CAFC vs Southall – Preview
Following Saturday’s dramatic 3–2 victory over Maldon & Tiptree, the Robins turn their attention to the FA Trophy as they take on Step 4 side Southall in the Third Qualifying Round.
Carshalton Athletic
Carshalton Athletic will be hoping Saturday’s comeback victory over Maldon & Tiptree can provide the springboard for a return to form. The Robins had endured a difficult spell, going five games without a win in all competitions, but showed plenty of character to recover from two goals down and claim a crucial 3–2 victory.
The season had begun in excellent fashion, with Carshalton winning their opening five league fixtures and collecting a maximum 15 points. Consecutive 2–0 victories over AFC Whyteleafe and Wingate & Finchley were followed by a 2–1 success against Cray Wanderers, before further victories at Stanway Rovers and at home to Brentwood Town established the Robins among the early pace-setters.
The winning run came to an end on Bank Holiday Monday at Three Bridges, where Carshalton were edged out 3–2 despite goals from Tope Fadahunsi and Nathan Young-Coombes.
Attention then turned to the FA Cup and a first-round qualifying tie against Chertsey Town. The first meeting at Alwyns Lane ended 1–1, with Young-Coombes putting the Robins ahead before Luke Robertson equalised from the penalty spot. The tie became increasingly heated, with both sides finishing with 10 men, and a replay was required at Colston Avenue.
Chertsey ultimately progressed after a 2–1 victory in the replay. Lachlan Byrd and Luke Robertson put the visitors two goals ahead before Ada Okorogheye pulled one back, but Carshalton could not find an equaliser.
League defeats to Dartford and Lewes followed, with the latter producing a 3–0 result at the Dripping Pan. The result extended the Robins’ difficult run and left them searching for a response.
That response finally arrived on Saturday at Maldon & Tiptree. Having fallen 2–0 behind inside the opening five minutes, the Robins fought their way back into the contest. Rob Howard pulled one back before new signing Will Bratvedt struck twice, including an 87th-minute winner, to complete an impressive turnaround.
The result will have restored confidence within the squad and given Steven Bates’ side renewed momentum heading into the FA Trophy.
Southall
Southall arrive at Honeycroft enjoying an impressive start to the 2026/27 campaign. The club currently competes in the Isthmian League South Central Division, one level below Carshalton, but their performances so far demonstrate that the difference in divisions should not be taken for granted.
The ’All began their league campaign with a 3–1 home victory over Littlehampton Town before drawing 2–2 away to Harrow Borough. Another entertaining draw followed against Hendon, with Southall coming from behind on several occasions to earn a 3–3 draw. Liam Ferdinand was among the goals in that contest, scoring in the 87th minute.
Southall have also made an excellent start to their FA Trophy campaign. They opened their run with a 2–0 away victory against Windsor & Eton before travelling to Herne Bay in the Second Qualifying Round. A second-half penalty from Daniel Roberts secured a 1–0 victory and booked their place in the Third Qualifying Round.
In league action, Southall continued their unbeaten start by defeating Ascot United 2–1 at home. Ferdinand opened the scoring inside five minutes before Ascot equalised, with Daniel Roberts scoring a stoppage-time winner to secure all three points.
Those results form part of an unbeaten opening to the season in all competitions and underline the progress Southall have made under manager Max Howell.
That progress has been particularly notable in recent seasons. Howell guided the club to promotion from the Combined Counties League Premier North into the Isthmian South Central League, representing Southall’s highest level of football for 30 years at the time. It was also Howell’s second promotion with the club.
Southall then enjoyed another memorable campaign in 2025/26, finishing sixth in the Isthmian South Central Division and winning the Middlesex Senior Cup for the first time in more than 70 years.
The club’s recent rise means Carshalton can expect a competitive encounter at Honeycroft.
Team News
Carshalton Athletic
Manager Steven Bates introduced three new signings during Saturday’s victory over Maldon & Tiptree, with all three making their debuts from the bench.
Hani Hechachena
Hani Hechachena arrives with recent experience of Isthmian football. The defender has featured for AFC Whyteleafe, including during their successful 2025/26 campaign, when the club secured promotion to the Isthmian Premier Division.
Hechachena was also involved in Whyteleafe’s first-team squad at the beginning of the 2026/27 campaign, making an appearance against Ramsgate.
His arrival gives Bates another defensive option as the Robins prepare for a demanding run of fixtures.
Jermaine Anderson
Jermaine Anderson brings significant experience from the professional and National League levels. The midfielder came through the Arsenal academy before joining Peterborough United, where he made 76 league appearances. He also spent time on loan with Doncaster Rovers before moving to Bradford City in 2019.
Anderson subsequently played for Aldershot Town before joining Woking in 2021, spending four seasons with the National League club and making more than 80 league appearances. He also represented England at Under-18 and Under-20 level earlier in his career.
His experience of playing at a higher level should provide valuable depth and leadership to Bates’ midfield options.
Will Bratvedt
Forward Will Bratvedt was the man who made the biggest impact on Saturday. After coming off the bench, Bratvedt netted an equaliser in the 70th minute before completing the turnaround with an 87th-minute winner to give the Robins three crucial points.
The 24-year-old has enjoyed an interesting career to date, including a spell with Norwegian club Alta IF. His two-goal debut could hardly have been more timely, and he will now be hoping to carry that momentum into his first FA Trophy appearance for the club.
Pre-Match Analysis
Sunday’s tie promises to be an intriguing meeting between two sides separated by a division but arriving with plenty of confidence.
Southall have home advantage and have made an unbeaten start to the campaign. Their FA Trophy run has already seen them record victories over Windsor & Eton and Herne Bay, while they have also remained unbeaten in their opening league fixtures.
Their latest league victory against Ascot United demonstrated their ability to remain patient in matches. Liam Ferdinand opened the scoring early, but after Ascot equalised, Southall continued to push and were rewarded when Daniel Roberts struck in stoppage time.
For Carshalton, the biggest positive will be the manner of their comeback against Maldon & Tiptree. Going 2–0 down inside the opening five minutes could easily have resulted in another difficult afternoon, but the Robins showed character to turn the game around and claim a 3–2 victory.
That comeback could prove particularly important psychologically after a difficult run of results. The Robins will now look to transfer that renewed confidence into the cup.
The fact that Southall compete one division below Carshalton will add an extra element to the tie, but the home side’s unbeaten start means the Robins will need to approach the match with the same intensity they showed when recovering from Saturday’s early setback.
With Southall on home soil and Carshalton arriving with renewed confidence, the key battle could be whether the Robins can impose their greater experience at Step 3 level or whether Southall’s momentum and home advantage can carry them into the next round.
There will be no replay should the scores be level after 90 minutes, with the tie going straight to a penalty shoot-out. That means both sides know that the contest could ultimately be decided from 12 yards.
Key Player
One player Carshalton will need to keep a particularly close eye on is Southall striker Liam Ferdinand.
Ferdinand is an experienced and proven goalscorer across the non-league pyramid and has built a reputation for finding the net consistently for a number of clubs. His career has included spells with Marlow, Bracknell Town, Binfield, Thatcham Town, Hungerford Town, Harrow Borough, Metropolitan Police, Farnborough, Chesham United and Basingstoke Town.
His record at several of those clubs demonstrates why he remains such an important attacking threat. During his time with Metropolitan Police, Ferdinand scored 25 goals in 29 appearances, while he also enjoyed an extremely productive spell at Binfield, where he scored more than 60 goals across two seasons.
He has also experienced success on the Wembley stage. Ferdinand was part of the Thatcham Town side that reached the FA Vase final in 2017/18 and subsequently helped Binfield reach the 2020/21 final. He also represented the England C team during his time at Bracknell Town.
The striker has already made an impact for Southall this season. He scored in the 3–3 draw at Hendon before finding the net again in the 2–1 victory over Ascot United, opening the scoring after just five minutes.
Ferdinand’s movement, experience and eye for goal make him a natural focal point for Southall’s attack. Carshalton’s defence will need to remain alert throughout, particularly when Ferdinand is allowed space inside the penalty area.
The Gaffer
Max Howell has played a central role in Southall’s recent rise through the non-league pyramid.
Howell has been at the heart of the club’s development over the past several seasons, building a squad that has gradually taken Southall from the lower levels of the non-league system towards the Isthmian League. The club describes the current team as one assembled over a three-to-four-year period under Howell’s management.
One of his most significant achievements came when Southall secured promotion from the Combined Counties League Premier North into the Isthmian South Central League. The promotion took the club to its highest level for 30 years and represented Howell’s second promotion with Southall.
The progress did not stop there. Southall’s 2025/26 campaign ended with a sixth-place finish in the Isthmian South Central Division, with the club making a dramatic improvement during the closing months of the season. Howell’s side also won the Middlesex Senior Cup, ending a wait of more than 70 years for the trophy.
That cup success was particularly notable given the difficulties Southall had experienced earlier in the campaign. Howell himself reflected that there had been concerns about the team’s position earlier in the season before their late improvement transformed the campaign.
The current season has provided further evidence of that progression. Southall began 2026/27 unbeaten and have already negotiated two rounds of the FA Trophy, defeating Windsor & Eton and Herne Bay without conceding a goal.
Howell therefore takes charge of a Southall side that has enjoyed sustained progress under his leadership. With promotion already achieved, a strong league finish and a major cup success added to the club’s recent history, the manager will now be looking to take another step forward by guiding Southall into the next round of the FA Trophy.
Match Details
Date: SUNDAY 27th September 2026
Opponents: Southall
Competition: FA Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round
KO: 3pm
Venue: Honeycroft Stadium, Horton Road, UB7 8HX (Home of Uxbridge FC)
Admissions: Adult £10, Concession £5, U16 £1
Tickets: Purchase at the turnstiles
