Match report - Sittingbourne (h)

We conceded two added time goals as we dropped two points from a commanding position, writes James Barrett.

Team news: Dominique Bongo and Ronald Sobowale were given their full league debuts, while Josh Phillips and Kingsley Aikhionbare came in to the attack.

But Bongo almost made a nightmare start to his afternoon as, in the sixth minute, he tried to shepherd a long ball out of play but Remell Davis hassled him until the striker won the ball by the six yard box - but Joe Tupper thankfully saved the incoming shot.

We created our first real chance five minutes later as Josh Phillips battled to win possession on halfway before swapping passes with Tommy Bradford to get into the box. He did well to pick out Mickel Miller from the byline but he skied a first-time effort over the bar.

Both sides got stuck in during the game

Sittingbourne forced a corner on 16 minutes which we dealt with, then Jahmahl King headed out the second cross. Joe Loft pitched a high ball back into the mix and Tupper caught his arm on his post as he tracked the ball out of play - luckily he was ok to continue after a minute's treatment.

We went forward after the restart and Brendan Murphy-McVey got Aikhionbare away down the right. Our forward cut inside his marker and had two opportunities to pull the trigger as he ghosted along the 18-yard line before a defensive foot poked the ball out. Sekou Kaba got onto it and hit a half-volley not far off target from about 20 yards.

Tupper got down well to parry an angled Josh Wisson shot around his near post as our visitors tried again to break the deadlock - our keeper was also equal to a 20-yard free kick and a wicked curling effort by Hasan Jallah on 34 minutes.

But we began to dictate play and created two good chances before the break - Murphy-McVey tested Simon Overland with a 25-yard hit that bounced up in front of the keeper, then Bradford got Kaba into their box only for our man to slightly scuff a shot under pressure which Overland got down to stop.

HALF-TIME: 0 - 0

We introduced Bobby Price and Ronald Sobowale at the start of the second-half and we opened the scoring on 48 minutes.

Kaba displayed great strength to win possession on halfway before he embarked on a forward run that ended with a through ball for Bradford. Our top scorer tempted Overland to come out and our man skipped round him and, as he faced a narrow angle, he checked back to tee up Aikhionbare whom powered home his second of the season from 12 yards.

King of Colston: Aikhionbare celebrates

Our tails were now up and Murphy-McVey tested Overland again from distance while, as our backline surpressed a couple of half-hearted Sittingbourne attacks, Sobowale took down a Murphy-McVey cross on 63 minutes but he hit his shot from 15 yards at the visiting keeper.

But our young sub wasn't to be denied again as, on 71 minutes, we broke from a Sittingbourne attack and Bradford played Sobowale in over the halfway line. He reached 25 yards from goal before unleashing a low shot that left Overland rooted to the spot and opened his account for the club.

Sittingbourne had a chance to put us under pressure two minutes later as they won a free kick 20 yards from our goal, but Tupper got down to parry Conrad Lee's effort away from danger.

We looked comfortable as we entered the last 10 minutes and Phillips' eyes lit up as he jinked his way into Sittingbourne's area on 81 minutes but a combination of Lee and Jono Richardson stopped him from unleashing a shot.

And our young forward came even closer to putting us three-up on 88 minutes as, following good work by Sobowale and Aikhionbare, he latched on to Bradford's square ball and hammered an angled drive past Overland and off the underside of the crossbar, but the officials said the ball hadn't crossed the line.

Sittingbourne reduced the arrears as the game went into stoppage time as sub Jake Embrey pounced to ram a loose ball past Tupper from close range.

The referee then indicated four minutes of added time in which we defended a couple of attacks and thought we'd done enough for victory. However, Sittingbourne won a corner in the 97th minute and Wisson rose highest to head home an equaliser and break our collective hearts.

Photos from the game can be viewed here.

Next up: Dorking Wanderers visit on Monday 9th January before Chatham Town arrive on Saturday 14th January.

Carshalton Athletic: Tupper; King (Price - 46), Adeniyi, Bongo, Hamilton-Downes (c); Bradford, Kaba, Murphy-McVey (Healy - 65); Phillips, Aikhionbare, Miller (Sobowale - 46)

Unused subs: Kozakis, Hibbert

Goals: Aikhionbare (48), Sobowale (71)

Assists: Bradford (2)

Booked: Adeniyi

Sittingbourne: Overland, Welch, Carse (Brown - 15), Lee, Richardson (c), Wisson, Brunt, Loft, O'Connor, Davies, Jallop

Unused subs: Akhazzan, Embery, Soafer, Davis

Goals: Embery (90), Wisson (90+7)

Booked: Wisson, Richardson