CAFC vs Potters Bar Town – Preview
Following Tuesday’s 2–1 defeat at Welling United, the Robins are back on the road this Saturday as they travel to Hertfordshire to face Potters Bar Town.
Carshalton Athletic
It has been a difficult spell for the Robins, who are now without a win in 15 matches, a run stretching back to 11th November when they secured a 3–2 victory at The Dripping Pan against Lewes. Of those 15 games, seven have ended in draws and eight in defeat. Remarkably, Carshalton have taken the lead in 10 of those matches but have been unable to hold on and convert those advantages into victories.
The Robins currently sit 18th in the table, just one point above the relegation zone. With several sides around them holding games in hand, they know that turning draws into wins is essential if they are to climb the table.
The next four fixtures could prove decisive. The Robins face the bottom two sides in successive matches, beginning with Saturday’s trip to Potters Bar Town, who sit 21st. March opens with a home clash against bottom side Canvey Island, followed by a trip to 14th-placed Cheshunt. The sequence concludes with a home game against 16th-placed Wingate & Finchley the following Saturday. These encounters against teams in and around the relegation zone will be crucial to Carshalton’s survival hopes, particularly with several challenging fixtures still to come later in the campaign.
Last time out, the Robins travelled to Welling United and made a bright start to proceedings. Their early pressure paid off in the ninth minute when Luke Read unleashed a superb strike from 25 yards to give the visitors the lead.
The hosts responded strongly. Former Robin John Ufuah levelled the scores on 21 minutes, before captain Dean Gunner completed the turnaround just before half-time, firing home on 41 minutes to make it 2–1.
The Robins pushed hard for an equaliser after the break, with Chris Dickson and Fabio Saraiva both going close. However, former Carshalton Athletic goalkeeper Mackenzie Foley produced a series of key saves to deny them, and the Wings held on to secure a 2–1 victory.
Potters Bar Town
Potters Bar Town were founded in 1960 as Mount Grace Old Scholars by PE teacher Ken Barrett and former pupils of Mount Grace School in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire. The club began life in the Barnet & District League, steadily progressing through the local divisions and winning the North London Combination Premier Division in 1967–68. Further success followed within the Hertfordshire County League system, with the club earning senior status by winning Division One in 1981–82.
Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Potters Bar Town continued to make steady progress. They won the South Midlands League Premier Division titles in 1996–97 and 2004–05 and began competing regularly in the FA Cup from the mid-1990s onwards. Ground improvements – including the installation of turnstiles sourced from the old Wembley Stadium – facilitated further promotions up the non-league pyramid.
More recent history has been characterised by consolidation in the Isthmian League Premier Division. After securing promotion in 2017–18, the club established itself at this level, recording a series of mid-table finishes in the early 2020s. Their best FA Cup runs in the modern era saw them reach the Fourth Qualifying Round on multiple occasions (2006–07, 2016–17, 2019–20), underlining their ability to compete with higher-ranked non-league opposition.
In 2024–25, Potters Bar finished 14th in the Isthmian Premier Division — a solid return, particularly as they played their home fixtures at Kings Langley’s Orbital Fasteners Stadium. Infrastructure investment has continued, with significant upgrades at the Lantern Community Stadium in 2024, including the installation of a new 3G surface and an additional stand ahead of the 2025–26 season.
This season, however, has been far more challenging. The Scholars currently sit 21st with a record of seven wins, two draws and 22 defeats. They are six points adrift of safety with 11 games remaining and must begin picking up victories quickly if they are to avoid relegation to Step 4 – starting with Saturday’s home clash against Carshalton.
Head to Head
Last season, the Robins completed a league double over the Scholars. In the meeting at Colston Avenue, played on a Monday night in November, Carshalton took an early lead through David Smith’s penalty. Brandon Adams equalised for Potters Bar, but Bryan Ifeanyi scored his first goal for the club to restore the advantage and secure all three points for the Robins.
The return fixture was staged at Kings Langley due to ongoing work on Potters Bar’s artificial surface at the Lantern Community Stadium. On a cold Friday night in February, it took until the 84th minute for the deadlock to be broken, with Luke Read bundling home to give the Robins a vital three points in their play-off push.
Earlier this season, the sides met at Colston Avenue in November. The contest was finely balanced until William Oduwa was sent off for the Scholars in the 67th minute after receiving two bookings. Luke Read struck three minutes later to make it 1–0. As Potters Bar pushed for a late equaliser, the Robins broke on the counter, and Read added his second in the 90th minute to seal the three points.
Team News
Carshalton Athletic
Luke Read netted his fifth goal of the season in Tuesday night’s defeat to Welling United. After a cross was headed clear, the ball dropped to Read 25 yards from goal, and he rifled a strike into the bottom corner. That effort moves him up to third in Carshalton’s scoring charts, behind Ifeanyi and Salami.
Read has a knack for scoring important goals – including the 84th-minute winner in last season’s corresponding away fixture against Potters Bar, a 1–0 victory.
Comfortable across the back line and in midfield, Read’s versatility will be vital for Steven Bates’ side over the final 10 games, as the Bates looks to guide the Robins clear of the relegation zone.
Pre-Match Analysis
After Tuesday’s setback against Welling United, the Robins must regroup quickly ahead of another crucial encounter. With time running out, this is effectively a six-pointer that neither side can afford to lose.
Potters Bar have won one of their last five matches, but that victory came in their most recent home outing, when they stunned high-flying Dartford with a 1–0 win.
Carshalton, meanwhile, have won their last three meetings with the Scholars and will be aiming to make it four in succession on Saturday.
Key Player
Striker Brandon Adams joined Potters Bar at the start of the 2023/24 season from Ware FC and made an immediate impact, scoring 19 goals in his debut campaign. He followed that with 15 goals last season, including the equaliser at Colston Avenue against the Robins.
Despite a difficult season for the Scholars, the 27-year-old has scored seven league goals so far, many of them decisive. These include the winner in a 1–0 victory over Canvey Island and, more recently, the opening goal in a 2–1 win at Cray Valley PM. Adams has also found the net in an FA Cup tie against Hitchin Town and in an entertaining Velocity Trophy clash with Hayes & Yeading United. A firm fan favourite, he will be eager to add to his tally as he looks to help lift his side out of the relegation zone.
The Gaffer
Sammy Moore returned as Potters Bar Town manager after Max Mitchell departed in November following his side’s 2–0 defeat at Colston Avenue.
Moore began his career as a youth player at Charlton Athletic and Chelsea before moving to Ipswich Town, where he made his professional debut. He went on to play for Brentford, Stevenage Borough and Dover Athletic, before spending five years with AFC Wimbledon. Later spells included Leyton Orient, after which he joined Leatherhead as player-manager.
His success at Fetcham Grove – where he guided Leatherhead to a memorable cup run and narrowly missed out on the play-offs on goal difference – earned him a move to Concord Rangers in National League South. After leading Concord to the play-offs, he departed to take charge of Hemel Hempstead Town, leaving at the end of the 2019–20 season.
Moore joined Potters Bar Town at the start of 2022 before moving to Faversham Town with the Scholars sitting top of the table. He left Faversham in January 2024, and his most recent role prior to returning to Potters Bar was a brief spell in charge of Hythe Town, overseeing six matches before departing in August 2024.
Match Details
Date: Saturday 28th February 2026
Opponents: Potters Bar Town
Venue: The Lantern Stadium, EN6 1QB
Competition: Isthmian League
Kick-off: 3pm
Admission: Adults £13, Over 65 £10, 17-21 £5, U16s £1
Tickets: Purchase at the turnstiles
