CAFC Women vs Guernsey – Preview
Carshalton Athletic turn their attention to cup action when they take on Guernsey Women’s FC in the 1stround of the Isthmian League Women’s Cup on Sunday.
Guernsey Women’s FC
Established in July last year, Guernsey Women’s FC enjoyed relative success in their maiden Isthmian League Women’s Cup. The competition provided the Green Lionesses with their first-ever match when they travelled just down the road to the King George’s Arena to take on Corinthian Casuals in the first round of the cup. Guernsey sealed an impressive 6-1 thumping over the Casuals to progress. Coach Anna Gauvain was “buzzing” owing to the significance of the game.
Following that, the Ladies then returned to UK shores from the island in early November to face off against Bognor Regis Town Ladies in the second round. The magnitude of the task would prove too great and the Green Lionesses journey in the competition ended after a slender 2-1 defeat in a tightly contested affair.
Fourteen games then ensued, which included Jersey Cup success when the Ladies lifted the Colin Welsh Trophy, running out 3-0 winners over St. Peter in the Jersey Women’s FA Cup final having beaten Jersey Wanderers in the semi. The Women had followed in the footsteps of the men’s team winning a trophy in their first season.
Towards the backend of last season, Guernsey beat Jersey at Springfield to win their first Women’s Muratti Vase in 16 years. A Vicki Rang near-post header from Donna Gallienne’s corner gave the Green Lionesses the lead midway through the first half. Despite a succession of shots and crosses, wave after wave of attacks from their bitter rivals were subdued by Emma Queripel between the sticks. Calleigh Hedley’s 86th-minute penalty made sure of the two-goal cushion, doubling the lead and ensuring a first title since 2008 when they had also won in Jersey. It was Guernsey’s seventh victory in the fixture, while for Jersey they have won 16 times – the much-anticipated tie only returned in 2022 following a six-year hiatus because of COVID-19 and shortage of Guernsey players.
Over the summer, the Green Lionesses took the next step in their development as a club, announcing that they have been accepted into the Jersey Women’s League for the upcoming campaign and will also compete in UK cup competitions, hence why they play the Robins at Colston on Sunday.
GFC Women’s manager, Anna Gauvain, said: “After the success we had in Jersey last season [winning the Jersey Women’s FA Cup], we were in discussions with them about potentially joining their league, and I’m delighted to say we found out yesterday that we have officially been accepted into the Jersey Women’s League for the season ahead.
“The plan is that between October to February, we will be going over to Jersey, playing two rounds against their teams, and then the Jersey teams have committed to coming over here to play us, so that will mean four home games in March and April at Guernsey football’s new home, Victoria Park.”
Likely Line-Ups
Carshalton Athletic
Brown, Davies, Dady, Allen, Edwards, Olley, McCarthy, Tilly, Bale, Chapman, Rose-Dulley
Guernsey
Queripel, Kenneally, Le Lacheur, Ogier, Rang, Dallamore, Le Flem, Bougourd, Hedley, Gallienne, Van Zutphen
Team News
Both teams are expected to have fully fit squads at their disposal
Pre-Match Analysis
The Green Lionesses set up in what appears to be a 4-3-3 formation with a double pivot screening the defence and a number 10. They look to use the channels as much as possible, getting the likes of Hedley down the left flank and in behind, which forced the penalty in the Colin Welsh Trophy Final. Guernsey like to take the game to the opposition with lots of bodies forward and probing the defence. An intense high press often sees them force the turnover high up the pitch and when they lose it, GFC are tenacious to win it back.
Key Player
While Hedley causes a lot of problems down the left flank, the Green Lionesses key player is young Codie Le Flem. Le Flem became the new side’s first-ever scorer when she netted the opener versus Casuals, and the 18-year-old would go on to bag a first-half hat-trick. There was a BBC Sport clip of her first goal that did the rounds last October. She received the ball with her back to the goal, touched it down crisply enough to allow her to turn, and then drove it against the defender to lift it over the keeper. The goalscoring midfielder also scored in the Colin Welsh Trophy Final, showing the alertness to follow up Hedley’s initial strike.
The Gaffer
Anna Gauvain was thrown in at the deep end when she took the reins as head coach at Guernsey from Richard Sutton, who resigned, less than three weeks before facing Jersey. She is assisted by her sister, Katie Watson, last year’s Muratti captain. Scott Ferbrache also helps, with Paul Wheatley acting as adviser. Gauvain and Watson boast several island caps to their name as players. On the job, Gauvain said: “This is the start of something. If people could see us in Guernsey playing football and trying to compete, being organised and doing all the right things, then results are sometimes a bit irrelevant. We’ll then look forward to seeing how we can progress girls further.
“With the stop-starts that have happened with ladies’ football here in Guernsey, Katie and I are here to see it through consistently for a number of years, seeing the young girls come through knowing there’s a pathway, along with the work done by Joelle [Priaulx] does with the schools, we could see more girls playing club football and obviously with the inspiration of Maya [Le Tissier], we will look to help use her to encourage girls to get involved.
“The future is really bright.”
Match Details
Date: Sunday, 15 September 2024
Venue: Colston Avenue
Kickoff: 01:30 PM
Admission: Free
