CAFC vs Lewes – Preview
Following Saturday’s 3–0 defeat to Dartford, the Robins are back on the road on Tuesday evening as they make the trip to The Dripping Pan to take on Lewes.
Carshalton Athletic
Carshalton Athletic will be looking to put a challenging few days behind them when they travel to The Dripping Pan on Tuesday evening to face Lewes. The Robins have suffered back-to-back setbacks, first exiting the FA Cup at the hands of Chertsey Town before falling to a 3–0 league defeat against Dartford on Saturday.
Those results have brought a difficult spell into sharper focus, with Carshalton now four matches without a win in all competitions. That represents a significant change in fortunes from the opening weeks of the season, when Steven Bates’ side raced out of the blocks and won each of their first five league fixtures.
The Robins currently sit on 15 points from their opening seven league games, having recorded five victories and two defeats. Their early form has also been reflected at both ends of the pitch, with Carshalton scoring 12 goals while conceding just eight during those opening seven matches.
It was a perfect start to the campaign as Carshalton claimed consecutive 2–0 victories. They began with an impressive away success against AFC Whyteleafe before producing another clean-sheet victory at Colston Avenue against Wingate & Finchley.
Cray Wanderers provided a sterner test in the third game, but the Robins maintained their winning run. After Alex Hernandez cancelled out Carshalton’s opener, the home side continued to push forward and were rewarded when Matt Yates found the net to secure a 2–1 victory.
The winning mentality was tested again on the road at Stanway Rovers. Carshalton found themselves behind inside the first three minutes when Stephen Toussaint put the hosts in front, but Bates’ team responded strongly. Jack Jebb levelled from the penalty spot after Nathan Young-Coombes was brought down inside the area, before Prince Kandolo completed the turnaround in the second half, heading home from a corner to make it four successive victories.
Carshalton then made it five wins from five with another 2–0 triumph, this time against Brentwood Town. Young-Coombes was once again central to the result, scoring both goals to continue what had been an excellent start to his season.
The unbeaten run finally came to an end on Bank Holiday Monday at Three Bridges. Despite goals from Tope Fadahunsi and Young-Coombes, the Robins were edged out 3–2, suffering their first league defeat of the campaign.
Their attention then switched to the FA Cup, where Chertsey Town stood between Carshalton and a place in the next round. The initial meeting at Alwyns Lane was a closely fought and increasingly fiery contest. Young-Coombes put the Robins ahead, only for Luke Robertson to restore parity from the penalty spot.
The match became increasingly fractious as the afternoon progressed, eventually seeing both sides reduced to 10 men. Jack Jebb was shown a red card for Carshalton, while Chertsey also lost Ridgley to dismissal. Neither side could find a winning goal, meaning a replay was required at Colston Avenue.
The replay produced a very different opening. Chertsey took control early on and went into the interval with a two-goal advantage, with Lachlan Byrd and Luke Robertson both finding the net, the latter again from the penalty spot.
Carshalton responded positively after the restart and gave themselves hope when Ada Okorogheye pulled a goal back. The Robins were unable to complete the comeback, however, and their FA Cup campaign came to an end at the first hurdle for the second successive season.
There was further disappointment on Saturday as Carshalton returned to league action against Dartford at Colston Avenue. The visitors dominated proceedings and eventually recorded a convincing 3–0 victory, with Jez Pinder, Ben Greenhalgh and Dan Smith all getting on the scoresheet.
The Robins therefore arrive in Lewes looking for a response and a chance to rediscover the form that saw them establish themselves among the early pace-setters. Despite the recent results, the opening weeks of the campaign demonstrated the quality within Bates’ squad, with Carshalton showing both an ability to score goals and a defensive resilience that helped them build their early winning run.
Tuesday’s trip to The Dripping Pan presents an opportunity to draw a line under the recent disappointments. With Lewes also looking to bounce back from their own difficult few days, the Robins will know they face a tough test, but a positive result could provide the perfect platform from which to rebuild their momentum.
Lewes
Lewes will also be looking to bounce back when Carshalton visit The Dripping Pan on Tuesday evening, with the Rooks hoping to put two disappointing results behind them.
Craig Nelson’s side endured a difficult start to their league campaign, suffering a 4–0 home defeat to Enfield Town, but they responded impressively. A goalless draw away at Whitehawk was followed by a 2–0 victory at St Albans City, giving Lewes their first three points of the season.
The Rooks then continued to build momentum, recording a 3–1 victory over AFC Whyteleafe before making it back-to-back away wins with a 2–0 success at Aveley. They followed that up with another impressive result on Bank Holiday Monday, beating Eastbourne Borough 1–0 to make it four league wins from their opening seven matches.
However, the Rooks have endured a difficult week since then. Their FA Cup campaign came to an end against Cray Wanderers after a dramatic 2–2 draw at The Dripping Pan was followed by a 1–0 defeat in the replay at Flamingo Park. Lewes were then beaten in the league on Saturday, going down 3–2 to Chatham Town at The Bauvill.
Despite those recent setbacks, Lewes’ overall league record remains a positive one, with four victories, one draw and two defeats from their opening seven matches. Nelson’s side have already shown that they possess plenty of attacking threat and the ability to put together strong runs of form, and they will now be looking for a reaction on home soil.
With both teams entering Tuesday’s fixture following defeats on Saturday, there should be plenty of motivation on both sides. Lewes will be hoping home advantage can help them return to winning ways, while Carshalton will be determined to leave The Dripping Pan with a positive result of their own.
Head To Head
The sides met twice in the league last season, with each team winning once.
The first meeting came at Colston Avenue in August. The visitors went ahead inside two minutes through Devonte West, but Bryan Ifeanyi equalised on 22 minutes with a brilliant solo goal. However, Jack Burchell struck the winner for Lewes to secure a 2–1 victory and all three points.
The reverse fixture took place at The Dripping Pan in November. Carshalton made a dream start, opening the scoring in the first minute through Kola Salami, but the hosts responded with two goals from Ryan Bernal.
Just before half-time, Salami scored again with a header to make it 2–2. Both sides pushed for a winner in the second half, and it was the Robins who eventually found it through Tolu Ladapo, with Carshalton running out 3–2 winners.
The two matches produced 10 goals in total, highlighting the entertaining nature of this fixture in recent seasons. With both sides again making strong starts to the current campaign, another closely fought encounter could be in store.
Team News
Carshalton Athletic
Carshalton had two new faces in their squad for Saturday’s game against Dartford, with midfielder Jordan Maguire-Drew starting the match and forward Gabriel Kamavuako coming on for the closing stages.
Maguire-Drew brings a wealth of experience despite being just 28. He began his career with Brighton & Hove Albion and enjoyed loan spells with Worthing, Dagenham & Redbridge, Lincoln City, Coventry City and Wrexham before joining Leyton Orient permanently. He later represented Crawley Town, Woking, Grimsby Town, Yeovil Town, Barnet and Weymouth, as well as having spells with Whitehawk, Lewes and East Grinstead Town. He also helped Coventry City reach the League Two play-offs in 2018 and was part of Leyton Orient’s National League title-winning side in 2018/19.
Twenty-one-year-old Kamavuako has also had an interesting career so far, having come through the academy at Portsmouth before spending time with Essex side Bowers & Pitsea and UAE club Al Qabila.
The pair provide Bates with additional options as Carshalton look to regain their early-season momentum.
Pre-Match Analysis
Both Carshalton Athletic and Lewes have made strong starts to their respective league campaigns, making Tuesday night’s meeting at The Dripping Pan an intriguing contest.
Carshalton’s five wins from their opening seven league matches have established them as one of the early pace-setters in the Isthmian Premier Division. The Robins have shown plenty of attacking quality and resilience during those victories, but their recent form has been less convincing. Defeats to Three Bridges and Dartford, combined with their FA Cup exit against Chertsey Town, mean Bates’ side will be desperate for a response.
Lewes have similarly enjoyed an encouraging opening to the season. Four league victories, alongside a draw and two defeats, have left the Rooks in a competitive position, with their positive run of results during August demonstrating their capabilities.
However, their FA Cup elimination at the hands of Cray Wanderers and Saturday’s defeat to Chatham Town will have provided a reminder that there is little margin for error in this division.
Both sides therefore arrive at The Dripping Pan with something to prove. Neither will want to suffer a third consecutive defeat in all competitions, while both will see Tuesday as an opportunity to put recent disappointment behind them.
With Carshalton possessing plenty of attacking threat and Lewes enjoying home advantage, there may be little to separate the two teams. It promises to be a closely contested encounter, with the side that handles the pressure and takes its chances likely to come away with the points.
Key Player
Ryan Gondoh will be one of the players Carshalton will need to keep a close eye on when they travel to The Dripping Pan.
The 29-year-old winger returned to Lewes in August after two seasons away, rejoining the club where he previously became a popular figure among supporters. During his first spell with the Rooks, Gondoh made 49 appearances across the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns, scoring 14 goals and registering 13 assists.
Gondoh has already shown how dangerous he can be since returning to Sussex. He scored against Lewes while playing for AFC Whyteleafe in the Rooks’ 3–1 victory on 22 August, before completing his return to The Dripping Pan shortly afterwards. He then marked his second debut with a goal in Lewes’ 2–0 victory over Aveley.
His career has also taken him beyond the Isthmian League. Gondoh has previously played for Colchester United in League Two, Wealdstone in the National League and Ayr United in the Scottish Championship.
What makes Gondoh particularly dangerous is his versatility in the wide areas. He is capable of playing on either flank and combines pace and flair with the ability to contribute goals himself. His direct approach can cause problems for defenders, while his experience allows him to find dangerous positions when opportunities arise.
For Carshalton, limiting Gondoh’s influence could be one of the keys to securing a positive result. If the winger is given space to run at defenders, he has the quality to make a significant difference.
The Gaffer
Lewes manager Craig Nelson, affectionately known as ‘Pitts’, has already enjoyed a notable managerial career despite still being relatively early in his time in management.
Nelson began his managerial journey with Glebe, where he quickly developed a reputation for high-intensity, possession-based football. During the 2023/24 campaign, he guided Glebe towards the top of the Southern Counties East Premier Division, with the club eventually finishing third and reaching the play-off semi-finals.
His performances with Glebe earned him the opportunity to step up to the Isthmian Premier Division with Lewes in May 2024. Nelson immediately made an impact, overseeing the club’s best start to a league campaign in more than a decade.
The Rooks won their opening five league matches under Nelson, beating Chatham Town, Bognor Regis Town, Hashtag United, Cray Wanderers and Whitehawk. That perfect start put Lewes at the top of the table and earned Nelson the Isthmian League’s Manager of the Month award for August 2024.
Nelson also guided Lewes into the second round proper of the FA Trophy before leaving the club at the end of the season to take charge of National League South side Tonbridge Angels.
He returned to Lewes in October 2025, taking over a side that had gone 10 matches without a victory. Nelson helped restore confidence, with Lewes going three games unbeaten in December as he began to steady the ship.
Now in his second spell at The Dripping Pan, Nelson has continued to promote an attacking, energetic style of football. His experience of building competitive squads and developing young players makes him an important figure at Lewes, and Tuesday’s meeting with Carshalton will provide another test of his side’s progress.
Match Details
Date: Tuesday 15th September 2026
Opponents: Lewes FC
Competition: Isthmian League
KO: 7:45pm
Venue: The Dripping Pan, BN7 2XA
Admissions: Adult £15, Concession £11, U16 Free
Tickets: Purchase Here or at the turnstiles
