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CAFC Women vs Tonbridge Angels – Preview

Carshalton Athletic Women play their final pre-season friendly on Sunday afternoon as they welcome Tonbridge Angels to Colston Avenue.

The Robins come into the match full of confidence following a dominant 6–0 victory over Tooting Bec on Tuesday night. They’ll be aiming to round off their pre-season campaign with another strong performance before their historic FA Cup debut away at South London FC. However, Tonbridge Angels – who enjoyed a successful season last year – are expected to provide a tough challenge.

A healthy crowd turned out for the midweek game, and with both the Men’s and Women’s teams playing at home this weekend, Colston Avenue is set for a bumper weekend of football.

Tonbridge Angels FC

Tonbridge Angels play in the same tier as Carshalton – the seventh tier of the women’s football pyramid – competing in the South East Counties Premier Division. Their league includes sides such as Cray Wanderers, Margate, and Maidstone United.

Last season, Tonbridge narrowly missed out on the title, finishing second with a strong record: 12 wins, 1 draw, and 5 defeats. Unlike Carshalton, whose season begins on 7th September, Tonbridge have already kicked off their competitive campaign. They faced AFC Croydon Athletic in the FA Cup Preliminary Round last weekend – a tense 0–0 draw was settled by penalties, with Tonbridge converting all five to progress to the First Qualifying Round, where they’ll meet Kings Hill.

Carshalton Athletic

After a mixed start to pre-season, Carshalton appear to be finding form at just the right time. They’ve been clinical in attack and solid at the back, scoring 12 goals and conceding just once across recent friendlies against Chessington and Tooting Bec.

Following a strong 2024–25 season in which they finished runners-up to Farnham Town and lifted the Surrey Divisional Cup, the Robins are determined to go one better this time around. With promotion to Tier 6 in their sights and a county cup to defend, there’s plenty of ambition around the squad. Excitement is also building for their first-ever FA Cup campaign, which could put the team in the spotlight if they can progress through the rounds.

Team News

Last season’s top scorer, Heather Eade, returned to the squad for the Tooting Bec match after missing out against Chessington – an encouraging sign for the Robins. Club captain Georgie Edwards also made her return and helped marshal the defence to a clean sheet. A number of trialists impressed midweek as well, giving manager Aaron Lamont decisions to make regarding final squad selections. Several could be handed more minutes on Sunday.

For Tonbridge, prolific striker Grace Mayhead – who netted 31 times last season – featured in last weekend’s FA Cup tie and will likely lead the line again, posing a major threat to the Carshalton backline.

Pre-Match Analysis

With both sides finishing second in their respective divisions last season, Sunday’s clash promises to be an intriguing contest. Tonbridge may have a slight edge in match sharpness, having already played a competitive fixture, but Carshalton are showing signs of cohesion and momentum. With home advantage on their side, the Robins will be hopeful of ending their pre-season on a high.

Match Details

Date: Sunday 31st August, 2025 
Venue: Colston Avenue
Kickoff: 2:30 pm
Admission: FREE