CAFC Women vs Chessington & Hook – Preview
After four straight wins, Carshalton will be looking to make it five in a row with a crucial league fixture against Chessington & Hook United.
Carshalton Athletic – The Season So Far
Following a second-place finish last season and the first piece of silverware in the club’s history with victory in the Surrey Divisional Cup, Carshalton Athletic began their second season in women’s football with Aaron Lamont continuing as manager for the 2025/26 campaign.
Pre-season proved to be a mixed bag, with Carshalton winning five and losing three of their eight fixtures. However, three of those five victories came at the end of the programme, with the Robins recording impressive wins of 6–1, 6–0 and 11–1 over Chessington & Hook, Tooting Bec and Tonbridge Angels respectively, heading into the new season in strong form.
There were high hopes for Carshalton’s debut in the FA Cup, but the Robins were beaten 3–1 by a strong South London FC side, exiting the competition at the first hurdle. Their league campaign, however, got off to an impressive start with a 9–0 victory away at Manorcroft United, despite being reduced to ten players following the dismissal of goalkeeper Beth Yarrow.
That result was followed by a dramatic 3–2 win over Dorking Wanderers U23s, with Kenza Gueriani netting a stoppage-time winner. Carshalton were then awarded three points after Epsom & Ewell withdrew from their scheduled league fixture due to a lack of players. The Robins continued their strong start by defeating Merstham 4–1, taking their tally to 12 points from four games.
Carshalton then put in a spirited performance in the Isthmian League Cup but ultimately fell to a 3–0 defeat against Sutton United, who compete in Tier 5, two divisions above the Robins. That was followed by their first league defeat of the season, losing a tight encounter 1–0 away to Dorking Wanderers U23s.
A response was needed, and Carshalton delivered with three consecutive league victories against Manorcroft United (16–2), Walton & Hersham (14–0) and Oxted & District (5–0).
The Robins began their defence of the Surrey Divisional Cup with an entertaining 4–3 victory over Sutton United Reserves to reach the quarter-finals. However, they exited the Capital Intermediate Cup at the first hurdle, losing 2–0 to a well-organised Tooting Bec side.
Carshalton’s 100% home league record came to an end with a narrow 5–4 defeat to Sutton United Reserves, but they responded positively in their final match before Christmas, securing a 2–0 win away at Croydon FC. The Robins started 2026 on the right foot with a 3–1 home victory against Merstham in the league, before continuing their Surrey Divisional Cup defence with a 13–0 quarter-final win over South Park Reigate, setting up a tricky semi-final tie against Dorking Wanderers U23s.
Last weekend, the Robins did not have a competitive fixture but took on higher-tier side Richmond & Kew in a friendly and produced an impressive performance, running out 5–1 winners. That result made it four wins in a row, with the Robins finding form at exactly the right time. With seven league games remaining, a cup semi-final on the horizon and the possibility of a final still to come, momentum is firmly on Carshalton’s side. Next up are Chessington & Hook, in a fixture the Robins will be targeting as a must-win as they look to keep the pressure on at the top.
The Title Race
Last season, Farnham Town won the Surrey Premier Division title with 15 wins and just one defeat. Carshalton put up a strong challenge, winning 13, drawing one and losing two of their 16 games, but it was not enough for either the title or promotion. An average of 2.5 points per game would usually be enough to win a league, but that may not be the case this season either.
This time, there are three teams firmly in contention heading into the business end of the campaign. Carshalton Athletic currently lead the way with nine wins and two defeats, boasting a goal difference of +48. Dorking Wanderers U23s are level on points with the Robins, also on 27, with a goal difference of +39, but hold an advantage having played one game fewer. Sutton United Reserves sit three points back on 24 with a goal difference of +35, but have a 100% record so far, including a 5–4 win at Colston Avenue.
This sets up a dramatic conclusion to the season, with several key fixtures still to come between the three sides. Dorking and Sutton face each other twice, in February at Sutton and in March at Dorking, while Carshalton will be looking for revenge when they take on Sutton at the David Weir Leisure Centre at the end of March. With a three-way title fight, further twists and turns seem inevitable, and all three contenders will be hoping to be crowned champions when the season concludes in the spring.
Chessington & Hook United
The 2025/26 season is Chessington & Hook’s first campaign fielding a senior team. Initially placed in Surrey Division 1, they were moved up to the Surrey Premier Division following the withdrawals of Beecholme Belles and Leatherhead Youth.
The Blues began their season in September. As a new side, they were not entered into the FA Cup, but they made a perfect start in the league with a 2–0 away win at Walton & Hersham. They remained unbeaten the following week with an entertaining 3–3 draw at Croydon FC before suffering back-to-back defeats to Dorking Wanderers U23s (6–1) and Sutton United Reserves (5–2), two of the title favourites.
Chessington returned to winning ways with another away victory, this time at Epsom & Ewell, winning 3–1. However, the following four weeks proved more challenging, with a 5–2 defeat at Merstham, a creditable 2–2 draw against Oxted & District, and a narrow 2–1 loss at Manorcroft United. Chessington then took on Dorking Wanderers U23s in the last 16 of the Surrey Divisional Cup, bowing out with a 7–0 defeat.
That match, played on 9th November, turned out to be their last competitive fixture before Christmas, as multiple games – including a scheduled home match against Carshalton – were postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. Their Capital Intermediate Cup tie against Leyton Orient was also postponed twice for the same reason, with Leyton Orient eventually being awarded a walkover.
Chessington finally returned to competitive action last weekend with a trip to Dorking Wanderers U23s. Understandably rusty, they were beaten 8–0, although Dorking are in strong form and have not lost in the league since their 3–2 defeat at Colston Avenue in September.
Now halfway through their season, with nine of their 18 league games played, Chessington sit seventh in the table. Their early results against several established sides suggest they fully deserved their elevation and have adapted well to life in the division. The Blues will view Sunday as an opportunity to secure another positive result – and potentially disrupt Carshalton’s title charge.
Team News
Against Richmond & Kew on Sunday, Carshalton welcomed back Aisha Douglin, Leanne Bell and Beth Yarrow. Douglin and Yarrow started the match, while Bell was introduced from the bench. Douglin had been out of the side since the Capital Intermediate Cup defeat to Tooting Bec, while Bell and Yarrow last featured in December’s win at Croydon FC.
All three impressed on their return and showed no signs of rustiness in what was an excellent team performance. Aaron Lamont will be pleased to have the trio back available, particularly with five league games scheduled across the next five weekends.
Head To Head
The sides met in pre-season, with Carshalton running out 6–1 winners thanks to goals from Ward, Gueriani, a youth player, and a hat-trick from Taylor McCrea. Chessington did cause problems, equalising early in the second half to make it 1–1 before the Robins pulled clear.
Given that the friendly was one of Chessington’s first matches together, they are likely to pose a greater threat this time around. The sides were due to meet earlier in the season in a league fixture at Chalky Lane, but that match was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. It has since been rescheduled for 15th February, meaning the teams will meet twice in the space of a few weeks.
Pre-Match Analysis
Carshalton are in strong form, having won their last four matches. Chessington enjoyed a promising start to the season, but theirs has been a stop-start campaign due to numerous postponements. Their defeat at Dorking last weekend will have blown away the cobwebs, and the Blues will hope to be closer to their best when they travel to Colston Avenue.
Although the Robins won comfortably in pre-season, Chessington have since had time to gel and should provide a sterner test. With seven of their eight league points coming on the road, the artificial surface at Colston Avenue should give Chessington the perfect opportunity to play to their strengths as they aim to add to that tally on Sunday.
In a title race as tight as this, Carshalton cannot afford any slip-ups. With Dorking’s win last weekend drawing them level on points and Sutton also victorious to move three points behind, the race is intensifying. Dorking are not in league action this weekend, giving the Robins an ideal opportunity to extend their lead, with victory moving them three points clear at the top.
The rest of the league remains tightly packed, with Manorcroft in fourth and Oxted & District in ninth separated by just three points. A win for Chessington could lift them as high as fourth if other results go their way, while a defeat could see them drop to ninth and into the relegation zone should Croydon and Oxted & District pick up points in their respective fixtures.
Match Details
Date: Sunday 25th January 2026
Opposition: Chessington & Hook United
Competition: League
Venue: Colston Avenue, SM5 2PW
Kickoff: 2:30pm
Admission: FREE
