CAFC Women vs Leatherhead – Preview
Carshalton Athletic Women ready to test themselves in a friendly against higher-tier opponents Leatherhead Women when the Tanners travel to Colston Avenue on Friday evening.
Robins Review
The Robins were knocked out of the Capital Intermediate Cup on Sunday following a 5-2 drumming at the hands of South London First. It ended a six-match unbeaten run for Lamont’s side in all competitions.
Lamont agreed to a friendly fixture with Leatherhead Women last week because it is the league the club are “aspiring to be in next season”. Friendlies are a good way for the league to compare when we apply via the FA Women’s Football Pyramid Promotion Pool to go up at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.
There will be hopes that the ladies can return to winning ways versus the Tanners; however, it will be an extremely tough test.
Leatherhead Women FC
The 2021-22 season marked Leatherhead Women’s debut in senior football, and the Tanners achieved promotion from Tier 7 on their first attempt. Last year, the Mole Valley-based outfit applied their trade in the Surrey Premier Division, lifting the trophy having registered 46 points, six above runners-up Epsom & Ewell.
It was also very successful in terms of cup competitions; the Tanners reached the Surrey Divisional Cup Final, overcoming opponents Sutton United Development thanks to a Kacie-May Karlow goal inside six minutes before Aesha Ayimba Golding forged a two-goal cushion just after the break to secure the trophy. Despite taking to the pitch against Brentford Women in the Capital Intermediate Cup Final, the Bees sealed a comfortable 5-0 victory. Over the summer, Leatherhead applied to the Promotion Pool and were accepted to play in the Division One North of the London and South East Women’s League (Tier 6).
Currently, the Tanners are in fourth place with 26 points after 12 matches. That puts the Molley-Valley-based side just four points shy of leaders Bromley; however, Brentford, who reside in second, have two games in hand over the rest of the top four, which also includes Denham.
The club’s 2024-25 curtain raiser saw them on the wrong side of a 5-1 drumming to old foes Brentford Women. That said, the Tanners bounced back to issue back-to-back thumpings themselves off Richmond Park, 6-0, and East Preston Ladies FC, 9-0, the latter coming in the FA Cup. Leatherhead carried forward the momentum, beating Clapton Community 1-0 and Richmond and Kew 5-1, respectively, in the league. The following week, the Tanners were knocked out of the FA Cup 4-3 on penalties to Selsey. A slender 1-0 win over Actonians Reserves concluded in September.
October commenced with the postponement of the Ashmount Leigh fixture before the club edged Hackney 2-1. A goalless draw with Dulwich Hamlet Reserves would ensue; however, they would progress through in the L&SERWFL League Cup first round 3-0 over Montpellier Villa AFC. High in confidence, the club annihilated AFC Whyteleafe across two weeks at the start of November, first at Meadowbank 15-0, then in the reverse fixture at their place 8-0.
Things got even better when they put themselves in the hat for the next round of the Capital Intermediate Cup after running out 3-1 winners over Denham United. The cup victory extended their unbeaten run to 12 games, where they had netted 56 times and conceded just seven. Eager to inflict revenge, Denham put that streak to bed the following week when the club dispatched the Tanners 6-1 in the Division 1 North.
The festive period saw them return to winning ways, knocking out Newhaven in the L&SERWFL League Cup second round 4-3 and playing out an eight-goal thriller with Richmond & Kew, which finished a 4-4 stalemate. Last time out on January 5, the Tanners won 6-3; the club’s Dulwich Hamlet fixture the following weekend was postponed.
Likely line-ups
Carshalton Athletic
Solly, Nebbitt, Rodriguez, Davis, Throp, Alderman, Dulley, Chapman, Eade, Gueriani, Measures
Leatherhead Women
Thomas, Bird, Davenport, Keen, Macfarlane, Phillips, Sherrin, Harlow, Richardson-Hughes, Gibney, Ayimba-Golding
Team news
Carshalton Athletic
Georgina Edwards was absent from Sunday’s defeat owing to injury, she is expected to return to action on Friday. Defender Lara Rodriguez was forced to depart proceedings after she picked up a knock during the second half; that said, it is unlikely to keep her out of the Leatherhead fixture. Tanya Dady and Demi-Lee Allen, meanwhile, could be out for the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign, the former following injury, and the latter work-related reasons.
Leatherhead Women
The Tanners welcomed Ashlynn from Mole Valley Girls, who continue to produce talent for the Leatherhead Women’s first team. She turned 16 last weekend and has been training with the step 6 outfit for a few weeks now; the club describe her as “a rare talent way beyond her years”.
Pre-Match Analysis
A few players were missing in their last game against Ashmount, and despite deploying a new system, the ladies continued their free-scoring tendencies, winning 6-3. The club have netted a staggering 56 times; however, they still don’t top the goalscoring charts in the Division 1 North because Brentford better them with 107. Also, the Mole-Valley-based side have conceded just 18 goals, keeping seven clean sheets across all competitions.
Key Player
Forward Megan Button is the Tanner’s key player. Button has 20 goals to her name in the 2024-25 campaign so far.
Match Details
Date: Friday, January 24, 2025
Venue: Colston Avenue
Kickoff: 07:45 PM
Admission: Free
