CAFC vs Wingate and Finchley Replay – Preview
After playing out a goalless draw on Saturday, Carshalton Athletic and Wingate & Finchley will meet again on Tuesday night in a replay to determine who progresses to the second qualifying round of the FA Cup. This time, the tie moves to Wingate’s Maurice Rebak Stadium, with the Robins making the midweek trip to North London.
With a winner needing to be decided on the night, extra time and penalties will come into play if the scores remain level after 90 minutes. By kick-off, the draw for the next round will already have been made, potentially adding extra motivation for both sides.
Carshalton Athletic
Following a difficult Bank Holiday weekend in which they conceded seven goals across matches against Dartford and Chichester, Carshalton delivered a more disciplined performance on Saturday, securing their third clean sheet of the season. The Robins looked far more solid at the back, but they still haven’t hit their stride going forward, having scored just five goals in six competitive matches so far.
Wingate and Finchley
Despite a tough start to the season that’s seen them pick up only one point from their first five games, Wingate & Finchley will take confidence from their showing at Colston Avenue. They earned their first clean sheet of the season and looked threatening in attack.
Having never reached the First Round Proper of the FA Cup, Wingate will be eager to make history, with manager Ahmet Rifat looking to lead the North London club into uncharted territory.
Likely line-ups
Carshalton Athletic
Kerbey, Shonibare, Ernest, Pepe, Sankoh, Dada, Janneh, Bradford, Ifeanyi, Smith, Salami
Wingate and Finchley
Grainger, Keller, Stallard, Cracknell, Chidi, Watt, Allotey, Cornish, Restrepo, Akinola, Mcgettigan
Head to Head
Saturday’s game marked the first-ever FA Cup meeting between the two sides. On a wet and windy afternoon at Colston Avenue, the tie finished goalless. Tommy Bradford went closest for Carshalton, his header crashing against the bar, while Wingate also had chances to win it.
The two teams also faced each other twice in the league last season. In the fixture at Colston Avenue, Carshalton raced into a 2–0 lead through a Dominic Vose brace. However, Wingate responded with excellent goals from Luke Deslandes and Ben Frempah. With the game poised at 2–2, club legend Paris Hamilton-Downes bundled home a dramatic late winner to seal a 3–2 victory for the Robins – a result that briefly took them top of the Isthmian League.
At the Maurice Rebak Stadium in November, Wingate struck early with goals from Frempah and Andronicos Georgiou. David Smith pulled one back before half-time, but despite Carshalton’s second-half pressure, the Blues held on for a 2–1 win – meaning the head-to-head was split evenly last season.
Team News
Carshalton Athletic
Luke Read was not in the matchday squad on Saturday, although he was seen warming up pre-match. It remains to be seen whether he’ll feature in Tuesday’s replay. Grenada international Parish Muirhead made his Robins debut from the bench and could play a part again. With FA Cup qualifying rules allowing clubs to name seven substitutes, expect some of the club’s promising young players to be involved as they continue to gain first-team experience.
Wingate and Finchley
Mark Chidi made his debut for Wingate on Saturday following his move from Heybridge Swifts. Former Robins defender Kyron Horsley-McKay also featured from the bench and, having played in all of Wingate’s competitive fixtures so far, is likely to be involved again.
Pre-Match Analysis
With the replay being played at Wingate’s Maurice Rebak Stadium, the hosts will fancy their chances – especially as they’ve won the last three home games against the Robins. Playing under the lights in North London adds another layer of difficulty for the visitors.
That said, Carshalton’s stronger start to the league campaign could give them confidence heading into Tuesday. Having made it all the way to the fourth qualifying round last season, the Robins will be determined not to fall at the first hurdle this time.
Key Player
After impressing in Saturday’s encounter, Colombian forward Camillo Restrepo is one to watch. The former East Thurrock and Hashtag United player has represented his country in futsal and was part of SDS’s Baller League UK-winning squad in 2025, scoring five goals and showcasing superb technical ability.
He scored five times for Wingate last season and added two more for Hashtag, and has already found the net this season against Cray Wanderers. At just 22, Restrepo is still developing – but if he finds his rhythm, he could pose a real threat on Tuesday.
The Gaffer
Ahmet Rifat took charge of Wingate & Finchley in October 2022, guiding the club to safety with a 16th-place finish. In 2023/24, he masterminded a remarkable 4th-place finish – the highest in the club’s history – followed by a solid 11th-place finish and 60 points last season.
A Wingate stalwart, Rifat made over 400 appearances for the club as a player and is now into his 18th season in various roles at the club. With deep ties to Wingate, he’ll be keen to continue building his legacy with an FA Cup run.
Match Details
Date: Tuesday 2nd September 2025
Venue: Maurice Rebak Stadium, Summers Ln, London N12 0PD
Kick-off: 7:45pm
Admission: Adult: £14, Concession: £9, 10-16yrs: £5, U10: Free, NHS Staff & Carer of Disabled: Free
Tickets: buy tickets here
