Carshalton earned a second win on the bounce thanks to a cool late strike and an inspired debut at Hastings, writes James Barrett.
Substitutes Nassim Dukali and Kingsley Aikhionbare combined for the latter to hit the winning strike, while, at the other end, goalkeeper Matt Willard pulled out several fine stops to ensure the club remains unbeaten on our league travels.
Boss Stuart Massey recalled Sean O’Toole and Jordan Higgs into the starting line-up for this one, while Willard started in place of the injured Jack Eden. Brendan Murphy-McVey was also given his first full start of the season.
The Robins began the game on the front foot and Michael Campbell teed up Murphy-McVey on five minutes, but his powerful goalbound shot was blocked away off target.
Captain Tony Sinclair sent a long free kick out to the right and Tommy Bradford two minutes later and the diminutive forward played a neat pass into the run of Higgs who, from a tight angle in the box, flashed a low shot just wide of the far post.
We continued to keep on top by retaining the lions share of possession and defending well as a team when Hastings did threaten to reach our box.
M Campbell thought he’d won a penalty on 13 minutes as he was wrestled to the ground by defender Jahmahl King, but the referee gave a free kick right on the edge. Murphy-McVey stepped up and hit a curling shot on target but a deflection off an opponent took it wide.
We finally turned our dominance into a goal on 21 minutes as Ricardo Panton and M Campbell worked the ball down the right. The striker sent a low pass into the path of Murphy-McVey who let fly from 20 yards. Hastings keeper Josh Pelling seemed to have it covered but he spilt the shot and the ball nestled in the back of the net.
Our energy levels remained high and we continued to frustrate our hosts, although Hastings midfielder Taser Hassan did fizz an angled free kick just over Willard’s bar on 26 minutes.
M Campbell had a fair chance of doubling our lead on the half-hour as a long ball deceived his marker and our man found himself running free on goal. A covering defender just managed to get back in front unfortunately and the eventual shot didn’t trouble Pelling.
Hastings did slowly start to come back in the game as it edged towards the break, with one corner headed powerfully at goal only for Willard to clutch it at full stretch on his own line.
Following a half cleared corner of our own, Bradford hit a side-footed effort straight at Pelling from 20 yards after Mickel Miller did well to keep the ball alive near the danger zone.
Hastings finally pierced our defence on 43 minutes as Ade Orolunda flicked on a long ball for the unmarked Kenny Pogue to burst in on goal. He lofted the bouncing ball over the advancing Willard but Panton came all the way across from right back to nod the ball away from Pogue and the empty net.
Willard then made his second fine stop of the afternoon as he turned away a powerful drive from Sam Adams just before the referee blew for half-time.
HALF-TIME: 1 – 0
It was role reversal time as the home side started the second-half brighter and Sinclair and his defensive team mates were kept on their toes for the first 10 minutes.
Massey took off Murphy-McVey for Aikhionbare on 54 minutes and then M Campbell and Bradford had successive shots blocked away in the Hastings box after their defence couldn’t clear a deep cross from O’Toole.
Dawayne Campbell did well to rob Pogue of the ball near our penalty area after that but, before he could clear his lines, Hassan nipped in front and fired a shot which Willard had to stretch for and parry away one-handed.
M Campbell was twice denied by late offside flags as he tried to put us back on the front foot, while Higgs put a lofted left-footer straight into the arms of Pelling on 65 minutes, but the hosts eventually made their resurgence pay off on 74 minutes.
Orolunda managed to get inside Sinclair as he ran into our box with the ball and he managed to put a cross into the oncoming Pogue, who crashed it home from close range to even up the score.
Conceding seem to shake us up and we went straight back on the attack from the re-start, O’Toole eventually winning a corner. Sinclair flicked on the delivery and the ball fell for Aikhionbare but his shot was blocked in front of goal.
Dukali entered the fray on 77 minutes but Willard again kept us in the game score-wise by deflecting Pogue’s towering header at the back post away from the bottom far corner at the very last second – a save so good even the Hastings crowd appreciated it.
The debutant keeper was called into action again with five minutes left as Dave Cook firmly headed a flick-on down from distance and the ball seemed destined to loop over Willard, who had started to come for the first header, and in. Our man managed to track the ball’s arc however and just tip it over the crossbar at full stretch.
And so, as the clock ticked down to added time, all the fine saves and our overall performance were given the three points they deserved as two of our substitutes combined to grab them.
Dukali did well did intercept a poor pass by Bryce Masters and he ran clear down the left before cutting in towards the box. Aikhionbare ran through the middle and he coolly slotted Dukali’s square pass first time past the exposed Pelling to send the travelling fans into raptures.
Next up: The Robins travel to Whitstable Town on Tuesday 23rd September before hosting Whyteleafe at Colston Avenue on Saturday 27th September. Chipstead then visit on Tuesday 30th September.
Carshalton Athletic: Willard; Panton, D Campbell, Sinclair (c), O’Toole; Higgs, Tanner, Bradford (Males – 84), Murphy-McVey (Aikhionbare – 54), Miller (Dukali – 77); M Campbell
Unused subs: Burford, Greene
Goals: Murphy-McVey (21), Aikhionbare (89)
Booked: Aikhionbare
Hastings United: Pelling, Rose, Cruttell (Masters – 67), Bankole (Adams – 41), Ray (c), King, Cook, Hassan, A Olorunda, Dolan, Pogue
Unused subs: Timba, T Olorunda, Sawyer
Goal: Pogue (74)
Booked: King, Rose
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