CAFC Women vs Croydon FC – Preview
Carshalton Athletic Women seek their first silverware under Aaron Lamont as they face fellow Tier 7 outfit Croydon FC in the Surrey Divisional Cup Final at Meadowbank Football Ground on Thursday, with the Trams reaching their first final in 25 years.
Robins Review
Carshalton Athletic Women concluded their Surrey Premier Division campaign in style, securing a commanding 2-0 win over league champions Farnham Town on Sunday in the final match of the 2024-25 season at Colston Avenue. A deflected free-kick from Kanita Throp and a late penalty from Heather Eade proved to be the difference between the two sides and ended the Town’s unbeaten league record.
The 2-0 victory sees the ladies finish second in the Surrey Premier Division with 40 points. Unfortunately, that was not enough to secure automatic promotion, which will go to Sunday’s opponents, Farnham Town, who are league champions with 42 points and still have a game to play. However, there are hopes that Lamont and his team can carry this momentum into the Surrey Divisional Cup Final against Croydon FC at Meadowbank Football Ground on Thursday (Details for the cup final are at the bottom of the preview).
The win over Farnham is also a significant boost to our promotion hopes. With the Women’s Football Pyramid Promotion Pool in mind, a convincing 2-0 victory against the league champions ensures the gap between us and Farnham remains just five points, rather than the eight it could have been. If we can follow that up with a win in Thursday’s Surrey Divisional Cup Final, it will further strengthen our case for promotion.
The Robins’ Surrey Divisional Cup campaign kicked off with a thrilling 5-3 win over Dorking Wanderers Development, with Abbey Measures netting a standout hat-trick. In the Quarter-Final, Carshalton were awarded a home walkover against Milford & Witley, who were unable to field a team. A few weeks later, a brilliant brace from Maria Andrade secured a dominant 4-0 victory over Farnham Town, sending Carshalton through to the Surrey Divisional Cup Final in style.
As we approach our final match of the 2024–25 campaign, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the supporters who have followed our women’s side, both at Colston Avenue and across London and Surrey. Your unwavering support and energy from the stands have made a real difference and continue to inspire the team every step of the way.
Story of the Trams Surrey Premier campaign
Croydon FC wrapped up the Surrey Premier Division season in eighth place with 11 points from the full 16-game schedule. The team recorded three wins, two draws, and 11 losses. Despite finishing second from bottom, they were comfortably safe, as Old Tiffinians, who lost all 15 of their matches, ended the season with zero points. Just above the Trams, Epsom & Ewell are only one point ahead, though the Salts still have a game in hand. The key difference lies in their respective win totals: Epsom secured four victories, while Croydon managed three, with the Trams also earning two draws compared to Epsom’s clean sheet in that department.
The Trams kicked off the 2024-25 campaign overcoming Kings Hill in the FA Cup 4-3 on penalties. However, the club proceeded to suffer back-to-back heavy defeats in the Surrey Premier, receiving a 6-0 thumping by Farnham Town, and playing out a six-goal thriller with Leatherhead Youth that finished 4-2 in favour of the Tanners. After Ashford United knocked Croydon out the FA Cup 2-1, the Trams took to the pitch at Colston Avenue and held the Robins to a 2-2 draw, Georgie Edwards and Heather Eade getting the goals for the Robins.
October proved to be a month to forget for our fellow south Londoners. Dorking handed them a 3-1 defeat, and while they bounced back with a 3-1 win the following week, it came against bottom-placed Old Tiffinians. The relief was short-lived, however, as they were soon hit with a heavy 12-2 aggregate loss over the next four matches, which included a 3-1 defeat to Carshalton in the Capital Intermediate Cup mid-November.
A two-week break ensued before Croydon returned to action and comfortably dispatched Hersham 5-0 in the Surrey Divisional Cup, marking only their second win of the season, following the 3-1 victory over Old Tiffs, though that result had offered little in terms of a statement. After that, there was a lengthy break of about a month and a half until their next competitive fixture in late January. The extended rest seemed to benefit the team, with their form taking a positive turn.
They were gradually reintroduced to competitive action with a home league victory over Tiffs, securing a 3-0 win, before following it up with a thrilling 3-2 “smash and grab” triumph against Epsom in the Surrey Divisional Cup Quarter Final. Buoyed by this momentum, they repeated the scoreline with a 3-2 win over Leatherhead in the Semi Final. However, their progress was jolted by a heavy 6-1 defeat to Dorking at the start of March. Despite this setback, the team demonstrated resilience, fighting back to earn a hard-earned 2-2 draw against Sutton United Reserves.
The Trams claimed just their fourth victory of the 2024-25 season by completing a double over Epsom towards the end of the month, narrowly defeating the Salts 3-2. On March 30, Lamont’s side made the trip to Croydon Sports Arena, where a brace from Sarah Chapman secured a hard-fought 3-2 win. The match remained tense until the final moments, with Croydon pulling one back from close range, sparking hopes of a dramatic equaliser. Unfortunately for the south London outfit, their season ended with a string of defeats, as they remained winless for the rest of the campaign, losing 1-0 to Beecholme Belles, 3-2 to Epsom, and suffering a heavy 7-1 loss to Farnham Town.
Journey to the Surrey Divisional Final
Croydon FC’s journey in the Surrey Divisional Cup commenced in early December with a commanding 5-0 victory over fellow South East Counties Women’s League side Hersham FC in the second round. After a brief hiatus, the team returned to action with a league match against Old Tiffinians, followed by consecutive weeks of Surrey Divisional Cup fixtures in mid-February. In the quarter-final, Croydon secured a narrow 3-2 win over Epsom & Ewell. The semi-final saw them face Leatherhead Youth, where two clinical finishes from Jade Asagba and a remarkable straight corner by Kacie Aciens propelled Croydon to a 3-2 victory, earning them a spot in the final. This achievement marked their first cup final appearance in 25 years.
Croydon FC: A Storied Legacy in Women’s Football
Croydon FC boasts one of the most illustrious histories in English women’s football, having played a pivotal role in the sport’s development. Originally founded in 1991 as Bromley Borough, the club rebranded to Croydon Women’s FC in 1994. In 1996, they achieved a remarkable league and FA Women’s Cup double, defeating Liverpool 3–2 on penalties after a 1–1 draw in the final. The team continued their dominance with an undefeated league season in 1999 and another league and cup double in 2000.
During this golden era, Croydon produced several England internationals who would go on to become legends of the game. Hope Powell, who captained the team, made history by becoming the youngest-ever coach of any English national football team and the first woman and person of colour to hold such a position. She was among six Croydon players who represented England at the 1995 FIFA Women’s World Cup, alongside Debbie Bampton, Pauline Cope, and Brenda Sempare—all now inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame.
In 2000, following their second double, Croydon disbanded, and most of the squad joined Charlton Athletic Women’s FC, a move that was met with controversy due to the nature of the Premier League side’s recent forceful takeover. Charlton would go on to produce stars like Casey Stoney, Katie Chapman, Eniola Aluko, and manager Matt Beard—all of whom owe their foundations to Croydon’s legacy.
A significant chapter in Croydon’s history occurred when the club was broken into, and several trophies and plaques were stolen, each belonging to the women’s team. This loss spurred the club’s reformation. Committee member Jason Casey recalled:
“It was during a team meeting following a major break-in, where quite a lot was stolen, that we realised how many trophies we had from the women’s team twenty years beforehand. We spoke about maybe putting all the England shirts we had from players like Hope Powell on the wall, creating some sort of celebration of it all, but then we started talking about putting together a women’s team.”
In 2019, Croydon FC reintroduced a women’s team, starting with an Under-18 squad in the Surrey County Women and Girls League. By 2020, they progressed to an open-age team in the Greater London Women and Girls Football League. Their rapid ascent saw them topping the table in the 2021/22 season, earning promotion to the South East Counties Women’s Football League, where they now compete weekly. In 2023, the team embarked on their first FA Cup run in 23 years, marking a significant milestone in their resurgence.
Croydon FC’s rich history and recent resurgence underscore their enduring legacy and commitment to women’s football.
Likely line-ups
Carshalton Athletic
Solly, Riley, Nebbitt, Measures, E. Andrande, Allen, Edwards ©, Throp, M. Andrande, Gueriani, Eade
Croydon FC
Blyth, Winfield, Dawson, Dragic, Nadison-Singh, Asagba, Jafari, Brenchley, Kalala, Nicholson, Hart-Dolphy, Javed
Team news
Carshalton Athletic
Veteran forward Sarah Chapman made her return to first-team action, starting in Sunday’s match against Farnham Town. Meanwhile, young talent Lara Rodriguez has earned several substitute appearances and starting spots in recent weeks. Additionally, Josie Alderman is expected to be part of the squad for the upcoming final following her recent move in location.
Croydon FC
As of the latest available information, Croydon FC’s squad is expected to be fully fit for their upcoming match against Carshalton Athletic, with no reported injuries or suspensions. However, it’s worth noting that club captain Sophie Reid was absent from the league fixture against Farnham Town, and her return to the starting lineup remains uncertain.
In the previous match, defender Ava Mountford and attacker Deanne Badley were replaced by Louise Winfield and Sarah Nicholson, respectively, after starting in the game against Epsom & Ewell. Given the significance of the upcoming match, it’s anticipated that the Trams coaches may make strategic changes to the starting XI.
Pre-Match Analysis
Carshalton Athletic manager Aaron Lamont is well aware of the challenge posed by Croydon FC, having narrowly edged them 3–2 in a closely contested Surrey Premier Division match at the Croydon Sports Arena in late March. Despite dominating possession, Carshalton struggled to convert their attacking dominance into clear-cut opportunities. Croydon’s disciplined defensive setup and swift counter-attacks kept the Robins at bay, and they were fortunate not to concede an equaliser in the dying moments of the match.
This encounter highlighted Croydon’s resilience and tactical discipline, making them a formidable opponent for any side in the league. Lamont’s team will need to be at their best to overcome Croydon’s defensive organisation and counter-attacking threat in their upcoming fixtures.
Despite the Trams current standing in the Surrey Premier Division, their recent performances suggest they are a team to be reckoned with. While the club ranks seventh in the league for both goals scored (25) and goals conceded (49), these statistics do not fully capture their competitive edge. In their last six matches, Croydon have netted 10 goals, equalling the tally of teams like Leatherhead Youth, who were considered strong contenders for the league not that long ago. Notably, Croydon’s defensive record of 18 goals conceded surpasses that of Epsom, who have conceded 24 goals and are positioned above them in the standings.
Croydon have consistently proven to be a challenging opponent for Carshalton. In their most recent encounter in late March, Carshalton narrowly secured a 3–2 victory at the Croydon Sports Arena. Earlier in the season, the teams played out a 2–2 draw, before a Capital Intermediate Cup fixture in mid-November, where Carshalton edged out Croydon with a 3–1 win.
Key Player
Jade Asagba has been the standout performer for Croydon in the 2024–25 season, leading the team’s scoring efforts with eight goals. Her impressive form continued in the Surrey Divisional Cup, where she netted consecutive braces against Epsom and Leatherhead in the quarter-final and semi-final, respectively. Asagba’s clinical finishing and ability to deliver in crucial moments make her a key threat for the Trams. Carshalton will need to be vigilant in containing her to neutralise Croydon’s attacking prowess.
The Gaffer (s)
Croydon Women FC operates under a collaborative coaching structure rather than a single manager. Head Coach Lenin Nadison leads the team, supported by coaches Dee Samo, Paddy Ward, and Jason Chen. Additionally, defender Deanne Badley contributes as a player-coach, bringing both on-field experience and tactical insight to the coaching team.
Match Details
Date: Thursday, May 22, 2025
Venue: Meadowbank Football Ground (Dorking Wanderers FC)
Kickoff: 7:30 pm
Admission: General Admission (£6), Child Age 6 to 16 (£3), Over 65s (£3)
Tickets: Buy Tickets Online Here
