Carshalton Athletic has exited the FA Cup at the second hurdle thanks to a 1-0 defeat on a warm late summer’s day in Redhill, writes James Barrett.
After a first-half that swung end-to-end, the game’s only goal came 10 minutes after the break and we then struggled to break down a resolute home defence.
Boss Stuart Massey recalled Ricardo Panton and Tommy Bradford to the starting line-up for this one, while Cecil Jee Thomas was cup-tied. Brendan Murphy-McVey made it onto the bench for the first time this season as he recovers from injury.
Both sides started brightly and we knocked the ball around neatly during the opening exchanges, with Bradford doing well to charge down a back pass on seven minutes but the ricochet sadly rolled out of play before he could latch on it.
Redhill’s Joe Bingham put the game's first real shot wide across Jack Eden’s goal on 10 minutes and Jamal Alexander latched onto a Bradford flick on shortly afterwards, but it wouldn’t drop and his soft half volley from 18 yards went straight into Michael Hunter’s arms.
It was our turn to exert some pressure after that let off but Kingsley Aikhionbare’s low effort from a tight angle was well saved and Nicky Greene curled a 25 yard shot just wide of the top near corner.
Pink had another burst into the box on 20 minutes but this time Eden blocked his shot with a leg. We broke and Panton played a one-two with Bradford down the right but Aikhionbare couldn’t head the cross on target.
We had a shout for a penalty eight minutes later as Adriano Moraes played a neat one-two with Mickel Miller down the left and broke into the home box. He was seemingly taken down near the six yard area but nothing was given.
Unbelievably Pink was given another run at our goal on the half hour but Tony Sinclair managed to just get back and close his shot down at close range.
We perhaps should’ve taken the lead just before half-time as, on the break, a flowing move involving Greene, Miller and Bradford got Matt Males free on the right. His deep cross found Bradford at the back post but, although Hunter got nowhere near the ball, the forward guided his header just wrong side of it.
HALF-TIME: 0 – 0
Alexander fashioned a good chance for Aikhionbare just before we fell behind after the midfielder won a goal kick and played in the striker. He checked back onto his right foot but unfortunately his firm effort was straight down Hunter’s throat.
The hosts won a corner on 54 minutes, which we only half cleared, and the ball was turned back in. Pink took it down 10 yards from goal and, despite slipping, stabbed it past Eden before our closest defenders could react.
We tried to rally but Hunter gathered a couple of crosses as we found it difficult to exert some pressure on the home goal. Murphy-McVey made his season debut just after the hour but Eden had to be on his toes to deny Pink yet again as the game headed towards the last 20 minutes.
Bradford cut inside a marker on 74 minutes and managed to pick out Alexander inside the home box. He took one touch to set but his marker was close enough to make our man drag his shot wide of the far post.
Murphy-McVey then went on a mazy run from the right touchline where he beat two players to get 20 yards from goal, but a third was one too many and he was dispossessed.
Our last real chance came on the 80th minute as Panton was played in down the right and he tried to thread a low square ball across the box and into the run of Bradford. A defender stopped the pass and the lurking Alexander latched onto it but he couldn’t muster any power on a follow-up effort.
Next up: Redhill come visit us for a league encounter on Tuesday 16th September before we head down to Hastings United on Saturday 20th September. We then go to Whitstable Town on Tuesday 23rd September.
Carshalton Athletic: Eden; Panton, Campbell, Sinclair (c), Moraes; Greene (Higgs – 83), Alexander, Males (McKinlay – 79), Miller; Bradford, Aikhionbare (Murphy-McVey – 64)
Unused subs: O’Toole, Sallis
Booked: Miller
Redhill: Hunter, Duke, Hill, Goldsmith, Difford (c), Anderson, O’Flaherty, Bold, Gordon, Pink (Regan – 83), Bingham
Subs: Mitford, Butler, Harris, Faith
Goal: Pink (55)
For all the information on Carshalton Athletic go to: www.pitchero.com/clubs/carshaltonafc/