CAFC vs Ramsgate – Preview
Following Sunday’s dramatic penalty shootout victory over Southall, the Robins return to league action this weekend, making the trip to Kent to take on Ramsgate.
Carshalton Athletic
Carshalton Athletic head into Saturday’s trip to Ramsgate with renewed confidence after putting together back-to-back comeback victories. The Robins overturned a two-goal deficit at Maldon & Tiptree before producing another fightback against Southall in the FA Trophy, eventually prevailing on penalties to reach the first round proper.
The campaign had started at pace, with Steven Bates’ side taking maximum points from their opening five league matches. Wins over AFC Whyteleafe and Wingate & Finchley, both by a 2–0 scoreline, were followed by a 2–1 victory against Cray Wanderers.
Further successes at Stanway Rovers and against Brentwood Town maintained Carshalton’s perfect start and established them as one of the early contenders near the top of the table.
Their unbeaten beginning was ended at Three Bridges on Bank Holiday Monday, where the hosts edged a five-goal contest 3–2. Tope Fadahunsi and Nathan Young-Coombes were on target for the Robins, but it was the home side who claimed the points.
The focus then switched to the FA Cup, although Carshalton were unable to progress beyond the first qualifying round. A 1–1 draw at Chertsey Town, in which Young-Coombes opened the scoring before Luke Robertson converted from the penalty spot, set up a replay at Colston Avenue. The visitors eventually secured a 2–1 victory, with Lachlan Byrd and Robertson putting Chertsey in control before Ada Okorogheye reduced the deficit.
Two further league defeats followed, as Dartford and Lewes both got the better of the Robins. The latter was particularly difficult to take, with Lewes running out 3–0 winners at the Dripping Pan.
Carshalton’s response, however, has been emphatic. At Maldon & Tiptree, they found themselves 2–0 down within the opening five minutes but refused to let the game slip away. Rob Howard started the recovery before new signing Will Bratvedt turned the match on its head, scoring twice and completing the comeback with an 87th-minute winner.
Southall provided another test of the Robins’ character in the FA Trophy. Two goals behind at half-time, Carshalton once again fought their way back, with Young-Coombes reducing the deficit from the spot before Fikayo Atewologun’s stoppage time header forced a penalty shootout.
Ben Dudzinski proved decisive from the spot, making two saves as Carshalton kept their nerve. Masampu, Kandolo, Douglas and Young-Coombes all converted their penalties to secure a 4–3 shootout victory.
With six wins from their opening nine league games, Bates’ side will now look to take the confidence generated by those recent comebacks into Saturday’s meeting with Ramsgate at Southwood.
Ramsgate
Ramsgate Football Club can trace its history in the town back to 1886, with the club playing at Southwood for much of its existence. The present-day club was formed in 1945 as Ramsgate Athletic following the Second World War, before adopting the name Ramsgate in 1972.
The club enjoyed particularly successful periods during the 1950s and 2000s. Ramsgate won back-to-back Kent League titles in 1955/56 and 1956/57, while they also reached the first round proper of the FA Cup in 1955, narrowly losing 5–3 away to Watford. More than half a century later, they repeated that achievement in 2005/06 after winning the Isthmian League Division One title.
The Rams’ recent rise has been particularly notable. They finished as runners-up in the Isthmian League Division One South East in both 2022/23 and 2023/24, narrowly missing out on promotion through the play-offs. The breakthrough finally came in 2024/25, when Ramsgate won the division with 35 victories from 42 league matches, scoring 127 goals and securing promotion to the Isthmian Premier Division.
That 2023/24 campaign also saw Ramsgate reach the second round proper of the FA Cup for the first time in their history. They defeated AFC Totton and Woking before eventually going out to AFC Wimbledon.
Their first season back at Step 3 ended with a 10th-place finish in 2025/26, while they also reached the Velocity Cup final. Ramsgate have now begun their second season in the Isthmian Premier Division under new manager Adrian Pennock, who was appointed in April 2026.
Head To Head
The sides met twice in the league last season, with both encounters producing closely fought contests.
The first meeting took place in October at Southwood Stadium. Carshalton took the lead in the first half when Fabio Saraiva’s effort took a decisive touch off Kola Salami, but Ramsgate responded after the interval through Tijan Jadama and Joe Taylor. The Robins looked set to leave Kent empty-handed, only for David Smith to rescue a point with a late header, leaving the sides level at 2–2.
The return fixture at Colston Avenue in February was Steven Bates’ first game in charge of the Robins. Solomon Ogunwomoju opened the scoring for the visitors before Bryan Ifeanyi equalised just before half-time. Ogunwomoju struck again four minutes after the restart, and despite late pressure, Carshalton could not find a second equaliser as Ramsgate ran out 2–1 winners.
Both matches demonstrated how fine the margins can be between the sides, with Ramsgate taking four points from the two encounters.
Team News
Carshalton Athletic
Steven Bates introduced another new signing during Sunday’s penalty shootout victory over Southall, with Kai Douglas making his debut from the bench.
The new arrival was immediately involved when the pressure was at its highest. Douglas stepped up to take a penalty in the shootout and showed no sign of nerves, confidently burying his effort into the corner as Carshalton eventually prevailed 4–3.
That willingness to take responsibility on his debut will have pleased Bates, particularly given the circumstances. Penalty shootouts can be an unforgiving introduction to a new club, but Douglas embraced the moment and delivered when his new side needed him.
Pre-Match Analysis
Saturday’s meeting at Southwood Stadium brings together two sides who have made encouraging starts to the 2026/27 Isthmian Premier Division campaign, although their records have been achieved in slightly different ways.
Ramsgate have taken four wins, one draw and three defeats from their opening eight league matches, giving them 13 points. They have also demonstrated an ability to score goals, with 19 league goals to their name and a +9 goal difference. Their home form has been an important part of that start, with victories over St Albans City, AFC Whyteleafe and Maldon & Tiptree at Southwood already this season.
Carshalton, meanwhile, have won six and lost three of their nine league fixtures, collecting 18 points. The Robins made a perfect start by winning their first five matches before defeats to Three Bridges, Dartford and Lewes interrupted their progress. Their response has been encouraging, though, with the victory at Maldon & Tiptree providing a much-needed boost before Saturday’s FA Trophy success at Southall.
Southwood is likely to provide another significant test. Ramsgate have already shown that they are capable of turning home advantage into points, while the Robins will need to cope with a side that has scored freely on its own ground.
The recent head-to-head record also suggests that there may be little between the teams. Last season’s meetings finished 2–2 and 2–1 to Ramsgate, with both matches going down to the wire.
With both sides looking to establish themselves in the upper reaches of the division, Saturday’s encounter promises another competitive meeting between two teams with plenty of attacking threat.
Key Player
Ramsgate’s new goalkeeper Jonathan ‘Jonny’ Henly arrives at Southwood with extensive experience across the non-League game and a background that includes time in the professional game and international football.
Henly began his career with Reading and made 24 appearances for the club’s Under-21 side. He subsequently enjoyed loan spells with Aldershot Town, Oxford United, Welling United, Basingstoke and Maidenhead United before joining Ipswich Town in 2015. He has also represented Scotland at both Under-19 and Under-21 level.
The goalkeeper established himself at Tonbridge Angels, where he spent seven seasons and became a key figure in the club’s rise. His most significant achievement there came in 2019, when he helped the Angels secure promotion to the National League South through the play-offs.
Henly subsequently spent the 2024/25 season with Folkestone Invicta, making 45 appearances, before joining Dartford for the 2025/26 campaign. He was a regular throughout the season, making 45 appearances and keeping 12 clean sheets.
His performances earned him a move to Ramsgate in the summer, giving Adrian Pennock an experienced goalkeeper with a strong track record at this level.
For the Rams, Henly brings not only shot-stopping ability but also considerable experience of promotion campaigns and high-pressure matches. He will be hoping to play another important role as Ramsgate look to build on their return to Step 3.
The Gaffer
Adrian Pennock brings a wealth of experience to the Ramsgate dugout, both from his playing career and from more than two decades working in coaching and management.
As a player, Pennock came through the Norwich City academy before moving on to AFC Bournemouth, where he made 131 appearances. He subsequently spent seven seasons with Gillingham, playing 168 times and helping the club achieve promotion to the First Division through the play-offs in 2000. He finished his playing career with Gravesend & Northfleet.
His managerial career began with Welling United before he moved into coaching at Stoke City, working under Tony Pulis. He then took charge of Forest Green Rovers in 2013, where he guided the club to successive record league finishes. In 2014/15, Forest Green finished fifth in the Conference Premier and reached the play-offs, before Pennock took them to an even higher second-place finish the following season.
Pennock subsequently managed Gillingham and Barrow before moving overseas to take charge of Brunei side DPMM. His spell there proved particularly successful, as he guided the club to the Singapore Premier League title in his first season and was named the league’s Coach of the Year.
He returned to English football with Dartford in March 2024 and immediately helped transform the club’s fortunes. Dartford reached the National League South play-off final in his first full season, narrowly missing out on promotion to the fifth tier. In 2025/26, the Darts finished sixth in the Isthmian Premier Division with 72 points.
Pennock was appointed Ramsgate manager in April 2026, succeeding Lee Martin. He arrives at Southwood with a clear record of working successfully at both Step 3 and Step 2 level, as well as experience in the Football League and overseas.
His appointment adds another intriguing dimension to Saturday’s meeting, with Pennock facing a Carshalton side that will be keen to maintain the momentum generated by its recent comeback victories.
Match Details
Date: Saturday 3rd October 2026
Opponents: Ramsgate
Competition: Isthmian Premier League
KO: 3pm
Venue: Southwood Stadium, Price’s Ave, Ramsgate CT11 0AN
Admissions: Adult £15, Concession £12, U18 Free
Tickets: Purchase Here or at the turnstiles
