We recorded a consummate 3-0 win over Molesey as our good start to the season continued.
Team news: Matt Males started ahead of Peter Adeniyi in the only change from the starting eleven from last Saturday, while forward Joe Nwoko returned to Colston Avenue with the visitors.We didn’t have it all our own way to begin with however; Alex Kozakis got down well to save a Connor French shot and Nwoko fired wide from a good position inside our area.
Our first glimpse of Molesey’s goal came as Brendan Murphy-McVey picked out the run of Ricky Korboa but goalkeeper Liam Allen was alert enough to smother the ball at his feet.
We lost Kalvin Morath-Gibbs to injury on 11 minutes, with Adeniyi coming on in his place, before Sekou Kaba nodded down a corner into the visitors’ six yard box, but Tommy Bradford couldn’t force the ball home through the resultant melee.
We created two good chances within a minute shortly after - firstly Korboa ended a long spell of possession by flicking a neat pass into the run of Kaba, but Allen did enough to take the power off his shot for Conor Russell to mop up in front of the open goal.
Then Adeniyi and Bradford combined to get Bobby Price away down the right but Korboa couldn’t guide the full back’s firmly driven cross on target by the near post.
Molesey continued to look threatening on the break and Ross Chalke put a free shot on goal wide from 18 yards before Jahmahl King bravely made two blocks in quick succession within our area.But we continued to dominate possession and could’ve had a penalty on 34 minutes as Allen appeared to clatter Korboa just inside his box, but the referee waved play on.
However, we kept pressing, and we did get a spot-kick just five minutes later – Mickel Miller was pushed as he protected an Adeniyi ball over the top and Bradford stepped up to smash home his first goal of the season.
HALF-TIME: 1 – 0
We extended our lead three minutes in the second-half; Miller showed great determination to hold off his marker as the pair chased a ball over the top and then composure to lob the oncoming Allen from 18 yards.
Molesey found it difficult to get a foothold in the match as we continued to retain possession at will, but an offside flag stopped Korboa from taking on Allen one-on-one and Murphy-McVey needed a lower cross from Miller on 59 minutes which he probably could’ve steered home first time.
King made another good block in our area just after the hour and we broke quickly as Murphy-McVey’s long diagonal pass got Korboa away over halfway. A defender blocked his path to goal so he laid a pass into Miller whose curling first-time effort from 20 yards crashed against the crossbar.
Sean O’Toole came on for Ricardo Panton just before we scored our third – Miller brushed past Russell and knocked in a cross from the left for Bradford to guide back across Allen for his second of the game.Miller made way for Kingsley Aikhionbare on 73 minutes and we continued to frustrate our visitors by keeping the ball for long periods, but we displayed great steel throughout the whole team when we needed to win possession back at times.
The closest we came to adding to the scoreline came with 10 minutes to go as Murphy-McVey slalomed into their box but his shot cannoned back off the near post, while a 20 yard free kick for Molesey late on was blazed over, summing up their frustrating evening.
Next up: It’s the FA Cup and we welcome Farnham Town on Saturday 20th August before we resume league duties with a visit to East Grinstead Town on Saturday 27th August.
Carshalton Athletic: Kozakis; Price (c), King, Morath-Gibbs (Adeniyi – 11), Panton (O’Toole – 64); Bradford, Kaba, Murphy-McVey, Males, Korboa; Miller (Aikhionbare – 73)
Unused subs: Gray, Ismail
Goals: Bradford (39 p and 66), Miller (48)
Molesey: Allen, Akuruka, King, Grobler (Nsubuga – 31), Russell (Grant – 73), Frost, Windsor, Chalke (c), French, Hoadley (Charles – 56), Nwoko
Unused subs: None
Booked: Nsubuga, Windsor