CAFC Women vs Croydon FC - Match Report -

CAFC Women vs Croydon FC – Match Report

Carshalton Athletic secured a 3-1 victory over Croydon FC to progress in the Capitol Intermediate Cup thanks to a Georgie Edwards brace.

There was only one change for Aaron Lamont’s side from last week’s 4-1 thumping of Beecholme Belles, with Mia Patton replacing Georgina Solly between the sticks.

It was a fast start to proceedings; a diagonal straight from kick-off won the Robins a corner. A pinball-like scramble ensued as Abbey Measures almost bundled the ball across the line from close range, and Kanita Throp’s follow-up cross was cleared away to safety. After a brief spell of attacking pressure from the visitors, Carshalton broke at pace through winger Honey Dulley. The 17-year-old did well to drive down the line and whip the ball towards Heather Eade; however, the striker could not quite manufacture the scoring opportunity. Following that, Dulley almost teed up Sarah Chapman one-on-one, but the veteran forward failed to latch onto it as the goalkeeper was quick off her line to scramble clear.

The Reds were in the ascendancy, approaching the quarter-hour mark. They had enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and were probing the Croydon backline, forcing them deep into their defensive third. What’s more, Lamont’s intense high press was paying dividends, creating a wave of turnovers. Moving the ball well, it seemed only a matter of time before our ladies took a deserved lead. Carshalton’s best chance of the half-up to this stage fell to Dulley, the hosts main attacking threat. Receiving the ball on the edge of the penalty area, she beat her opponent using a heavy touch before being denied by the outstretched leg of the goalkeeper, albeit it was from a tight angle.

Midway through, Croydon had yet to trouble Patton’s goal; that said, the Robins came narrowly close to orchestrating their own downfall when they were nearly caught playing out from the back. Eventually, Lamont’s ladies got their reward, and it was thanks to a quintessential Georgie Edwards free kick. Our skipper sent a dipping effort towards goal from 35-40 yards out, and the keeper could not push it over the bar.

A few minutes later, there was a string of chances for Carshalton to forge a two-goal cushion. Measures delivery eluded the onrushing Sarah Chapman at the back post, who was then gifted a golden opportunity when the goalkeeper’s loose pass fell into her path; however, the No. 10 fired over on the half volley. Dulley proceeded to call the keeper into action once more, lashing a strike straight down the shot-stopper’s throat. Nine minutes from the break, Edwards completed her brace and extended the Reds advantage. The corner was swung into the penalty area and headed goalbound with an alert Edwards turning the ball into the net acrobatically. On the stroke of halftime, the visitors left-sided set piece was parried away by Patton under pressure.

The Trams emerged with a greater urgency and attacking intent in the second half as the Robins were slow to get going inside the first five minutes. The sluggish start was only temporary, however, as Kenza Gueriani drifted inside off the left flank, threaded through Eade with some fortune from a deflection, and the striker drove it low and hard to force a good stop as Measures found the far corner to convert the follow-up.

Moments later, the Reds won a spot kick after Eade was played through down the right channel and squared it across to Dulley, who was taken clean out by the sliding goalkeeper. It was the young winger that took the responsibility, but she blasted it straight at the shot-stopper, squandering the chance.

On the hour, the match entered a lull. Lamont introduced a couple of fresh legs to proceedings in Ella Bale and Evie Nebbett, while Croydon enjoyed a few rare sighters at Carshalton’s goal. Before long, it was back to business as usual. Dulley and Eade combined well from a short corner; the latter was laid off to the left of the penalty area and flashed it near post but to no avail. Not long after, Bale found Chapman before returning the favour with a brilliant, well-cushioned through ball on the swivel. Bale’s resulting stabbed effort was saved.

A quadruple change beckoned as we entered the final third of the game in a bid to inspire a fourth goal. In the dying embers of the game, the visitors broke at pace on a couple of occasions but failed to fashion anything of note. For the Robins, meanwhile, it was a case of seeing out the match. Unfortunately, the clean sheet was not to be as the Trams No. 10 powered the ball into the top corner from outside the penalty area.

The 3-1 victory extends Carshalton’s unbeaten streak in competitive matches to four; impressively, our ladies have garnered an aggregate score of 17-1 along the way. The Robins are at home next week in a return to the Surrey Premier against Sutton United Reserves, who they are level on points with but boast a game in hand.