CAFC vs Cheshunt – Preview
After impressive victories over Burgess Hill Town and Welling United, the Robins take a break from league action as they begin their FA Trophy campaign with a home tie against league rivals Cheshunt.
Carshalton Athletic
Carshalton have shown significant improvement in recent weeks and come into this tie full of confidence, having won their last two matches. On Tuesday, they came from behind to win 4–2 away at Burgess Hill Town, overturning a 2–1 half-time deficit. They followed that up with a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Welling United at Colston Avenue, a result that lifted them to 9th place in the league.
However, the FA Trophy has not been kind to Carshalton in recent seasons. Last year, they were knocked out at the first hurdle by lower-tier Hadley, and the season before that, they suffered the same fate against Cray Valley PM. Manager Peter Adeniyi will be keen to put that right this time around as Cheshunt make the trip to Colston Avenue.
Cheshunt FC
Following relegation from the National League South at the end of the 2022/23 season, Cheshunt have struggled to find consistency back in the Isthmian Premier League. They finished 18th in 2023/24, just four points above the relegation zone, before improving slightly last season, finishing 15th with 49 points.
This season, however, has seen a much brighter start. The Ambers have collected 15 points from their opening nine fixtures, with a record of four wins, three draws and two defeats. Their early-season highlights include scoring eight goals across their first two games – beating Welling United 4–2 and Canvey Island 4–1 – as well as a memorable 2–1 away win at St Albans on Bank Holiday Monday.
Cheshunt’s recent FA Trophy record is also underwhelming, having exited in their first tie in each of the past three seasons to Peterborough Sports, Dulwich Hamlet, and Dover Athletic. However, they did enjoy a deep run in 2021/22, reaching the fifth round (last 16), where they narrowly lost 1–0 away at Stockport County in front of a crowd of 3,340.
Head to Head
Carshalton and Cheshunt met twice in the Isthmian Premier League last season.
In the home fixture at Colston Avenue in November, played in wet and windy conditions, Cheshunt took an early lead through Tobias Braney. Carshalton equalised through David Smith in the 52nd minute, and the match ended in a 1–1 draw.
The return fixture at Theobalds Lane in March saw Luke Read score the only goal of the game from a corner after 14 minutes. The Robins held on to secure a crucial three points, keeping themselves in the play-off hunt.
Team News
Carshalton Athletic
After Tuesday’s win at Burgess Hill Town, midfielder Nabeel Ghannam announced his departure from the club. In response, manager Peter Adeniyi has bolstered his squad with the signing of Noah Nzuzi. The promising youngster, who has come through the youth setups at Middlesbrough and Sutton United, was named in the matchday squad for Saturday’s win over Welling, coming off the bench to make his debut.
With cup matches often providing a chance for rotation, Nzuzi could be in line for his first start this Saturday.
Pre-Match Analysis
Both teams come into this tie in decent form, setting the stage for an entertaining encounter at Colston Avenue. If the match ends level after 90 minutes, it will go straight to a penalty shootout – an exciting prospect for neutrals, but a tense one for fans.
With a mixed recent head-to-head record and both sides looking to make a mark in the competition after early exits in previous seasons, this promises to be a closely contested tie.
Key Player
Guyana international Connor Kurran-Browne joined Cheshunt over the summer, reuniting with manager Mel Gwinnett, under whom he previously played at Hampton & Richmond Borough. The forward arrived from Hemel Hempstead and has already made an impact, scoring in the 4–1 win over Canvey Island.
Having made his international debut for Guyana in 2023, Kurran-Browne will be looking to use that experience to his advantage as he takes on Carshalton.
The Gaffer
Appointed on 25th October 2024 following the departure of long-serving manager Craig Edwards, Mel Gwinnett has brought stability to Cheshunt. He guided the team to a 15th-place finish last season, 10 points clear of the relegation zone, and has started the 2025/26 campaign strongly, with 15 points from nine games.
Gwinnett boasts over two decades of experience in football management, having held senior roles at Exeter City, MK Dons, Stevenage, and Barnet. He also enjoyed a successful managerial spell at Hampton & Richmond, where he led the club to a record unbeaten run, an FA Trophy quarter-final, and narrowly missing out on a play-off spot in 2023/24.
Match Details
Date: Saturday 4th October 2025
Opponents: Cheshunt FC
Venue: Colston Avenue
Competition: FA Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round
Kick-off: 3pm
Admission: Adults £12, Conc £9, U18 £6
Tickets: Here or purchase at the turnstiles
