CAFC Women vs Old Tiffinians

CAFC Women vs Old Tiffinians – Report

Sarah Chapman’s four goals sealed Carshalton Athletic a thumping 13-2 victory over Old Tiffinians in the Surrey Premier Division at the Grists Memorial Ground on Sunday.

The Robins eagerness to get forward and attack was apparent from the get-go. The first chance of the match came inside three minutes when Edu Andrade’s right flank set piece produced a tame punch away from the Tiffs No. 1 for pinball to ensue. Kanita Throp’s resulting low-driven effort was then pushed around the post. Moments later, there was a short corner from Throp to Chapman, but despite being in acres of space, the forward struck high over the bar trying to angle the shot in the top far corner. The Reds carried on probing as the hosts survived wave after wave of attack and a succession of shots and crosses. Chapman, developing into Carshalton’s main attacking threat, maintained her composure to the left of the penalty area and pulled the ball back to Abbey Measures, whose first-time strike was deflected inches wide.

Ten minutes in, the Robins took the lead thanks to Chapman. Our latest addition, Riley, attacked right, and slipped through Eade, who did well to execute the cutback back on the byline, which Chapman turned into the roof of the empty net.

She wheeled away in celebration and embraced her teammates. Before long, Aaron Lamont’s side had forged a two-goal cushion, with captain Georgie Edwards contributing. Throp’s out swinging corner was cushioned in by the head of the midfielder from close range. On the 20-minute mark, Evie Nebbitt launched a long throw into the path of Measures in the six-yard box; however, the wide defender squandered the golden opportunity, sending the half volley sailing high over the bar.

Midway through, there had been a flurry of chances in the intervening period between Measures chance to score. Once again the former Sutton United Reserves player was threatening the Tiffs goal, but she was unable to get her header off Throp’s corner and powered it dipping over the bar from just a few yards out. Lamont was growing frustrated on the sidelines as his side squandered several excellent opportunities to add to their growing tally. Approaching the final third of the half, Throp drove the corner to the front post, and Edwards’s side-footed volley narrowly eluded the top right-hand corner. Alderman was the next to come close, lashing the effort just outside the penalty area wide; it had the Tiffs keeper momentarily worried, diving to cover her far post.

Lamont’s side continued to enjoy the lion’s share of possession, with the majority of the action in the hosts half. Moving the ball well, Maria Andrade took the responsibility upon herself to show a bit more attacking intent, carrying the ball into the penalty area, fashioning it onto her stronger right foot, and drilling it into the far corner, out of reach for the diving Tiffs No.1.

The Robins soon had two goals in 45 seconds as Nebbitt tried her luck from range and saw her audacious 40-yard low-driven strike spill into the back of the net. On the stroke of half-time, there were yet more chances for Carshalton. Edwards curling left channel 35-yard free kick was close to nestling in the top right-hand corner; Alderman could not convert Measures’s arrowed cross, stabbing it straight down the keeper’s throat from close range, and Eade’s strike had the keeper scrambling. Chapman concluded the half firing high over the bar.

Carshalton picked up as they left off in the second 45. Measures side-footed a half-volleyed delivery into the penalty area, which Eade touched down, before forcing a fine diving save out of the Tiffs goalkeeper. In the 47th minute, Chapman bagged her brace after heading a dipping cross into the far corner.

Not long after, Edwards then completed her brace, heading home off a Throp corner. Measures finally got in on the act, bundling the ball over the line following a well-worked short corner that again involved the boot of Throp. The Robins were now 8-0 up in the baking hot sun at the Grists Memorial Ground.

However, the match all of a sudden became more open, and briefly developed into a competitive end-to-end affair. A long ball forward made its way in behind the Carshalton backline as our shot-stopper Georgina Solly spilt and gifted the striker the simplest of finishes to convert into the empty net – the hosts had got one back. That said, Lamont’s side were eager to issue an immediate reply and broke at pace for Riley to drive into the penalty area down the right channel and flash the ball into the roof of the net.

As the hour mark came and went, the Reds had a series of chances to make it ten. Eade nearly capped off an impressive run, but her shot rattled the post, Chapman’s darting run saw her head Throp’s corner wide, and substitute Honey Dulley drew an acrobatic diving save out of the Tiffs goalkeeper.

Eventually, the Robins achieved the landmark ten goals. Chapman angled her run into the penalty area and slid the ball under the onrushing Tiffs goalkeeper to seal her hat-trick.

Despite the Reds applying considerable attacking pressure on the hosts in search of netting their 11th of the afternoon, the Tiffs posed a threat on the counter-attack. A bit of complacency was creeping into Lamont’s side, and a defensive mix-up from trying to play out saw substitute Daisy Olley dispossessed and the striker’s attempted chip come agonisingly close to nestling inside the near post. Towards the latter stages, the Tiffs got their second when a set piece from distance was powered beyond the outstretched arm of Solly. Although, once again, the home side scoring spurred on our ladies to grab another through Maria Andrade, being the third Robin to secure a brace. The AFC Wimbledon loanee received the ball, noticed the keeper was ever so slightly off her line, and produced a dipping strike that snuck in under the bar.

With ten minutes until time, the Reds were still pushing for more. Having her initial attempt denied, Riley drifted inside off the left flank and deceived the Tiffs No. 1, side-footing the shot to ricochet in off the near post.

A few minutes later, Chapman had four goals to her name, and she saved the best until last! Throp delivered the corner to the back post, and Chapman, backpedalling, steered her header to find the opposite corner of the Tiffs goal.

The final chance of the game saw Riley denied her hat-trick, striking the bar.

Lamont’s side stay top of the Surrey Premier Division on 34 points, with three points separating the Robins and Farnham Town. That said, the Surrey-based outfit boast four games in hand as the 2024-25 season enters its final two league matches. Next up is a friendly against higher tier Wycombe Wanderers.