Both goals came in the first-half and our available players put in a good shift against a strong visiting squad.
Team news: There was a first pre-season appearance for defender Adam Thompson since joining the club, while Mickel Miller was given a rare start up front in place of the absent Tommy Bradford. Adriano Moraes once again skippered.
We made a bright start with Sean O’Toole outmuscling right back Dan Spence on three minutes to work a crossing position. Ashley Robinson, charging in from the right, could only guide the ball down into the box but Greg Andrews fired off a firm half volley which took a slight deflection to go off target.
O’Toole and Alex Penfold combined a little later and Miller neatly took the latter’s first-time cross down on the edge of the box. He spun his marker and got a shot off but it was straight at goalkeeper Ross Worner.
United’s first serious threat came on the quarter hour as Craig Dundas managed to shake off the close attentions of Moraes in our box but, from an acute angle, a combination of Jack Eden and the near post kept out his stabbed effort.
Up until that point our defence had been dealing with United’s attacking intentions comfortably – each made vital interceptions or won big headers – but United did draw first blood on 18 minutes.
A break down their right saw a low square cross find Tom Bolarinwa who, from 15 yards, worked some space and rifled past the exposed Eden.
We didn’t allow that disappointment to unsettle our momentum and we strung together some neat passing moves as we looked to put our visitors on the back foot, and we only had to wait 10 minutes to get back on level terms.
Penfold played O’Toole free down the left with an inch-perfect pass over the head of Spence and he picked out Miller by the penalty spot. The young forward couldn’t get the ball under control but Robinson came onto it and swept it back across Worner with his left foot. That was his fifth goal of this pre-season.
United rallied and Eden bravely punched a whipped-in corner on 31 minutes before then getting behind a long-range effort 30 seconds later. A minute later Dundas watched as a cross-shot from the far side of our area floated over Eden’s head and strike the crossbar.
Our last good move of the half came from our keeper who bowled out a claimed cross to Andrews who, in turn, put Bentley Graham away on the break. The midfielder got over halfway before eventually picking out Miller on the right but, despite doing well to cut in on his left foot, he sent a powerful shot way off target.
HALF-TIME: 1 – 1
There was then a slight delay as the floodlights decided to turn themselves off just before the hour mark but, once play resumed, Bobby Price thumped a half volley on a Miller cross off target despite being well placed at the back post.
Our visitors threatened twice within a minute after that – Lee Hall first bravely headed a goalbound effort away from in front of Willard, but then our keeper made a fantastic one-handed save to deny Dan Fitchett what seemed a cert goal as the striker powerfully met a fee kick with his head from 10 yards.
Spillane did finally get a header past Willard shortly afterwards but it was from a very clear offside position, while Penfold couldn’t get any purchase on an Andrews free kick with a diving header at the other end.
Both sides had golden opportunities to win the match before the end however.
United’s came first when Spillane stole the ball away from Penfold, who was last man, and he strode into our box. As Willard came out to meet him, Spillane tried to square for an unmarked teammate but Paris Hamilton-Downes had bust a gut to get across and he blocked the pass. Our stranded keeper could only watch as Fleetwood let fly from 20 yards but his curled effort dropped the wrong side of the far post.
Then, a couple of minutes before the final whistle, we went on a counter-attack that saw Ade Joshua take a pass and run 60 yards towards the United box. His marker kept backing off and our man finally shifted the ball onto his right foot but, from 12 yards, he could only hit Worner who parried the ball away to safety.
Next up: We host Merstham on Saturday 1st August before we travel to Raynes Park Vale on Tuesday 4th August. The real business of season 2015/16 kicks off with a home game against Dorking Wanderers on Saturday 8th August.
For full details of Carshalton Athletics activities go to: ROBINS http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/carshaltonafc