Tonbridge Angels Women open their 2025/26 season on Sunday with an Adobe WFA Cup Preliminary Round tie against AFC Croydon Athletic, a club owned by no less than Stormzy and Wilfried Zaha. The match kicks off at 6pm.
AFC Croydon Athletic compete in the Greater London Women’s Football League Premier Division at step 7 which is the equivalent level to the South East Counties Women’s Football League Premier Division in which Angels women play. Both leagues feed into Tier 6, which is the London and South East Regional Women’s Football League Division One, so promotion for both sides could see them competing in the same division at some point in the future.
Last season, AFC Croydon won the Greater London Division 1 title meaning back to back promotions since they formed just a few short seasons ago.
Stormzy and Wilfried Zaha are fully committed to the women’s team as part of their investment in the club. The owners goal is to build a community asset reflecting Croydon’s diversity.
They have talent and experience throughout the squad including Kaydence Kabadaki who joined from Sutton United after a spell with Millwall.
The Angels Women took to their elevated status like the proverbial “ducks to water” and their Premier Division debut season brought another runners-up position, this time behind a Sevenoaks Town team that dominated the division. But, cup success returned, this time in the form of a double with the Kent FA Women’s Plate being won by 4-2 against Hollands and Blair with leading goalscorer Grace Mayhead scoring a hat-trick and Charlotte Cresswell adding to the scoreline. Three weeks later, it was back to the Gallagher and the League Cup was retained with a comfortable 5-0 win against Parkwood Rangers with goals from Aimee Churchill, Mollyanne Herbert-Smith, Milly Driscoll, Charlotte Cresswell and Amelia Cooper.
During the summer they have added Izzy Curtis-Barnes, who spent her youth career at the London City Lionesses Academy; Hannah Nowakowska who was previously with Bath University and Forest Green Rovers, Maisie Frankum who joins straight from Crystal Palace academy and Rosie Storrs who comes to the Angels via the strong link with Tonbridge Juniors.
Manager Joe Rowe, looked forward to Sunday’s WFA Cup encounter: “We are really looking forward to the game, we’ve had a good pre-season, have added well and feel ready for the challenge. We expect Croydon to be a strong outfit with some talented players, I’m familiar with a few of the names and know that we will need to be at our best to get a result. However, this group is very capable and determined to progress after we fell short last season.”
Admission to the game is Adults £5 with Under-16’s Free.
The bar is open before, throughout and after the game with the tea bar serving burgers, hot dogs, butties, hot and cold drinks through to the end of the half-time break.
Enjoy the game!
