It was more home comforts as a first win in five games was collected against Hastings, writes James Barrett.
A consummate display meant we eased past our opponents and perhaps the only disappointment was we didn’t further boost our goal difference past the three we got.
Team news: Rob Scantlebury gave new recruit Owen Roberts a full debut in lieu of the injured Tony Sinclair while Jordan Higgs, who was named on the bench, was moved into the starting line-up just 40 minutes before kick-off as Joshua Adusei tweaked a leg injury.
Both keepers dealt with soft efforts in the opening exchanges and Jordan Clarke put an effort just wide before we went into the lead on 10 minutes.
Quick thinking
We caught Hastings offside and some quick thinking by Adriano Moraes saw him take the free kick and pinpoint it up to Austin Gacheru, whom was one-on-one with defender Alex Hause. The pair tussled as the ball bounced twice and our striker managed to get in front and stretch out a foot to score past keeper Josh Pelling.
And things got better just two minutes later as Clarke picked up the ball on the left, drifted past two half-hearted tackles and curled in a shot from 20 yards that beat the despairing dive of Pelling.
A third was almost added two minutes on again but this time Brendan Murphy-McVey crashed a volley from distance not far off target.
Our style of football during the first half-hour was simply superb – passing and quick movement when in possession, while committed and tiger-ish when looking to win the ball back or dealing with long forward balls.
Cause for concern
The only cause for concern at the back during that period came on 22 minutes when Moraes only lifted a clearance up high in front of our goal. Two opponents swarmed towards it but Jack Eden came out and nicked it away from danger.
Mickel Miller’s first real involvement on the ball came on the half-hour when he held up the ball in the far corner before digging out a teasing cross. Gacheru couldn’t connect with his head but Bradford almost bundled it in from close range, only for a defender to block it away from the target.
Bradford had another half chance as a corner dropped to him on 32 minutes but it was at an awkward angle and he couldn’t get enough purchase on his strike.
Hastings’ best opportunity of the game arrived on 40 minutes as a loose pass by Ricardo Panton on halfway set them away. Tyrell Richardson-Brown was played in on Eden but the winger’s attempted dink was easily caught.
HALF-TIME: 2 – 0
But we, particularly Murphy-McVey and Clarke, still looked threatening nearly every time we got into Hastings’ half – only poor finishing or wayward through balls let us down.
Pelling parried a strong Bradford shot from 15 yards on the hour mark and the ball flew past Miller who couldn’t get anything on it in front of goal.
The winger went on a buccaneering run shortly after that and won a corner which M-McVey floated in. Gacheru got a free header on the delivery but it lacked any real power to beat Pelling.
But we finally extended our lead on 67 minutes thanks to some individual brilliance from M-McVey after he began the move which led to his goal.
He put Miller in on goal whom didn’t fancy shooting with his right and was blocked when checking onto his left. M-McVey got on the loose ball, jinked past two opponents displaying some close control before slamming the ball from a tight angle in off the far post.
Hastings sub Liam Foster injected some guile into the visitors’ attack after coming on and he was set to really test Eden on 75 minutes, but Bradford had tracked back and he hooked the ball out of Foster’s trajectory.
Panton impressed just after that by winning a 50-50 challenge deep in our half and setting off on a 70 yard run to get in on Hastings’ goal but a last ditch tackle foiled his shooting attempt.
Roberts, Higgs and Moraes all bravely blocked threats on our goal in the last 10 minutes as we saw the game out to its inevitable conclusion.
Next up: We visit Corinthian Casuals on Tuesday 17th March before heading to Whyteleafe on Saturday 21st March. Our game at Faversham Town has been rearranged for Tuesday 24th March.
Carshalton Athletic: Eden; Price, Roberts, Moraes (c), Panton; Miller (Korboa – 68), Murphy-McVey, Higgs, Bradford (Males – 85) Clarke; Gacheru (O’Toole – 80)
Unused sub: Adusei
Goals: Gacheru (10), Clarke (12), Murphy-McVey (67)
Hastings United: Pelling, Brinkhurst, Turner, R Rose (Foster – 60), Ray (c), Hanifan (Hause – 4), Richardson-Brown, Adams, Maclean, McClean, Rabiu (Gordon – 72)
Unused sub: D Rose
For more information about Carshalton Athletic go to: http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/carshaltonafc