Match preview // Tooting Bec vs Clapton CFC Men’s First Team // 17.01.26

Tooting Bec vs Clapton Community FC takes place on Saturday, January 17 2026 with a 3pm kick off at Chipstead FC, High Road, Chipstead, CR5 3SF.

It’s the first away day of 2026 for the Clapton CFC Men’s First Team and it’s a long trip down to Chipstead in Surrey to take on Tooting Bec.

Our hosts are the holders of the London Senior Trophy and are having a good season in the Southern Counties East Football League, our home last season.

However, this is the only cup competition we’re still in, it’s the quarter-final stage already, so Geoff Ocran and the coaching team are taking it seriously.

About the opposition

Tooting Bec FC was established in 2004 and joined the Surrey South Eastern Combination. Five promotions later they joined the Combined Counties League, then in 2021 season the club were laterally transferred to the SCEFL. In the four seasons since, they’ve made the play-offs twice and won this competition last year. They now have 6 men’s and 2 women’s teams.

Previous meetings

Last season in the SCEFL, both games were won 4-2 by the away side. The victory away at Tooting Bec was particularly notable for Fred Taylor’s four goals.

Form guide

Tooting Bec are sitting in seventh just outside the play-offs. In this competition they had a first round bye then beat Hilltop Reserves in the second round.

Player/s to watch

Five Tooting Bec players have 5 or more goals this season, including experienced strikers Nile Waite and Ed Mbango, the latter of whom played in our cup final vs Forest Hill Park at the end of last season.

Admission

It’s £6 in, or £4 concessions. The bar will be open before and after the game including early/late football on the TV. Hot food available at the bar and some printed programmes on sale too.

Directions

It’s a 32 minute walk from Chipstead station. However, the walk is up a very steep and narrow hill with no pavements. So the suggestion is to travel to Coulsdon South and to book a taxi from the cab office there. You can also catch a train to Merstham and catch a bus from there.

There is parking for 200 cars around 200 yards from the ground.