CAFC vs Dover Athletic – Preview
Carshalton Athletic are back on the road for their eighth and final pre-season friendly on Saturday afternoon as they travel to National League South side Dover Athletic.
Carshalton Athletic
The 2025/26 season proved to be a challenging campaign for Carshalton Athletic, with the Robins spending much of the year battling against relegation. However, when it mattered most, they delivered – securing their Isthmian League Premier Division status on the final day of the season.
Knowing a positive result was required against St Albans, Carshalton produced a vital performance at Colston Avenue. A brilliant first-half strike from Nathan Young-Coombes proved decisive, earning the Robins a 1–0 victory and ensuring they would remain at step three for another season.
Steven Bates continues as first-team manager heading into the new campaign, and preparations for the 2026/27 season are now nearing completion, with seven pre-season fixtures played and just one remaining.
The Robins’ pre-season schedule got off to the perfect start at the beginning of July, as they recorded an emphatic 4–0 victory over a Bromley XI. After a goalless first half, Charlie George stole the headlines with a superb hat-trick, while Tope Fadahunsi also got on the scoresheet to complete an impressive opening display.
Carshalton then faced tougher tests against National League South opposition, welcoming Hampton & Richmond Borough and Farnborough to Colston Avenue. Despite competitive performances, the Robins were narrowly defeated 1–0 by Hampton before suffering a 3–1 loss to Farnborough, with Tope Fadahunsi scoring a late consolation goal.
The Robins travelled away from home for the first time in pre-season with a visit to fellow step three side Hanworth Villa. Carshalton made the perfect start, taking the lead through Tope Fadahunsi, but the hosts responded after the break with two second-half goals to secure a 2–1 victory.
Next came two fixtures against Step 5 opposition, with Carshalton facing Sutton Common Rovers and Sheerwater. A strong Robins side proved too much for Sutton Common Rovers, recording an impressive 6–0 win. Ryan Huke and Charles Hagan both struck twice, while Nathan Young-Coombes and Charlie George also found the net.
The trip to Sheerwater provided an opportunity for several trialists and academy players to make their mark. Despite fielding a youthful side, Carshalton produced another entertaining attacking performance to claim a 5–3 victory. Trialist A impressed with a hat-trick, while Trialist B added two more goals.
Last time out, the Robins welcomed an AFC Wimbledon XI to Colston Avenue in a thrilling goal-fest. Carshalton ran out 9–4 winners, with Nathan Young-Coombes scoring four times, Charles Hagan adding another, and Tyrese Osbourne and Tope Fadahunsi also getting on the scoresheet with two goals each.
With pre-season now drawing to a close, only one fixture remains before competitive action begins. Steven Bates’ side travel to National League South opposition Dover for their final test ahead of the new campaign.
Attention will then turn to the start of the 2026/27 Isthmian League Premier Division season. Carshalton open their campaign on Saturday 8th August with an away trip to face AFC Whyteleafe, with the fixture being played at Cray Wanderers’ Flamingo Park. The Robins will then return to Colston Avenue for their first home league match on Monday 10th August, welcoming Wingate & Finchley.
Dover Athletic
Dover Athletic Football Club was formed in 1983 following the demise of Dover FC, taking over the club’s place in the Southern League and continuing football at the Crabble Athletic Ground. The club quickly established itself in non-league football, winning the Southern League title twice before enjoying one of its most successful periods under manager Chris Kinnear. Back-to-back promotions culminated in a return to the National League in 2014, where Dover became an established force and even reached the National League play-offs in 2015 and 2016, narrowly missing out on a place in the English Football League.
Recent years, however, have been far more challenging. Financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic saw Dover withdraw from the curtailed 2020-21 National League season after funding issues made completing fixtures unsustainable. As a consequence, the club began the 2021-22 campaign with a 12-point deduction and endured a difficult season, finishing bottom of the National League and suffering relegation.
Despite that setback, Dover have worked hard to rebuild on the pitch. After competing in National League South, the club enjoyed a resurgence during the 2024-25 season, winning promotion back to the National League South after winning the Isthmian Premier Division playoffs. The success marked an important turning point, with a young squad and renewed optimism restoring belief among supporters.
Today, Dover Athletic are focused on re-establishing themselves higher up the non-league pyramid. With stability returning and ambitions of climbing further, the Whites are determined to write a new chapter in the club’s history while building on the resilience shown during one of the most testing periods in their existence.
Head To Head
Carshalton’s last visit to Dover came in February 2024, when the Robins produced an impressive 3–1 victory over the odds.
Despite going into the match as underdogs, Carshalton took the lead late in the first half through David Smith. Dover were handed a golden opportunity to draw level after the break when they were awarded a penalty, but Mackenzie Foley denied Luke Baptiste from the spot to preserve the Robins’ advantage.
The visitors took control in the second half as Mason Saunders-Henry and Joshua Shonibare both found the net to extend the lead to 3–0. Baptiste pulled one back late on for Dover, but it proved to be nothing more than a consolation as Carshalton secured an outstanding 3–1 win.
Team News
Carshalton Athletic
The close season is always one of the busiest periods of the year for football managers, particularly at non-league level, and Steven Bates has been working tirelessly to shape his Carshalton Athletic squad ahead of the new campaign.
With the opening league fixture against AFC Whyteleafe on Saturday 8th August fast approaching, Bates has been carefully assessing his options during pre-season before finalising his squad for the season ahead.
The first priority was securing the futures of several key members of the squad. Influential midfielder Fabio Saraiva was among the first players to commit his future to the Robins, alongside defenders Fikayo Atewologun and Denzel Akyeampong. Former Millwall winger Kavalli Heywood will also remain at Colston Avenue, while midfielder Charlie George has agreed to continue his development with the club.
George is expected to play an important role this season and has already made a strong impression during pre-season. The midfielder announced his return with a hat-trick against a Bromley XI before following that performance with a stunning strike in the Robins’ victory over Sutton Common Rovers.
Striker Nathan Young-Coombes has also agreed terms for another season after making a significant impact following his arrival in March. The former Brentford forward scored five goals in just nine appearances last season, including crucial winning goals against Cheshunt and St Albans City. He has continued that form during pre-season, opening his account against Sutton Common Rovers before scoring four times in the 9-4 victory over an AFC Wimbledon XI.
Winger Tolu Ladapo has featured prominently during the summer preparations, while Ryan Huke has returned after spending the end of last season on loan from Farnborough. Huke caught the eye in the Robins’ emphatic 6-0 win over Sutton Common Rovers, scoring twice during an impressive first-half display.
Academy graduate Joshua Koroma has also featured in the majority of pre-season fixtures and could become part of Bates’ plans for the campaign ahead.
Bates has also strengthened his squad with several new additions, including forward Tope Fadahunsi. The striker joins after leaving Chatham Town, where he scored 17 goals in all competitions last season as the Chats reached the Isthmian Premier Division play-offs.
Fadahunsi already has experience of scoring against Carshalton, having found the net at Colston Avenue in January, and he has made an immediate impact in Robins colours during pre-season. The forward has scored against a Bromley XI, Farnborough and Hanworth Villa before producing a two-goal display against an AFC Wimbledon XI.
Defender Ethan Kaiser arrives following an outstanding campaign with Brentwood Town, while goalkeeper Ben Dudzinski has joined after his spell with Havant & Waterlooville.
There have also been several notable departures as Bates continues to reshape the squad.
Club legend Tommy Bradford has ended his 14-year association with Carshalton Athletic after joining Isthmian South East Division side Merstham. Luke Read, who made more than 200 appearances for the Robins, has moved closer to home by signing for Brentwood Town.
Last season’s top scorer Bryan Ifeanyi has earned a move up the football pyramid, joining National League side Forest Green Rovers under manager Robbie Savage. Kola Salami has also stepped up to National League South after completing a move to Dover Athletic, who the Robins will face on Saturday.
Defender Laurence Ernest has departed following an impressive season at Colston Avenue, securing a move to newly promoted National League South club Walton & Hersham. Eddie Allsopp has also left the club and remains a free agent.
With a strong core of experienced players retained, exciting new additions brought in and encouraging performances throughout pre-season, Bates will hope his refreshed squad is ready to compete when the new campaign gets underway.
Pre-Match Analysis
Carshalton Athletic round off their pre-season programme on Saturday with their eighth and final friendly of the summer, having enjoyed a campaign that has produced a mixture of encouraging results and attacking fireworks.
The Robins have recorded victories over a Bromley XI, Sutton Common Rovers, Sheerwater and an AFC Wimbledon XI, while narrow defeats to Hampton & Richmond Borough, Farnborough and Hanworth Villa have provided valuable tests against strong opposition.
Recent performances, however, suggest the Robins are building momentum at exactly the right time. Across their last three outings they have scored an impressive 20 goals, hitting six against Sutton Common Rovers, five against Sheerwater and nine against an AFC Wimbledon XI. Leading the charge in front of goal have been Nathan Young-Coombes and Tope Fadahunsi, who have each netted five times during pre-season and will be hoping to carry that form into the competitive campaign.
Saturday’s hosts, Dover Athletic, are preparing for their second consecutive season in the National League South. They’ll be eager to deliver a strong performance in their final warm-up fixture before opening their league campaign away to National League South newcomers Billericay.
With the competitive season now just around the corner, both sides are entering the final stages of their preparations. For Carshalton, attention will soon turn to the start of their ninth consecutive season in the Isthmian Premier Division. The Robins begin their league campaign on Saturday 8th August with a trip to AFC Whyteleafe before returning to Colston Avenue two days later to entertain Wingate & Finchley. After an encouraging and increasingly prolific pre-season, they’ll be aiming to carry that momentum into the new campaign and make a positive start.
Key Player
Dequane Wilson-Braithwaite arrives at Dover Athletic with a growing reputation as one of the most consistent and versatile players to emerge from the Isthmian Premier Division. The 24-year-old defensive midfielder joins the Whites after an outstanding 2025/26 campaign with Cheshunt, where he made 41 appearances and scored eight goals, underlining his ability to contribute at both ends of the pitch.
Comfortable operating as a holding midfielder or in defence, Wilson-Braithwaite combines physical presence with composure on the ball. His willingness to break up opposition attacks, coupled with an eye for goal from deeper areas, made him one of Cheshunt’s standout performers and earned him a move to National League South football. Cheshunt described him as their Manager’s Player of the Year and praised his consistency, professionalism and goalscoring contribution before agreeing to his switch to Dover.
Wilson-Braithwaite’s football journey has seen him develop through the youth systems of Tottenham Hotspur and Luton Town before gaining valuable senior experience with Potters Bar Town, Carshalton Athletic, Enfield Town, Royston Town, Bedford Town, Hastings United and Cheshunt. That progression has helped shape a player who understands the demands of non-league football and arrives at Crabble with plenty of experience despite his relatively young age.
For Dover Athletic, his signing adds strength, athleticism and depth to the midfield ahead of the new campaign. Supporters will hope Wilson-Braithwaite can replicate the form that made him such an influential figure at Cheshunt, while continuing his upward trajectory as the Whites look to enjoy a successful season in the National League South.
The Gaffer
Jake Leberl has enjoyed an impressive rise as manager of Dover Athletic, helping to restore stability and optimism during a challenging period in the club’s history. Appointed first-team manager in December 2023 after returning as assistant manager only weeks earlier, Leberl inherited a side facing relegation from the National League South. Although relegation could not be avoided, he quickly set about rebuilding both the squad and the club’s belief, laying the foundations for an immediate recovery.
His greatest managerial achievement came during the 2024–25 season, when he guided Dover Athletic back to the National League South at the first attempt. Under his leadership, the team became one of the strongest sides in the Isthmian League Premier Division, combining defensive organisation with an attacking style that produced consistent results. Dover secured promotion by winning the play-offs, a significant accomplishment that capped an outstanding first full season in charge.
Leberl’s success has been built on more than results alone. A former Dover player with nearly 200 appearances and many years as assistant manager, he possesses a deep understanding of the club’s identity and culture. His recruitment, man-management and tactical discipline have helped create a united squad capable of competing under pressure. He has also been recognised individually, receiving the Isthmian League Manager of the Month award after an unbeaten run that kept Dover at the top of the table.
By delivering promotion, rebuilding confidence and reconnecting supporters with the team, Jake Leberl has established himself as one of Dover Athletic’s most influential modern managers and has positioned the club for continued progress.
Match Details
Date: Saturday 1st August 2026
Opponents: Dover Athletic
Venue: Crabble Athletic Ground, CT17 0QE
Competition: Friendly
Kick-off: 1pm
Admission: Adult £10 / Conc £9 / U18s £5 / U11s Free
Tickets: purchase at the turnstiles
