CAFC Women vs Wycombe Wanderers – Preview
Carshalton Athletic Women are set to face Wycombe Wanderers in a friendly this Sunday, as they prepare for the final stretch of the season, with two league matches and an upcoming cup final on the horizon.
Robins Review
The Robins claimed a commanding 13-2 victory over Old Tiffinians at the weekend, solidifying their position at the top of the Surrey Premier Division with 34 points from 14 matches. While Farnham are hot on their heels, trailing by just three points, they also have the advantage of a huge four games in hand. The win against the Tiffs extended the Reds’ unbeaten streak to six matches, with their last defeat coming in mid-January when South London First knocked them out of the Capital Intermediate Cup.
With only two league games remaining before the conclusion of the 2024-25 campaign, and an eagerly awaited League Cup Final against Farnham at Meadowbank on the horizon, manager Aaron Lamont has arranged a friendly against higher-tier opposition Wycombe Wanderers during the team’s week off.
Wycombe Wanderers
Wycombe Wanderers are currently competing in the Southern Region Women’s Football League Premier Division, where they hold second place with 38 points from 16 matches—six points behind league leaders Ascot United, though the Chairgirls have played one more game. So far in the 2024-25 season, Wycombe boasts an impressive record of 12 wins, 2 draws, and 2 losses.
The season began with a tough 3-0 defeat to AFC Portchester in their opener. However, the team quickly bounced back with a 4-1 victory over Selsey. Unfortunately, they couldn’t maintain the momentum, drawing 2-2 with Ascot in their next match. In the First Round of the Women’s FA Cup, Wycombe delivered a sensational 13-1 win against Milton United, although it was followed by a goalless draw with Sholing. The Chairgirls then returned to form with an emphatic 5-0 victory over Badshot Lea.
Mid-October saw a slight dip in form. Wycombe were eliminated from the Women’s FA Cup after a 3-1 penalty shootout loss to the Comets, and their next match in the BBFA Women’s Senior Cup was a thrilling seven-goal encounter against Newport Pagnett Town Women, which they narrowly lost 4-3. However, the Chairgirls quickly bounced back with an impressive five-match unbeaten streak, which stretched into mid-December. This run included a resounding 11-1 victory over AFC Varsity in the League Cup.
The new year began with a difficult 2-1 defeat to Ascot, breaking Wycombe’s 13-match unbeaten run. But the team responded with three consecutive wins against Woodley United, Penn and Tylers Green, and Badshot Lea. In late February, AFC Portchester dealt another blow, beating Wycombe 3-2 in the League Cup. The two sides met again the following week, and this time Wycombe emerged victorious with a 2-1 win.
Likely line-ups
Carshalton Athletic
Solly, Nebbitt, Measures, Riley, E. Andrade, Edwards, Throp, Alderman, Eade, Chapman, M. Andrade
Wycombe Wanderers
Taylor, Harvey, Lynch, Harte, Kern, Hoesli-Atkins, Puddlefoot, Carolan, Watkins, Wardlaw, Potter
Team news
Carshalton Athletic
With lots of competition for places, India Cox and Lara Rodriguez were not named in the squad that travelled to take on Old Tiffinians. It is unknown whether either will return to proceedings on Sunday.
Wycombe Wanderers
Expect the Wanderers to have a fully fit squad at their disposal.
Pre-Match Analysis
Wycombe have scored an impressive 90 goals this season, a remarkable tally in the high-scoring Southern Region Women’s Football League. However, they are not alone at the top of the goal-scoring charts, with AFC Portchester and Winchester netting 92 and 116 goals respectively. Manager Carl Simon set the Chairgirls a bold target of 100 goals by the end of the 2024-25 season, and they are well on track to achieve that goal.
At the other end of the pitch, the Buckinghamshire-based side has been solid defensively, conceding just 37 goals. Simon has been particularly pleased with Wycombe’s recent form, as the team has really found their rhythm in the last five games, winning four of them in dominant fashion with an aggregate scoreline of 21-5.
Key Player
While strikers Kayla Porter and Jessica Watkins have combined for an impressive 40 goals this season, it is midfielder Jordanne Hoesli Atkins who has emerged as the key player for Wycombe. Hoesli Atkins joined the team in mid-January, having been recommended to manager Carl Simon by his assistant and one of the players. Since her arrival, she has been instrumental in the Chairgirls’ success.
Following a commanding 5-1 victory over Sholing FC, Simon had this to say about Hoesli Atkins:
“Jordanne has been fantastic for us from the moment she arrived. She’s a crucial player in our system. She’s the player who connects everything we want to do, almost like the missing link. Since she came in, it feels like everything has fallen into place, and she’s a big part of that. She does the work that often goes unnoticed—she may not produce the flashy moments, but she’s constantly putting in the hard yards that help us get into the right positions during matches. Today (against Sholing) was a bit chaotic, and we needed someone to steady things. We needed someone to slow the game down, play the simple five-yard passes, and that’s exactly what she excels at. She’s a master at those passes. Her timing is impeccable, and despite not being the tallest, she wins her headers. I was told by my assistant Matt and one of the players that she was good, but she’s even better than they described. She’s been elevating everyone around her.”
The Gaffer
Carl Simon is an experienced coach with a proven track record of managing, motivating and developing individuals and teams. He has worked as a coach, mentor and tutor for 14 years within football and education. He was recently 1st team manager of Watford Ladies FC, where he managed a group of 30 players ranging in age from 16 -27 years old, in Tier 6 of the English Women’s football pyramid.
Match Details
Date: Sunday, April 13, 2025
Venue: TBC
Kick-Off: TBC
Admission: Free
