A solid performance by a youthful side wasn't enough to keep us in this season's Surrey Senior Cup, writes James Barrett.
Team news: Boss Peter Adeniyi handed a first-team debut to Ronald Sobowale, while Jack Minchin, Ryan Healy, Francis Sey and Harrison Street were given the chance to impress. Ex-Robins Quincy Rowe, Adriano Moraes and Jordan Wilson were in the visitors' squad.
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| On the attack: Francis Sey |
Tooting full back Fabio Nunes thought he'd broken the deadlock on 28 minutes as he met a pass pulled back from our byline but his close-range effort thankfully hit the outside of the near post.
Sey and Panton began to get some joy down the left and both players had Pierson earning his corn as he denied both men just after the half hour mark.
Tommy Bradford twice came close to opening the scoring before the break but Pierson was equal to his low shot on 37 minutes before a late free kick, which has become a bit of a speciality for our man of late, was whipped just off target.
HALF-TIME: 0 - 0
Tooting began the second-half on the front foot and we were grateful to see Taurean Roberts' volley from six yards clip the top of our crossbar on 50 minutes.
We struggled to give Pierson anything serious to worry about as our visitors began to get closer and closer to converting the chances they were creating, but they enjoyed a huge slice of luck when the first goal of the game did arrive on 73 minutes.
Sub Michael Dixon, who'd only been on the pitch one minute, fired in a low, hard cross that Minchin seemed to have under control but, due to the power on the ball, it squirmed out of his clutches and went in via a deflection off his own leg.
Bradford thought he'd brought us level shortly after but he was denied by a good save by Pierson and Nunes sealed Tooting's win as, despite Minchin saving Wilson's shot well on 85 minutes, he followed in to slam the loose ball home.
More photos from the game can be viewed here.
Next up: We host Hythe Town on Saturday 17th December before Tooting and Mitcham United return for a league game on Monday 26th December.
Carahalton Athletic: Minchin; Street (Henry - 56), King, Hamilton-Downes (c), Panton; Solowabe (Swaby - 72), Adeniyi, Healy, Sey; Phillips (Miller - 46), Bradford
Unused subs: Price, McGee
Booked: Bradford
Tooting and Mitcham United: Pierson, C Wilson, Nunes, Robinson, Rowe, Patterson-Bohner, O'Neill, Hoban (Bassett - 87), Barrington (Dixon - 72), Roberts, Bennett (J Wilson - 66)
Unused subs: Moraes, Alimi
Goals: Minchin (73 og), Nunes (85)
Booked: Patterson-Bohner
Attendance: 156