CAFC Women vs South London First

CAFC Women vs South London First – Match Report

Carshalton Athletic Women suffered a 5-2 drumming at the hands of South London First to be knocked out of the Capital Intermediate Cup on Sunday afternoon.

It was a lively end-to-end start to the match. After surviving a succession of crosses into the penalty area, the Robins broke at pace through Josie Alderman down the left channel, who cut inside before the ball was cleared only as far as Abbey Measures, but she blazed it over. Moments later, Sarah Chapman then issued another early warning sign, grazing the bar. Eventually, the Reds received their just deserts when forward Heather Eade drove low and hard off balance just outside the penalty area to find the bottom corner.

Keen to capitalise on the momentum garnered, Carshalton pushed to forge a two-goal cushion. Moving the ball well and enjoying the lion’s share of possession, Chappers set herself and flashed the ball inches wide of the far post again from her favourite position on the right channel. An inswinging corner saw pinball ensue before Nebbitt’s tame header from a tight angle on the byline failed to test the opposition shot-stopper. Alderman then did well to battle through and make her way into the box; however, she tried to nestle the ball across the keeper, and it was gathered comfortably.

Up the other end, the host’s winger beat Nebbitt for pace and manoeuvred herself into a position to pull the ball back to the forward languishing in the centre of the penalty area; thankfully, her strike goalbound was saved by a diving Solly. The momentum had shifted to South London, albeit only temporarily, and the home side powered narrowly over the bar following a well-timed header off a threatening inswinging corner. Mid-way through the half, the match had opened up into a more competitive affair. Honey Dulley unleashed an audacious long-distance effort straight down the goalkeeper’s throat,

and the hosts concluded a sustained period of attacking pressure with a whipped strike on the edge of the penalty area that angled towards the near post and was taken with ease by Solly.

In the 30th minute, a defence-splitting pass threaded through the opposition striker; despite Lily Davis being able to disrupt her progress, it was only temporarily, and one-on-one, the ball was successfully lifted over the onrushing Solly to rattle the post before a red shirt applied the finish on the follow-up into the empty net; fortunately, the Reds were rescued by the flag of the assistant. However, a few minutes later, Solly’s high starting position was punished due to a momentary lapse in concentration, as one ball over the top gifted the home side an empty net to score. On the stroke of halftime, two good stops in quick succession enabled Solly the opportunity to make amends.

South London started the brighter of the two sides in the second half; the host’s main attacking threat came down the right, and the Reds initially repelled a couple of crosses into the penalty area, but seven minutes after the restart, the home side pegged back Lamont’s side. The winger attacked right and delivered for the attacker to take down and lay off the red shirt in acres of space to her left, guiding the resulting effort into the far corner. Searching to extend their advantage, the Dulwich-based outfit found themselves one-on-one with Solly, rolling the ball under the shot-stopper wide of the post. Chappers had a 25-yard set piece that was on target but did not have the power to put the host’s goalkeeper under any pressure.

On the hour mark, disaster struck as South London netted twice in quick succession. The first saw Lara Rodriguez bundled over in possession, and the ball carried into the final third before a one-on-one where Solly came agonisingly close to pushing a one-on-one around the post, but ultimately it trickled into the net. The second, meanwhile, was a low-driven cross that was controlled and converted from close range. Following that, the ladies platformed more attacking intent and probed South London yet struggled to create any chances of note, the best Eade lashing it goalbound from 30 yards out.

Trying to find an avenue back into the match left us exposed at the back, and approaching 70 minutes, the Reds cleared what was nearly the fifth of the afternoon off the line. Entering the final quarter of an hour, the hosts finally went 5-1 up after a lofted pass over the top saw the attacker tee herself up for a dipping half-volley over Solly and into the back of the net.

Undeterred, the Robins got a goal back thanks to Chapman from the spot. Eade found Dulley outside the penalty area, and her first-time strike was saved by the legs of the goalkeeper before Alderman’s follow-up was penalised for a handball. Chappers stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way.

CARSHALTON ATHLETIC WOMENS vs SOUTH LONDON WOMENS19/01/2025 AT Griffin Sports Club 12 Dulwich Village, London SE21 7AL Kick Off 14:00 , Photography by Linval Bartley @linbartley Photography

Willing his team on for a miracle comeback, Lamont demanded an intense high press from Carshalton to force the turnover and, when with the ball, to make the most of it; however, wave after wave of attack was subdued by a defensively resolute South London backline. In the dying embers, the home side rattled the post and then miscued the close-range rebound; our ladies proceeded to counter-attack, and Chappers was denied by an excellent stop by the goalkeeper, tipping her effort onto the bar. Dulley had the ball in the back of the net in the 90th minute, but it was adjudged offside.

The match concluded 5-1 in favour of South London, and Lamont’s side were knocked out of the Capital Intermediate Cup. There will be hopes that the Reds can get back to winning ways on Friday against Tier 6 Leatherhead.