Men's football news
After Saturdays comprehensive win over Ashford United, The Rooks head to South London for what promises to be a much tougher encounter against third-placed Carshaltion Athletic on Monday night. Darren will be hoping that Gus Sow and Bouwe Bosma will have recovered from their knocks which kept them out of Saturday’s victory, otherwise Ronnie Conlon and Jonte Smith are likely to start in the centre of midfield alongside James Hammond. If they do not pass fitness tests then expect to see the teenage trio of Harry Reed, George McCarthy and Ross Barclay, who made his senior league debut when he came on on Saturday, in the squad.
How has this season been for Carshalton Athletic?
It is no surprise that The Robins are challenging at the top of the table with a squad that contains some real class players, including player/manager Peter Adeniyi who was imperious in the games against us last season and quite rightly was included in the Team of the Season. Carshalton, like the Rooks, have fire-power throughout the side including Mickel Miller, Raheem Stirling-Parker, Tommy Bradford and Ricky Korboa. They have lost Omar Korama back to parent club, Dulwich Hamlet having scored five goals for the Robins including four away at Hythe Town last month.
The Robins have gone eight game unbeaten, since losing at home to Greenwich Borough back in October although they have drawn their last two matches including the surprise 0-0 at Molesey on Friday night. They’ve won five out of their ten home games, drawing four and losing just one, averaging 2.2 goals per game although they have conceded 17 at The Memorial Ground. The Rooks head there with the only unbeaten away record in the Bostik League South, winning seven and drawing three of our games on the road, scoring nineteen times and conceding just six on the road.
How was last season?
Carshalton enjoyed a consistent season, improving on the previous season’s
10th place finish and scored goals for fun. They led the table early in the season but
fell away around Christmas time. They
started to put pressure on the play-off pack towards the end of the season, but
a 3-point penalty for fielding an illegible player cost them a place in the
end. Their main threat came from the
boot of Tommy Bradford and Ricky Korboa, which player-manager Peter Adeniye
rolled-back the years and was rightly included in the Isthmian League South
team of the season. He has added
goal-scoring midfielder Jordan Cheadle from Walton Casuals, Raheem
Sterling-Parker from Chipstead and Corinthian-Casuals Danny Dudley to his squad
so far.
Isthmian League South Division – 6th – P 46 W 24 D 9 L 14 GS 106 GA 69 GD +37 PTS 81
·
FA Cup – 1st Qualifying Round – lost at
home to Worthing 6-2 in a replay
·
FA Trophy –
Preliminary Round – lost away to Cray Wanderers 3-0 in a replay
·
Surrey Senior Cup – Second Round – Lost at home
to Tooting & Mitcham United 2-0
·
Isthmian League Cup – Second Round – Lost away
to South Park 2-1
When did we last meet
Carshalton Athletic?
Last season we were beaten twice by the Robins. In September, they came to The Dripping Pan in
fine form and beat us 2-1 thanks to goals from Ricky Korboa and Tommy Bradford,
whilst Jamie Brotherton scored from the spot for the Rooks. In the return fixture in April, Lewes
suffered an injury-time defeat, going down 4-3 having led 3-2 thanks to goals
from Jonte Smith, Alex Malins and Stephen Okoh as the game went into 7 minutes
of injury time. Alas, the officials
deemed that that wasn’t enough and in the 11th minute of time added
on, the home side scored the winner to effectively end The Rooks chances of
reaching the Play-offs.
About War Memorial Sports Ground
The War Memorial Sports Ground is one of the best grounds in the Isthmian
League, the ground started life as plain old Shorts Farm back in the 1920’s. The first part to be developed was the
grandstand, originally bought and transported piece by piece from Epsom
Racecourse down the road. In 1968, gale-force
winds battered this stand so much that it had to be demolished. Today the main feature is the huge covered
terrace that runs down the side of the pitch, allowing ample room for thousands
of fans even if it is more likely today to only house a few dozen.
In addition, the ground boasts a good sized, if small in
length, grandstand and plenty of standing room down the side of the pitch. Behind the north end is a small cover whilst
at the south end the cover extends across the full length of the terrace. The club claim to serve the “Best Burger in
English Football” from the new eatery in the corner of the pitch, next door to
the club shop, both allowing you to watch the action whilst waiting to be
served.
How
to get to The War Memorial Sports Ground
Carshalton is not the easiest place to get to from anywhere
else apart from South London by car especially if you have to travel through
Croydon which can be blocked by shoppers on a Saturday, and commuters in
midweek. If you are coming from the south via the M25 then take exit 7
signposted Croydon and follow the A23 past the old Croydon airport before taking
a left after a few miles onto the A232.
Follow this road for a couple of miles, passing Beddington
Park on your right before you enter Carshalton.
Pass through the High Street, passing the two large ponds on your right
and take the next right into West Street.
Pass the Racecourse and Hope pubs on this road and then immediately
after you pass under the railway bridge take a left into Colston Avenue. The entrance to the ground is down a small
alley about 150 yards on your right.
This is a busy and narrow road so I would avoid parking down here –
there is a car park at the ground or park on West Street or Colston Avenue. Journey time for the 48-mile trip is just
over an hour.
Carshalton is in Zone 5.
The station is only a few minutes’ walk from the ground – take a right
out of the exit and walk down the hill.
Turn right, walk under the railway bridge and then left into Colston
Avenue – ground is 150 yards on your right.
Journey time from Lewes is 1 hour 50 mins if going via Victoria or 20
minutes less if you change at East Croydon and Mitcham Junction. Off-Peak returns cost around £20.
Admission at War
Memorial Sports Ground
Admission this season is £10 for adults, £6 for concessions (senior
citizens and students), and accompanied under 18s are £3. Note for ground-hoppers and programme collectors. Carshalton DO NOT issue a programme – a digital version is available to download on the day.
Fancy a beer?
Whilst relatively small in size, Carshalton has a few decent pubs within a
stone’s throw of the ground. On West
Street (take a left out of the station) there is the Greyhound and The Hope
which was certainly a favourite with the Lewes travelling support last season,
whilst in The High Street there is the Woodman, Coach and Horses and Fox and
Hounds – all of which are worth a visit.
There is a decent sized bar at the ground and beer can be taken outside
whilst the game is on.