CAFC Women vs Sutton United Reserves

CAFC Women vs Sutton United Reserves – Report

Kanita Throp’s set pieces dealt the damage in a comfortable but underwhelming 3-0 victory over local rivals Sutton United Reserves in the Surrey Premier Division on Sunday, away at Collingwood Recreation Ground.

Carshalton’s attacking intent was apparent from the get-go, with Sutton surviving wave after wave of attack. Moving the ball well and enjoying the lion’s share of possession, Ray laid off Heather Eade, who came onto it but miscued the half volley wide just outside the penalty area inside the first minute – it set the precedent for the rest of the match. The majority of action remained in the U’s own half, and Chapman drove towards goal, slipped through Eade down the left channel for pinball to ensue, before Ray’s stabbed strike was deflected around the post. Five minutes in, the Robins took the lead thanks to Abbey Measures after Kanita Throp launched a corner kick over the U’s shot-stopper for the full-back to power home.

Pushing to extend their advantage, Riley controlled in acres of space and whipped a delicious delivery into the penalty area, but Eade could not direct the resulting header on target. In the 10th minute, the hosts broke at pace, and the U’s midfielder sent a dipping effort straight down the throat of Georgina Solly, failing to test the Reds No. 1. In tough conditions, Aaron Lamont’s side carried on probing the Sutton backline; however, the ladies were struggling to forge any notable chances. On the 20-minute mark, Carshalton gradually called the hosts shot-stopper into action; Throp’s inswinging corner was hit into the side netting by Sarah Chapman before Eade drifted inside and drove wide.

The Robins capitalised on the momentum, and Eade gave Lamont’s side a two-goal cushion. Ray danced through a sea of yellow shirts and did brilliantly to thread through Eade, who lashed it beyond the diving keeper and into the bottom left corner.

Following the goal, the home side burst into life momentarily, forcing the Reds into defensive errors, the costliest seeing the U’s win possession to the left of the penalty area, before the lofted delivery almost nestled in. That said, entering the final third of the half, it was Lamont’s side who were in the ascendancy. Another of Throp’s dipping inswinging corners caused Sutton all kinds of problems as Evie Nebbett’s header was acrobatically cleared off the line. Towards the latter stages, the hosts survived a succession of shots and crosses as Carshalton put together some lovely passages of play, but could be accused of being slightly wasteful in front of goal.

Carshalton carried forward the attacking intent from the first 45 into the second. The Robins worked the ball from Riley down the right flank to Dulley on the opposite side, who pulled it back for Nebbett to curl inches wide. After Dulley unleashed a tame swivelled effort that was comfortably gathered, Eade then went close, flicking Georgia Edwards’ lofted set piece the wrong side of the post. Though Lamont’s side controlled the possession, the U’s were proving defensively resolute, forcing the turnover, and winning fouls that disrupted the visitors’ momentum. On the hour mark, Lamont made a tactical switch in a bid to inspire a third goal of the afternoon.

Seventy minutes in, frustration was growing as Carshalton’s performance had become sluggish. The ladies saw plenty of the ball, but their impatience to favour going direct rather than opting to build up play was getting the better of them, producing some stray loose passing. As the 75th minute passed, the Reds were beginning to display some crisp patterns of play, and Tilley came close to stabbing the ball into the top right corner just inside the penalty area. With meaningful chances few and far between, Nebbett lifted her shot just over the bar from outside the box with ten minutes until time. In the dying embers, the Reds got their third, and it was a Throp set piece paying dividends once again. The midfielder delivered the corner on top of the GK, and it was met by the head of Daisy Olley.

The victory sees Lamont’s side remain top of the Surrey Premier on 37 points after 15 matches. Even though Farnham Town trail by four points, the Surrey-based side boast a huge four games in hand. There will be hopes for a slightly more convincing performance next weekend when the Robins host Step 5 Sutton United Firsts in a friendly match.