CAFC vs Dartford – Preview
Following Monday night’s FA Cup replay defeat to Chertsey Town, the Robins are back at Colston Avenue on Saturday as they welcome Dartford in the Isthmian League Premier Division.
Carshalton Athletic
Carshalton Athletic head into Saturday’s fixture looking to bounce back after a difficult few days, having been knocked out of the FA Cup by Chertsey Town on Monday night. The Robins made an excellent start to their 2026/27 Isthmian League Premier Division campaign, winning their first five matches, but they are now without a victory in their last three games in all competitions and will be hoping to return to winning ways against Dartford.
Steven Bates’ side collected 15 points from their opening six league matches, with five victories putting them 2nd in the early table. The Robins have also found the net 12 times while conceding just five goals, underlining the impressive start they made to the campaign.
Carshalton made a flying start to the new campaign, picking up maximum points from their opening two fixtures. A 2–0 victory away at AFC Whyteleafe was followed by another 2–0 success at Colston Avenue against Wingate & Finchley, giving the Robins an early platform to build from.
That momentum continued against Cray Wanderers, although they were made to work for their third consecutive victory. Alex Hernandez cancelled out Carshalton’s opener, but the Robins responded well and eventually secured all three points through Matt Yates in a 2–1 win.
Steven Bates’ side showed their battling qualities again at Stanway Rovers. Stephen Toussaint put the hosts ahead inside the opening three minutes, but Carshalton refused to be discouraged. Jack Jebb restored parity from the penalty spot after Nathan Young-Coombes was brought down in the area, before Prince Kandolo completed the comeback after the interval, heading home from a corner to make it four wins in a row.
The winning streak reached five matches with another impressive 2–0 victory over Brentwood Town, as Young-Coombes continued his excellent start to the season by scoring both goals. Carshalton’s perfect league record was finally ended on Bank Holiday Monday, however, when they suffered a narrow 3–2 defeat away at Three Bridges despite goals from Tope Fadahunsi and Young-Coombes.
Attention then turned to the FA Cup, with Chertsey Town providing the opposition in the opening round. The first meeting at Alwyns Lane proved a dramatic encounter, as Young-Coombes gave the Robins the lead before Luke Robertson levelled from the penalty spot. The game became increasingly heated, with both sides reduced to 10 men following red cards for Jack Jebb and Chertsey’s Ridgley. Neither team could find a decisive goal, leaving the tie to be settled in a replay at Colston Avenue.
That set up Monday night’s replay at Colston Avenue, but it was Chertsey who made the stronger start. The visitors raced into a two-goal half-time lead through Lachlan Byrd and Luke Robertson from the penalty spot. Carshalton fought back after the break, with Ada Okorogheye reducing the deficit, but the Robins could not find an equaliser and exited the competition at the first hurdle for the second consecutive season.
After three games without a win, Bates and his squad will now be determined to put the disappointment behind them. They have already shown during the opening weeks of the campaign that they possess plenty of attacking threat and defensive resilience, and Saturday provides an opportunity to get back on track in front of their home supporters.
Dartford
Dartford FC have experienced a mixture of disappointment, progress and renewed ambition over the last few seasons. After a difficult 2023–24 campaign, the Darts were relegated from the National League South to the Isthmian League Premier Division. Ady Pennock took charge towards the end of that season, and the club set about rebuilding for life at the new level.
The 2024–25 season proved to be a major improvement. Pennock reshaped the squad, giving opportunities to several players from Dartford’s successful academy. The team enjoyed an excellent campaign and finished third in the league, earning a place in the promotion play-offs. Dartford reached the play-off final, where they faced Dover Athletic at Princes Park. However, they lost 2–0, leaving promotion just out of reach.
Expectations were therefore high heading into 2025–26, with promotion once again the target. However, the season proved more challenging. A slow start, injuries, red cards and inconsistent performances meant Dartford were playing catch-up for much of the campaign. Although the team produced some impressive results and finished strongly, they ultimately finished sixth and narrowly missed out on the play-offs.
At the end of the season, Ady Pennock departed the club. Dartford then appointed Ben Greenhalgh as their new first-team manager. Greenhalgh already had strong connections with the club through his work with the academy and returned with a clear ambition to develop young players and challenge for promotion.
Going into the 2026–27 season, Dartford remain in the Isthmian League Premier Division. The club will be hoping that Greenhalgh can build on the academy’s success, strengthen the first team and guide the Darts back towards the National League South.
Head To Head
The sides have met in the league for the past two seasons, with both clubs recording memorable victories over the other.
In 2024/25, Dartford travelled to Colston Avenue in August and came away with a 1–0 win, courtesy of a first-half goal from Eddie Dsane. Matt Kerbey was in goal for Dartford that day, joining the Darts on a one-month emergency loan, and impressed with a number of key saves to secure a clean sheet.
The return fixture, however, was a very different affair. Played on the final day of the season at Princes Park in front of a crowd of over 1,800, Dartford entered the match sitting third in the table, level on points with rivals Billericay and Horsham but behind on goal difference. A win, combined with favourable results elsewhere, could have crowned them champions on home soil.
However, Carshalton – then seventh – produced a dominant display to run out 4–1 winners. Goals from Kola Salami, Bryan Ifeanyi and a brace from Nabeel Ghannam denied Dartford the title and saw them finish third, heading into the play-offs.
Last season, the Robins made the trip to Princes Park in August. Carshalton took the lead through a penalty from Tommy Bradford, but Dartford stormed back to reverse the previous season’s scoreline, running out 4–1 winners thanks to goals from Olly Box, who scored twice, Dan Smith and Jez Pinder.
The return fixture at Colston Avenue was in April. The Robins led at half-time after Ryan Huke opened the scoring, but the Darts turned the game around with two goals from set pieces, with Evans Kouassi and Rohan Ellis Vaughan getting the goals.
The Robins looked like they might leave with nothing, until Fabio Saraiva equalised in injury time to earn Carshalton a crucial point in their survival bid.
Team News
Carshalton Athletic
Forward Ada Okorogheye netted his first goal in Carshalton colours in Monday night’s FA Cup replay against Chertsey Town. The former Uxbridge man has largely been utilised from the bench so far this season, but has impressed when given the opportunity and will be pushing for more minutes as the campaign progresses.
There were also first competitive minutes of the season for defender Fikayo Atewologun and academy graduate Donte Augustus, who provided the assist for Okorogheye’s goal.
For Steve Bates, the emergence of these options provides further competition within the squad as the season develops. Having players returning to fitness and able to contribute will give the Carshalton boss more options as the fixture schedule becomes increasingly demanding.
With the Robins now out of the FA Cup, the focus turns back to the league, and Bates will be hoping his squad can respond positively against Dartford.
Pre-Match Analysis
There is little to separate these two sides heading into Saturday’s meeting.
Both Carshalton and Dartford have made positive starts to their league campaigns, with the Robins winning five of their opening six matches and Dartford recording four victories. Carshalton’s only league defeat came against Three Bridges, while the Darts have suffered two defeats so far.
Saturday’s contest promises to be an intriguing meeting between two sides who will believe they can challenge towards the top end of the table. Both have shown an ability to score goals and pick up results, although Carshalton will be keen to rediscover the form that saw them win their opening five league fixtures.
Home advantage could prove important. The Robins have won all three of their league games so far at Colston Avenue, having already recorded victories against Wingate & Finchley, Cray Wanderers and Brentwood Town. Following Monday’s FA Cup disappointment, they will also have the chance to respond immediately in front of their own supporters.
Dartford will provide another stern test, having beaten Carshalton at Colston Avenue two seasons ago and won convincingly at Princes Park last season. However, the Robins can take confidence from their dominant 4–1 victory in the final meeting of 2024/25.
With both sides aiming for another strong campaign, Saturday’s clash should provide an early indication of how they compare against one another.
Key Player
One of Dartford’s most experienced summer additions is midfielder Scott Wagstaff, who brings a wealth of Football League and non-league experience to the Darts’ squad.
The 36-year-old joined Dartford from Tonbridge Angels in the summer after spending the previous three seasons with the National League South club, where he made more than 100 appearances. Before that, Wagstaff enjoyed an extensive professional career, making more than 100 appearances for Charlton Athletic and also representing Bristol City, Gillingham and AFC Wimbledon.
Wagstaff came through Charlton’s academy and made his first-team debut for the Addicks before going on to gain valuable experience across the Football League. His career has included spells at several clubs, giving him an understanding of different styles of football and the demands of playing at a high level.
That experience is likely to be particularly valuable for a Dartford squad looking to challenge towards the top of the Isthmian Premier Division. The Darts have assembled a squad containing a mixture of youth and experience, and Wagstaff can provide both leadership on the pitch and guidance to younger players away from it.
His ability to operate in midfield also gives Dartford an experienced player capable of helping dictate the tempo of matches. At this level, that experience can prove particularly important during difficult periods of games, when composure and decision-making can make the difference between taking a point and securing all three.
For Carshalton, keeping an eye on Wagstaff’s influence in midfield will be important. His experience could allow Dartford to control periods of the game and provide the platform for their more attacking players to cause problems.
With two sides making strong starts to the campaign, the midfield battle could prove decisive, and Wagstaff’s experience will make him one of Dartford’s key players to watch at Colston Avenue.
The Gaffer
Dartford’s new manager Ben Greenhalgh has taken an unconventional route into management, having experienced the highest levels of the game as a teenager before establishing himself in non-league football.
Greenhalgh first came to wider attention in 2010 when he won Sky’s reality television show Football’s Next Star, beating thousands of young hopefuls to earn a professional contract with Inter Milan. His prize took him to Italy, where he spent time within Inter’s set-up and trained alongside some of the biggest names in world football.
During his time at Inter, Greenhalgh trained with the first team under José Mourinho, working alongside players including Patrick Vieira. His timing was remarkable, as Inter enjoyed one of the greatest seasons in the club’s history in 2009/10, winning Serie A, the Coppa Italia and the Champions League.
Greenhalgh travelled with the Inter squad to Madrid for the Champions League final, where Mourinho’s side defeated Bayern Munich 2–0 through two goals from Diego Milito. Although Greenhalgh did not make a competitive first-team appearance, he was part of the travelling party and received a Champions League winners’ medal.
After leaving Inter, Greenhalgh returned to England and built a career across the professional and non-league game, with spells including Welling United, Ebbsfleet United, Maidstone United, Concord Rangers, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Dartford and Tonbridge Angels. He also spent time at Como on loan while in Italy.
His coaching career developed alongside his playing career. Greenhalgh spent eight seasons working with Dartford’s academy and made 54 appearances for the first team, scoring seven goals. He then took on the role of player-manager at Margate, gaining valuable experience in the dugout and guiding the club to a fourth-place finish in the Isthmian South East Division in his first full season.
His time in management has allowed him to combine the experience gained from playing at a high level with the knowledge developed during his years working within non-league football.
Now back at Dartford as first-team manager, Greenhalgh brings a unique combination of elite football experience, non-league knowledge and a progressive coaching philosophy to Princes Park.
For a young manager, his footballing education has been anything but conventional. From winning Football’s Next Star and training with Inter Milan to being part of a Champions League-winning squad and later developing his coaching career in non-league football, Greenhalgh has experienced a remarkable range of football environments.
Saturday will provide another test of his credentials as Dartford boss, with his side looking to continue their strong start to the league campaign and come away from Colston Avenue with another positive result.
Match Details
Date: Saturday 12th September 2026
Opponents: Dartford FC
Venue: Colston Avenue, SM5 2PW
Competition: Isthmian League
Kick-off: 3pm
Admission: Ticket Prices on the gate: Adult £14, Concession £10, U18 £7
Advance online bookings: Adult £13, Concession £9, U18 £6
Women & Girls FREE
Online booking closes 3 hours before KO
Tickets: Purchase Here or at the turnstiles
