followed but thankfully a loose touch enabled it to trickle out for goal kick.

Five minutes until time, Dulley came close to extending the Robins advantage, her effort grazing the crossbar. Despite Lamont’s side having the lion’s share of possession and probing the Belles backline, the hosts were a constant threat of the counter-attack. Attacking right, the attacker flashed a low-driven cross into the penalty area that was safely gathered by Solly. On the stroke of the break, the Reds survived a succession of shots and crosses, the closest of which was a 25-yard half volley struck sweetly on the swivel and had Solly worried momentarily.

Heading into halftime, the Robins led. That being said, since Beecholme halved the deficit a bit of a momentum shift had ensued and had the home side flirting with a potential leveller.

It was the perfect start to the second half for the Robins, the touchline throw found its way into the feet of Chapman centrally, who laid off Edwards to come onto the ball and drive into the penalty area, the defender made up ground to get a foot in, but instead ended up stabbing it into her own net.

Not long after, Eade gave chase to a pass in behind, desperately trying to latch onto it she collided one-on-one with the goalkeeper, appeals for a penalty fell on deaf ears as the referee penalised our forward and indicated a free kick the way of the hosts.

Dulley, one of Carshalton’s main attacking threats, won a dangerous right channel set piece 20 yards out. The responsibility fell to Measures and the wide defender saw her free kick diverted into the arms of the goalkeeper. Lamont then introduced a flurry of fresh legs in a bid to add to the Reds tally for the afternoon, Dulley’s replacement was Ella Bale, while Daisy Olley also took to the pitch.

On the hour mark, Beecholme had forced Solly into a couple of saves that failed to really test the young shot-stopper. Substitute Olley had also sent a side-footed effort from distance straight down the keeper’s throat. A few minutes later, Solly produced an impressive double save from close range to ensure the Robins maintained their two-goal cushion.

Following that, the tables turned to a degree, the Belles were applying the pressure as Carshalton looked to counter-attack. Probing, the Robins defensive resolve paid dividends. A prolonged period of sustained Beecholme pressure passed before Chappers was sent clear away after a lofted pass in behind, the forward cut inside and caressed it narrowly over. Keen to capitalise on the momentum garnered, Bale used her strength well to turn the defender in the penalty area, but she failed to generate the necessary power from the resulting effort.

Entering the final third of the match, Chappers calmly took the ball down on the right flank, spotted Bale free in acres of space in the centre of the penalty area, and squared it to her fellow forward; however, the substitute did not quite get the desired contact. That did not matter though as Chappers completed her brace in the 77th minute and in fine fashion. The veteran striker was set on a plate by Bale to prod home on the half volley, dipping it into the far corner.

Despite securing their fourth of the afternoon, the Robins were hungry for more. Bale battled her way through several Beecholme bodies and demonstrated the composure to tee up Chappers making the run on her right shoulder, she would drag the shot narrowly wide. In the dying embers, Bale, faced with an open goal, tried to forge a goalscoring opportunity, but she drove the effort into the defender. The final action of the game was Anna Tilley who attacked left and arrowed the ball across goal towards Eade, the forward miscued the first-time shot.

The victory means that it is three successive league wins on the bounce for Lamont’s ladies with an aggregate score of 14-1. There will be hopes that Carshalton can carry this momentum forward into next Sunday’s Capitol Cup fixture against Croydon FC.