CAFC Women vs Guernsey FC – Match Report
Carshalton Athletic Women progress into the next round of the Isthmian Cup with a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Guernsey FC.
The Robins ran out 3-1 winners on penalties, Evie Nebbitt converting the spot kick that earned our ladies a hard-fought win over opponents that proved the girls’ toughest test to date. Following last week’s strong second-half display in the 5-0 thumping of Beecholme Belles, manager Aaron Lamont rewarded Kanita Throp and Heather Eade with starts, while Abbie Measures and Dulcie Gray made their debuts and Evie Nebbitt came in at full-back. Kenza Gueriani, Honey Dulley, Rodriguez, and Tilley dropped to the bench, Sarah Chapman, however, was not in the squad. In a strange turn of events for our ladies, it was Guernsey who enjoyed the offensive supremacy in the early stages, clearly keen to get their first match of the 2024-25 campaign off to a fast start. Green Lionesses striker Amy Dallamore drove into the box, angling in from the right-hand side, to strike across goal, but Solley got down well to gather. Dallamore, again, continued to be the visitor’s main attacking threat, Donna Gallenne’s defence-splitting pass sent her clear away down the right channel for the pullback, which was cleared for a corner. Solley remained crucially alert when preventing Dallamore from latching onto a lofted pass in behind by being quick off her line to get rid.
Ten minutes in and Carshalton had their first actual chance of the match, Heather Eade’s well-cushioned through ball teed up Kanita Throp down the left channel to cut inside and lash into the arms of goalkeeper Kayleigh Marquis. A few minutes later, Eloise Williams’ deep corner reached Throp on the opposite side of the box and she drifted in from the left to let fly, the keeper’s one-handed punch almost presented Eade with a gift of a tap in, however, she gathered to make amends. Just after the 20-minute mark, the Robins successfully cleared a corner but only as far as Candice Bougourd languishing on the edge of the penalty area, she took a touch and stabbed at the ball on the half volley, watching it float wide. Mid-way through, it had become apparent that Guernsey would prove their toughest test to date, extremely difficult to break down and effective on the counter-attack. Having done a lot of defending from the get-go, the tables turned as the match approached the final third of the half, nice one touch football saw Williams lay it off to Throp to come onto and side foot the wrong side of the post.
Now in the ascendancy, the quintessential Lamont high press forced the turnover in the penalty area and on the swivel Edwards sent a curling effort goalwards, which was parried for a corner. Carshalton were beginning to grow in confidence, putting together some really lovely patterns of play, a good example being Williams, Emily McCarthy, and Gray combining well for the latter to send in a cross that alluded everyone in red. Pushing to take a lead into the break, Edwards flashed a speculative effort wide before the robins caught the Green Lionesses playing in their own box, Throp squared it to Eade, who took her eye off the ball and scuffed it from a couple of yards out.
Rueing her mistake and keen to make amends, Eade drove at goal not long after and pulled the trigger, only for it to sail over. Following a brief stoppage for an injury to Williams a couple of minutes from the break, Edwards got us back underway with a pot shot from range. Heading into the break, there was nothing to separate the two sides, while Guernsey were on top early on, our ladies had been in the ascendancy since mid-way through, but could not break the deadlock.
The second half got underway and immediately there was a heart in mouth moment for the robins. Experienced centre-back Tanya Dady’s loose pass was cut out by Hedley, however Dady recovered very well to block the powerfully hit shot on the edge of the penalty area. Up the other end of the pitch, our ladies came agonisingly close to opening the scoring when a low driven right sided delivery found Throp centrally in the box, but she dragged her first time effort inches wide. There was another pause to proceedings five minutes in, which gave Lamont the opportunity to talk tactics with his team. Guernsey proved just as difficult to break down approaching the hour mark, a cross angling towards Edwards readying in the penalty area was cut out. Solley, who had been an observer since the second 45 commenced, was forced into action, tipping over a well drilled cross at her front post. Eade then made way for Honey Dulley, and it would later prove an inspired substitution from Lamont. Guernsey had their first chance of the half in the 64th minute when Hedley carried the ball on the outside of her defender and pulled it across Solley, who dived low to her left to gather.
Eventually, the robins took the lead thanks to who else but our captain Georgie Edwards, propping up with her third of the campaign so far. Some Dulley trickery allowed her to beat a couple of defenders and pick out Edwards completely unmarked in the centre of the box; she stroked it home first time into the roof of the net. That being said, the reds almost orchestrated their own downfall, complacency crept in and Allen’s loose pass enabled Hedley to attack left and thankfully strike wide. Eyeing a two-goal cushion, Williams’ inswinging corner was headed over the bar from close range by Abbie Measures. However, entering the final third of the match the Green Lionesses levelled following a Hedley stunner into the far top corner. With eight minutes until time, Guernsey issued the robins a warning. Giving chase to a through ball in behind the left channel, the attacker beat the onrushing Solley and rattled the outside of the post before the Carshalton defence scrambled it away. The robins, keen to remind the visitors of their attacking threat, tested Marquis. Edwards, on the half turn, sent the ball into the path of Measures 20 yards from goal to control and strike, with the shot-stopper pushing it round the post at full stretch. There was a long delay to the final few minutes of the match when Green Lionesses goalkeeper Marquis went down having bravely smothered the ball in and among a pool of robins and Guernsey players, it goes without saying everyone at Carshalton wishes her a speedy recovery.
A succession of shots and crosses were repelled by Lamont’s side in the dying embers of the match as another stop ensued owing to an injury to one of the visiting players. At the end of normal time there was nothing to separate the two sides with the game level, and it went straight to penalties. Guernsey were up first and missed after a brilliant stop from a diving Solley, Edwards then stepped up and rattled the post, the visitors failed to find the net again, with Tanya Dady making no mistake, advantage Carshalton. The Green Lionesses missed once more before Measures drove into the bottom corner to extend their advantage. Even though the visitors were able to convert the proceeding spot kick, Evie Nebbitt sent us through to win 3-1 on penalties.
Up Next
We host Dorking Wanderers Development next Sunday here at Colston in the league, it will likely be a 2:30 PM kick-off, however, it is subject to change.
