Crawley Down Gatwick Football Club

16/09/2025 - Tue 16th Sep: Anvils v Forest Row Sussex Principal RUR Charity Cup R1

Entry: Adults £8

Concessions £5

U18's Free

Programme published on our website on the day of the game. Programme

There will be a minutes applause at the start of the match for former Colleague Colin MacCleaster who sadly passed away recently after a long illness.

15/09/2025 - Mon 15th Sep: Colin MacCleaster

Colin MacCleaster

It is with the saddest of hearts that I let you all know that we sadly lost a legend of our football family this week Colin MacCleaster.

Colin played many roles within the club over the years and was one of the driving forces in uniting the three Crawley Down clubs  to create the wonderful club we now know. He also played a pivotal part in many local football leagues and with the youth back in the 80's. He was also the reason I joined the club back in the mid 80's, as he offered me a pathway into adult football.  A journey  which has created memories that are a huge part of my life and will live on as some of my fondest.

As I said, Colin played many roles in the club over the years and was a huge supporter on and off the pitch. I can honestly say that he was a huge part of the foundations that created everything we have today. We will always be thankful to him and his family,  and he will be sorely and lovingly missed.

We extend our sympathies to Rita, Alan Suzanne, Julie and all their family and friends, and will observe a minute's applause before the match this evening, which is the least we can do. RIP Colin and thank you for giving me the memories and the opportunity to be  where I am now.

Dave

14/09/2025 - Sun 14th Sep: Anvils U18's 2 Horsham U18's 3

Match Report: CDG U18’s 2 Horsham FC U18’s 3

CDGFC U18s started their league campaign against defending champions Horsham this Sunday.

The spectators were treated to a very entertaining game with CDGFC taking the lead through George Ferrar after  a lovely through ball from Rodrigo Morales. Unfortunately, Horsham answered back just before HT to make it 1-1. The second half saw Horsham gain 2 further goals before Rodrigo Morales pulled one back with a low drive into the corner from just inside the 18-yard box to make it 3-2. CDGFC pushed for an equaliser and had chances but couldn't get it done before full-time. MOM for CDGFC was Finley Mott.

13/09/2025 - Sat 13th Sep: Lancing 1 CDG 2

The Anvils started this match much brighter and were ahead writhing 3mins through George Falzon.

Anvils continued to dominate the 1st half and several chances went begging including a Penalty miss before Jacob Todman finally got his debut goal with a well excecuted lob over the advancing keeper.

HT 0-2 Anvils

2nd half: As expected Lancing came out with much more purpose and got back in the game with a goal midway through the half. A few misses and a great save from Oban in the Anvils goal kept Lancing out. A first League win of the season for The Anvils.

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09/09/2025 - Tue 9th Sep: Selsey 1 CDG 2 Sx Sen Cup R1

Anvils win at Selsey 2-1 to go through to the 2nd Rd.

Selsey started well and went 1 up from the Penalty Spot  on 13mins

HT 1-0 Selsey

2nd half Anvils Drew level with a penalty from Oli Leslie and Abdul Rasheed Alaka scored the winner for the Anvils on 87 Mins,

06/09/2025 - Sat 6th Sept: Anvils 1 Bexhill Utd 2

Not the best game to watch, Both sides cancelled each other out throughout and so many chances missed. Bexhill scored just before HT and had the better of the 2nd period. Anvils rallied late on and Oli Leslie levelled on 79 mins. Several further chances came and went but a 93rd minute goal for Bexhill settled the match in their favour. 1-2.

Picture Anvils Mascots U12 Girls

Programme published on our website on the day of the game. Programme

04/09/2025 - Anvils 18's 1 Balham 18's 1

FA Youth Cup Preliminary Round

U18's fought out a good battle with Balham not much to choose betwen the sides throughout.

Balham went 1 up 2nd Half and the Anvils drew level with a goal from Finley Wigmore on 85mins 1-1

Balham won the Penalty Shootout 4-2 and go on to play Leatherhead in the next round.

02/09/2025 - Tue: 2nd Sep 25: CDG 3 AFC Walcountians 1 PB Cup R2

Anvils through in the 2nd Rd of the Peter Bentlley League cup with a 3-1 win.

Walcountians went ahead on 20mins and were on top most of the 1st Half.

2nd half the Anvils took control and scored 3 times through Oil Leslie 2 and Jake Neaves.

Anvils home to Newhaven in the 3rd Rd

Programme published on our website on the day of the game. Programme

30/08/2025 - Sat: 30th Aug 25 CDG 2 v 3 Haywards Hth Town

Anvils suffer another defeat this time against Table Toppers Haywards Heath Town but they didn't have it all their own way. A bad start let in HH after just 2mins and CDG were under pressure for most of the 1st Half with HH doubling their lead before HT.

2nd half CDG competed much better and a goal on 55mins got the match back to 1-2. Heath then scored a few mins later 1-3 but the Anvils came back with Oli getting a second on 66 mins to make it 2-3. Pressure from the Anvils for the rest of the half but Heath held out for the win.

Programme published on our website on the day of the game. Programme

29/08/2025 - Anvils Junior Pathways really do work

Anvils Junior Pathways really do work

Article by CDGFC Junior Coordinator Howard Griggs

News a couple of weeks ago that Lewis Gould, one of our first team players from last season, had signed a one-year contract with League One side Barnsley was fantastic for so many reasons. It came hot on the heels of Joe Emery, who played for our junior teams, making his first team debut for Sheffield Wednesday in the Carabao Cup against Bolton Wanderers and Tito Salaam, a first team regular at 18 last season, joining professional side Sutton United.

All these examples are, first and foremost, wonderful news for those individuals and their families. What they also do, though, is to show that Crawley Down Gatwick offers a genuine pathway for young players. As someone who is going into his 17th season coaching in the junior section here, I am proud of the way this club has developed. We now have 28 teams in this club which comprises the men’s first team, U18s sides for men and women, plus 25 teams or training groups for boys and girls from U16s down to U5s.

I have always been a strong advocate for the junior section but it has to have a purpose and this is the two-fold purpose as I see it: to provide a safe and caring environment to play football for boys and girls who want to enjoy the game; to provide a pathway from junior football to the first team and higher if they are capable of it. Both those purposes are equally important.

There have been a few cases of Crawley Down players in the past joining professional clubs, but not too many. Mitch Walker played in goal for our junior teams and later made his professional debut for Brighton and Hove Albion in a League One game against Yeovil Town in 2010. Mitch is still playing now for Dover Athletic at the age of 33. Before that, Adam Aylward went to Chesterfield and Robbie Collins to Crawley Town. On the girls’ front, Jodie Jacobs went on to play for Chelsea and West Ham after playing for Crawley Down, while two girls I coached left us after U13s to join professional clubs: Hannah Plumb was signed by Brighton and Hove Albion and subsequently played for West Ham U21s, while Rhianna Major went to Charlton Athletic.

What we have done at the club in recent years is to emphasise the second part of my ‘two-fold purpose’, which is to offer that pathway to the first team and beyond. Lewis Gould and Joe Emery, both played in the junior sides run by first team coach Martin Benetar. In fact, Gould was in our U18s squad that won the Sussex Cup in April 2024 alongside current first team squad members Jake Neaves and Alex Tidy. Fellow first teamers Callum Kilkenny and Alex Bellingham have also played for our junior sides.

While all still young themselves, these players are an inspiration to the next generation because what this does is that is shows players currently with our junior sides that there is a pathway to senior football at Crawley Down Gatwick if they work hard and have the ability to match it. Even more so, Lewis Gould’s professional contract shows ambitious young players they do not have to go elsewhere if they want to follow in his footsteps.

There are currently players I have coached in our youngest groups who I know have real ability for their age group. Of course, there is a long way to go between where they are now and playing for the first team here at Crawley Down Gatwick but the message is clear: the pathway is there for boys in our club and, once we have launched the women’s first team, the pathway will be there too for girls. These are exciting times for everyone at Crawley Down Gatwick.

HOWARD GRIGGS