CAFC Women vs Leatherhead Youth

CAFC Women vs Leatherhead Youth – Match Report

Carshalton Athletic got back to winning ways in the Surrey Premier Division in emphatic fashion with a 5-0 win over league-toppers Leatherhead Youth.

From the get-go, it was apparent that the Robins had carried over the discipline and structure of last week’s performance away at Farnham Town. Lamont’s side were happy for the Tanners to have possession of the ball in their own half, but upon entrance to ours, the ladies made passing through the lines extremely difficult and managed to force several turnovers. Carshalton came close inside three minutes, Goergie Edwards’s lofted pass in behind sent Sarah Chapman clear away to attack right, shrugging off the defender, before driving into the box to cut inside and search for the far corner; however, goalkeeper Sofia Achtner pushed it away at full stretch. A few minutes later, the Reds probed the visitor’s backline and Edwards’s audacious 25-yard dipping effort failed to trouble Achter.

The Robins received their just deserts 11 minutes into the match when Abbie Measures opened the scoring. Kenza Gueriani’s tenacity paid off when she single-handedly cut out Leatherhead’s dangerous counter-attack, battled down the touchline to reach the edge of the penalty area, then capped it off with a well-cushioned low side-footed delivery towards Measures at the back post, who demonstrated the composure to control and strike home.

On the 20-minute mark, there was some defending to do, and Demi Allen obliged to make a vital block which denied Avery Tooley. Not long after, the Robins were under more pressure and cleared only as far as Sofia Salter inside the penalty area, but the effort was tame. Mid-way through, Kanita Throp was able to take the ball down and carry it towards goal completely unchallenged, squandering the opportunity as she sliced her effort the wrong side of the post.

In the final third of the half, the Tanners were forced to survive wave after wave of Carshalton attack. Edwards’s beautifully weighted long ball from an Evie Nebbitt quick throw in our half manufactured a chance to score out of nowhere, playing through Chappers who drove the effort into the defender before Eade’s follow-up was also blocked. Measures almost secured her brace following a powerful close-range half volley which narrowly alluded the far post, Throp latched onto a stray pass to forge a one-on-one scenario, stabbing it into the onrushing Achter, and Chappers did not quite get the intended whip with a shot outside the box. Carshalton headed into the break perhaps disappointed not to be at least three or four goals better off than their opponents. While the Robins had limited the league toppers to very few clear-cut chances, they had lacked a clinical edge.

The Reds continued their attacking intent at the beginning of the second half, Throp attacked right and delivered a low-driven cross front post to Gueriani; however, the attacker scuffed the shot close range. Following that, Leatherhead came agonisingly close to a leveller through a succession of free kicks in threatening positions – Jessica Collins rattled the bar, ensuing a pinball-like scramble in the penalty area before Solley tipped Bethany Lewis’s left flank set piece onto the crossbar. With the Tanners in the ascendancy and garnering momentum, cementing a two-goal cushion became all the more important. Fortunately for Lamont’s side, substitute Honey Dulley was at hand to make an instant impact on the hour mark. Five minutes after coming on, the winger one-on-one remained extremely composed to drift inside and find the bottom corner.

Keen to capitalise on the momentum shift, the Robins extended their advantage immediately when Dulley and Eade both gave chase to a through ball before the latter lashed it into the back of the net to make it three. There could have easily been a fourth a couple of minutes later if it were not for an excellent Da Costa Neves sliding challenge to prevent Bale from turning in Dulley’s squared pass in the area. Dulley had developed into Carshalton’s main attacking threat since being introduced to proceedings and it was her brilliance that saw the Reds add to their growing tally. The 17-year-old drove down the touchline, beat numerous defenders for pace, made her way into the box, and cut it back for Bale to apply the simple tap-in.

Ten minutes from time and despite boasting four goals, Carshalton were hungry for more. Dulley slipped through Bale, who platformed tremendous close control to carry the ball into the box, and fashion it onto her right foot, but unfortunately was denied by Achter’s outstretched hand. In the dying embers of the game, Anna Tilley had her strike on the edge of the penalty area stopped by a diving Achter before Bale’s fine finish from a tight angle nestled in the near post to beat the keeper and put the Robins five goals for the good.