Carshalton Bow Out of FA Cup
Carshalton Athletic were knocked out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle after a narrow defeat to Wingate & Finchley, despite a spirited second-half comeback.
Following a goalless draw at Colston Avenue on Saturday, the Robins made the midweek trip to North London for the replay. The prize for the winner was a tie away to Dorking Wanderers in the next round.
Manager Peter Adeniyi made two changes from Saturday’s lineup. Kola Salami came in for David Smith, who dropped to the bench, while Luke Read returned to the starting XI in place of Dylan Pepe.
The game began quietly, with little to separate the sides in the opening ten minutes. The first chance fell to the hosts, who headed a corner just over the bar. Carshalton then carved out the first big opportunity. Midfielder Ansu Janneh spotted Salami’s run and threaded an inch-perfect through ball into his path. Salami raced onto it, but Wingate keeper Charlie Grainger was quick off his line to close the angle and made a superb save, requiring treatment afterwards.
Despite that chance, it was the home side who took the lead on 20 minutes. Caoilan McGettigan made a strong run, driving into the box before being brought down by Luke Read. The referee pointed straight to the spot and issued a yellow card to Read. Camilo Restrepo stepped up and slotted the penalty low to Kerbey’s left. The Carshalton keeper got a hand to it but couldn’t keep it out.
Wingate doubled their lead on 35 minutes. Romeo Akinola surged down the right and delivered a low cross into the box. Restrepo was on hand to finish clinically, giving the hosts a commanding 2–0 advantage.
Carshalton struggled to gain a foothold in the first half, though they had a chance to respond through a Tommy Bradford free kick. His delivery found Janneh, but the midfielder’s header drifted narrowly wide.
Trailing at the break, Adeniyi made a change, bringing on youngster Lucas Dyer for Steve Gody to inject some energy into the side.
The Robins looked much improved after the restart and began to dominate possession. On 56 minutes, Bryan Ifeanyi played in Tommy Bradford, whose shot was pushed away by Grainger. Moments later, Laurence Ernest was cynically brought down while carrying the ball out of defence – Charlie Stallard received a yellow card for the foul. The challenge appeared to ignite Carshalton, who pushed forward with renewed urgency.
Their pressure paid off on the hour mark. A corner caused confusion in the Wingate box, and a clearance attempt by a home defender ricocheted off a teammate and rolled into the net – an unfortunate own goal, but one that gave Carshalton a lifeline.
Just three minutes later, they were level. Another corner wasn’t dealt with, and this time the loose ball fell to Salami, who calmly slotted it home. In the space of a few minutes, the Robins had gone from looking dead and buried to drawing level.
With the scores tied, both teams pushed for a winner. Shonibare was booked for a late challenge outside the box, and Wingate came close soon after as the ball ricocheted dangerously in the Carshalton area but was eventually cleared. At the other end, Ifeanyi had a half-chance, curling an effort just wide of the far post. Kerbey was also forced into a save from Allotey as the match entered the final 10 minutes.
But with 89 minutes on the clock, heartbreak struck for the Robins. Michael Dada was dispossessed in midfield, and two Wingate substitutes combined on the counterattack – Cain Keller setting up Ryan Lowe, who produced a clever finish over the onrushing Kerbey.
Adeniyi responded by throwing on David Smith in stoppage time as Carshalton chased a late equaliser, but it wasn’t to be. The final whistle confirmed their exit from the competition.
Carshalton now turn their attention back to the Isthmian League, where they face a tough test away to league leaders Brentwood Town on Saturday at 3pm.
Up Next
Date: Saturday 6th September 2025
Opponents: Brentwood Town FC
Competition: Isthmian Premier League
KO: 3pm
Venue: The Brentwood Centre, Doddinghurst Rd, Pilgrims Hatch, Brentwood CM15 9NN
Admissions: Get Tickets Here – Adults £12, Conc £8 (Over 65s and Students With Valid ID)
