Match report - Herne Bay (h)

We kept our play-off dreams alive with a comfortable win over Herne Bay, writes James Barrett.

Team news: Kalvin Morath-Gibbs and Mickel Miller returned to the starting line-up as Peter Adeniyi and Omari Hibbert dropped to the bench.

It was very blustery conditions throughout and we had the wind behind us in the first-half as Tommy Bradford put a sighter from 18 yards just wide in the fourth minute.

Our visitors set their stall out early with several late challenges and rushed clearances, but the pace of Mickel Miller, Kingsley Aikhionbare and Ryan Gondoh were keeping them on the back foot.

Aikhionbare won a corner on 10 minutes which we played short and eventually Gondoh had a shot which was blocked away by goalkeeper Jack Delo.

We kept up the pressure and Miller broke clean through 60 seconds later and took the ball around the sprawling Delo, but his pass to Bradford saw his teammate's effort blocked by a covering defender. Gondoh fired the clearance back in on goal but, although it got past two opponents, Gary Sayer prevented it from getting over the line.

Bradford then spotted a forward run by Bobby Price but our captain fizzed his volleyed effort across Delo's six yard area.

On the spot: Miller scores his first of the afternoon

That pair then combined for Aikhionbare to get in down the right but Miller diverted his near-post cross the wrong side of the upright.

Connor Sanders, playing against his old club, won a big tackle by the centre circle on 22 minutes and Price charged off with the ball in our possession. He eventually released Aikhionbare whom worked space for a cross but the ball bounced off our incoming captain and Delo got a hand on the ball to stop it going in.

Then Ricardo Panton ventured forward and he took aim from 25 yards but his powerful drive flew just the wrong side of Delo's top right-hand corner.

We finally made the breakthrough on 29 minutes as Darnell Weise handled Bradford's cross into their area and Miller squeezed the spot-kick past Delo's left hand.

Joe Tupper hadn't had much to do until Bay were awarded a 20 yard free kick on 34 minutes but he was alert enough to tip Adam Woolcott's effort over the crossbar.

And, after defending their corner kick, we broke forward with Aikhionbare whom managed to steer a pass into the unmarked Miller whom kept his composure before blasting a shot past the oncoming Delo from just inside the box.

HALF-TIME: 2 - 0

Sanders harries an old team-mate

We began the second-half on the front foot with Aikhionbare and Rio Davidson-Phipps combining for the latter to whip a low cross in which Bradford seemed destined to ram home, but Ben Gorham bravely slid in to stop our man from connecting.

Then Sanders, whom was up for a corner, managed to get a flick on a subsequent near-post Gondoh cross but he was denied a goal against his former employers by an outstretched boot.

Both sides made their first substitutions but it was Bay that grabbed the next goal - a long free kick was pumped into our box and Mark Lovell rose highest to head the ball past Tupper.

But we didn't let that turn into anything more serious and kept attacking when we had possession, eventually restoring our two-goal lead as Miller and Korboa swapped three passes inside their area before the former dinked home his hat-trick goal over Delo.

Bradford and Korboa both had runs on goal halted by the linesman's flag during the closing stages, but sub Omari Hibbert did add a fourth in added time by cutting in from the left and hitting a shot past Delo for his first goal in Robins red.

More photos from the game can be viewed here.

See the goals, plus an interview with Mickel Miller and Joe Tupper, via robins.tv

Next up: We travel to Guernsey on Sunday 2nd April before heading off to Sittingbourne on Saturday 8th April.

Carshalton Athletic: Tupper; Davidson-Phipps (Adeniyi - 73), Sanders, Morath-Gibbs, Panton; Bradford, Gondoh (O Hibbert - 77), J Hibbert, Price (c), Miller; Aikhionbare (Korboa - 64)

Unused subs: Kozakis, Healy

Goals: Miller (29 pen, 36, 79) O Hibbert (90)

Assists: Miller, Aikhionbare, Korboa, J Hibbert

Booked: J Hibbert

Herne Bay: Delo, M Turner, Sayer, Gorham, Quinn, Weise (Lewins - 54), Woolcott (Mansarah - 84), J Turner (Adebayo - 75), Williams, Lovell, Pulman,

Unused subs: Elliott, Wood

Goal: Lovell (64)

Booked: Woolcott

Attendance: 265

Our Man of the Match: Mickel Miller

Current goalscorer standings

Here is a definitive list concerning the chase for this season's Golden Boot award (as of 21/03/17):

Tommy Bradford - 30

Ricky Korboa - 20

Mickel Miller - 15

Bobby Price - 8

Josh Phillips - 6

Kingsley Aikhionbare - 5

Omar Folkes - 5

Brendan Murphy-McVey - 3

Paris Hamilton-Downes - 3

Kalvin Morath-Gibbs - 2

Sekou Kaba - 2

Own goals - 2

Peter Adeniyi - 1

Mekhail McLaughlin - 1

Sean O'Toole - 1

Ricardo Panton - 1

Ronald Sobowale - 1

Jordan Bird - 1

Rio Davidson-Phipps - 1
Ryan Gondoh - 1

- collated by James Barrett

Price and Aikhionbare have scored six of our last seven goals

Play-offs still in our sights

Three of our homegrown young guns made their mark as we empathically got back to winning ways at the weekend, writes James Barrett.

Despite going 1-0 down against visiting Three Bridges on Saturday, captain Bobby Price, striker Kingsley Aikhionbare and the returning Ricky Korboa shared five goals to halt a run of four games without a win.

The victory keeps us sixth in the Ryman South as the battle for play-off positions intensifies. Only 10 points now separate third-placed Greenwich Borough down to Hythe Town in eighth position, plus tenth-placed South Park have four games in hand.

"This was a massive result as we've dropped a few points recently but, especially when playing at home, we need to keep winning and pushing towards the play-offs," said Price whom equalised the visitors' 11th minute opener with a 35 yard rocket just 60 seconds later.

"They didn't make it easy for us though especially in the second-half when they had the wind. Joe made a couple of good saves but we battled and took our chances."

Price put us into the lead after pouncing to slam in Omari Hibbert's parried shot on 41 minutes. Then Aikhionbare got in on the act with a sweet left-footed finish just before the break.

The young striker has found it difficult to add goals to his energetic performances this season but, in the second-half, his perfectly-timed run and impudent finish over the keeper in the 71st minute was his third goal in two games.

"I had lots of time to think about that second one and wasn't sure to dink it or go round him, but it doesn't matter who scores the goals as long as we win and keep hunting that play-off place," he said.

Return: Korboa scores from Price's pass

The assist for Aikhionbare's second came from the boot of substitute Korboa, whom was making his first appearance after three months out injured, and the 20-year old playmaker even plundered his 20th goal of the season from a Price pull-back.

"That's Ricky for you - I know he's been down because of the injury but I spoke to him a lot during that time and it's great to see him back," Aikhionbare added.

Next up is a visit from mid-table Herne Bay on Saturday but both Corinthian Casuals and South Park play midweek and so the play-off race could twist again if both rivals register positive results.

"Most sides around us have a game or two in hand so if they drop points, like a couple did last Saturday, then that's a bonus," said Price. "We just need to take each game as it comes and concentrate on getting three points each time."

Saturday's clash will likely see new defender Connor Sanders line-up against his former colleagues, but Paris Hamilton-Downes, Brendan Murphy-McVey and Sean O'Toole are all still struggling with injury.

Carshalton Athletic vs Herne Bay is on Saturday 25th March (kick-off 3pm, clubhouse open from midday).

New signings - first-team

The office was a hive of activity late on Friday as two new signings joined Peter Adeniyi's squad, writes James Barrett.

Settling in: Connor Sanders

The first player to sign was defender Connor Sanders whom joined us from Herne Bay. Robins fans might remember him from earlier this season when he scored two past us during our eventual 3-2 win on the south coast (so we won't hold a grudge, Connor!).

The 24-year old made his debut on Saturday and he, although currently short of match fitness, helped us to our 5-1 victory by making a couple of good tackles along the way.

Late appearance: Rhys King

The second arrival was young forward Rhys King whom came on as a substitute during the same game.

Match report - Three Bridges (h)

We eventually ran out easy winners after a frenetic encounter with struggling Three Bridges on Saturday, writes James Barrett.

Team news: Connor Sanders, whom joined from Herne Bay only yesterday, was thrown straight into the mix, while Omari Hibbert and Rio Davidson-Phipps were given starts. Rhys King, another new signing, was named on the bench. Ex-Robins Hakeem Adelakun and Lee Hall lined up for the visitors.

We were on the attack from the first whistle and Alex Rose had to divert a Ryan Gondoh cross away from the lurking Kingsley Aikhionbare in the first minute, before our midfielder then had a 20 yard free kick deflected away by the wall.

Price's first glimpse of goal came in the seventh minute as Gondoh picked him out inside the visitors' area but our captain bent his shot the wrong side of the far post.

New boy: Sanders made his debut on Saturday

Peter Adeniyi ventured forward from centre back on 10 minutes and he found Price whom threaded a neat ball for Gondoh to chase. Our man seemed to be bundled over inside the box but the referee waved away the calls for a penalty.

But, rather inevitably, we fell behind to our visitors first shot on goal as Tony Garrord broke free on a lovely through ball before slotting away past Joe Tupper.

That lead only lasted 60 seconds however as Price took aim from almost 35 yards and his rocket of a shot flew past Martin Grant.

We rediscovered our dominance but were left frustrated as Grant first denied Price from 15 yards before springing up to stop the unmarked O Hibbert's effort from in front of goal.

Tommy Bradford then had a glimpse of goal, following good approach play by Davidson-Phipps, Price and O Hibbert, but he side-footed wide at the back post.

Garrord remained the visitors' most potent threat and he thrashed another shot into the side-netting, before he latched on to a weak Sanders back header and took the ball around the oncoming Tupper, but Adeniyi cleared the cross.

But we went into the break 3-1 up as we scored twice in the last five minutes - firstly, Sanders teed up O Hibbert inside their area and, as Grant pushed out his effort, Price rammed home the loose ball.

And we extended that lead on the stroke of half-time as Aikhionbare cut inside his marker on the right before unleashing a left-footed effort from 18 yards that beat the dive of Grant.

HALF-TIME: 3 - 1

Three Bridges came out on the front foot after the break but Sanders did well to block Garrord inside our area during their most threatening attack.

Bradford did well to cut inside Devon Fender and then outside the sprawling Grant as he got into their box on 54 minutes, but Fender got back to block his shot almost on the line.

Ricky Korboa was introduced on the hour for his first appearance in almost three months but it was Tupper whom was next called into action, stopping a Jensen Grant effort with an outstretched leg.

Korboa put fellow sub Mickel Miller in on goal but he saw his effort easily saved by Grant, but we extended our lead in the 71st minute as Aikhionbare broke a high defensive line. He had plenty of thinking time as he bore down on goal but he remained composed and impudently dinked the ball over Grant for his third goal in two games.

Korboa capped return with 20th goal

Bridges again rallied but Sanders blocked Garrord yet again and, from the resultant corner, Tupper eventually parried a Rose effort away from the target.

Aikhionbare was denied a hat-trick by the legs of Grant after he spun and hit a Korboa pass but, to cap an entertaining afternoon off, the returning forward grabbed our fifth - and his 20th of the season - by sidefooting home Price's pull-back from close range.

More photos can be viewed here.

All the goals and an interview with Bobby and Kingsley available via robins.tv

Next up: We welcome Herne Bay on Saturday 25th March before flying over to Guernsey on Sunday 2nd April.

Carshalton Athletic: Tupper; Davidson-Phipps, Adeniyi, Sanders, Panton; Price (c), Bradford, J Hibbert, Gondoh (Miller - 66), O Hibbert (Korboa - 59); Aikhionbare (King - 83)

Unused subs: Kozakis, Healy

Goals: Price (12, 41), Aikhionbare (44, 71), Korboa (80)

Assists: J Hibbert, O Hibbert, Adeniyi, Korboa, Price

Three Bridges: Grant, Fender, Rose, Grant (c), Hall, O'Neill Odofin, Sargent, Adelakun, Tait (Wilson - 72), Garrord, Allen-Djilali (Cook - 46)

Unused subs: None

Attendance: 288

Our Man of the Match: Bobby Price

New 'School of the Week' details

We are pleased to annouce that Barrow Hedges Primary School has been nominated our next School of the Week.

We are looking forward to welcoming pupils and their families to Colston Avenue on Saturday 18th March when the first-team play host to Three Bridges.

If you fancy being a future School of the Week, please email Oliver Palmer on oliver@carshaltonathletic.co.uk - benefits include free entry, tannoy announcements, mentions in the programme etc.

Losing streak halted at Hythe

We got our promotion charge back on track after leaving a traditionally unhappy hunting ground with a point last Saturday, writes James Barrett.

We've lost on each of our last two visits to the Reachfields Stadium, plus Hythe Town beat us 3-0 in the reverse fixture back in December, but Kingsley Aikhionbare's late strike ensured we left with a share of the spoils.

The 2-2 draw not only halted a run of three defeats but also took us back up into fifth place as Ryman South play-off rivals Hastings United and Lewes both lost on the same day.

On a mild afternoon for football, Saturday's game really began to heat up in the last five minutes of the first-half as Ben Wilson put Town into the lead with a deflected shot from 18 yards.

But captain Bobby Price led by example by ghosting a header on Ryan Gondoh's inswinging cross past goalkeeper Joe Mant to level things up before half-time.

The match seemed to be heading towards a stalemate until Wilson saw a low-angled free kick on 76 minutes sneak in at the far post and it seemed the Hythe hoodoo would strike yet again.

Aikhionbare's third of the season made it 2-2

But substitute Omari Hibbert, whom only joined us the day before, slung over a 82nd minute cross which Tommy Bradford knocked down for Aikhionbare to smash home a point-rescuing goal.

Our attention is now focused on the visit of struggling Three Bridges on Saturday and nothing but victory will surely satisfy manager Peter Adeniyi and his troops.

There are seven other clubs harbouring play-off ambitions alongside us but they've all got a game in hand, except South Park whom have an extra six.

The two clubs met back in December when we left Jubilee Walk 4-1 winners so, on paper, this should be a home win but Three Bridges, despite languishing second-bottom in the league, have shown some recent resolve by drawing their last four away games 1-1.

Carshalton Athletic vs Three Bridges is on Saturday 18th March (kick-off 3pm).

New signings - first-team

We welcomed three new players into the first-team squad this past Friday, writes James Barrett.

The first was 20-year old forward Luke Reynolds whom arrived from Waterloo FC, a community club which is part of the South London Football Alliance.

Second through the door was midfielder David Opoku whom was last with Ryman Premier outfit Met Police.

And last, but by no means least, midfielder Omari Hibbert (pictured) joined us from Barking FC and he has also had a spell with Sutton Common Rovers. It was his cross against Hythe Town on Saturday that led to Kingsley Aikhionbare's equaliser in the eventual 2-2 draw.

Match summary - Hythe Town (a)

We came back twice in each half as we left Kent with a hard-earned point, writes James Barrett.

Team news: Peter Adeniyi replaced Dominique Bongo just before kick-off as the young defender injured himself during the warm-up. Kingsley Aikhinbare replaced Josh Phillips up top, while new boys Luke Reynolds, Omari Hibbert and David Opoku were named on the bench.

Leading by example: Bobby Price

We haven't left the Reachfields Stadium with anything in our last three visits but it seemed we were going to go in level at the break as neither side had made a breakthrough by 39 minutes.

But Hythe took the lead a minute later as Ben Wilson capitalised on a poor defensive clearance and beat the dive of Joe Tupper via a deflected shot from just inside the box.

We rolled our sleeves up however and went in level as captain Bobby Price rose to ghost an unmarked header on Ryan Gondoh's inswinging cross into the back of the net.

HALF-TIME: 1 - 1

The second-half followed a similar pattern; no further goals until late on as we soaked up plenty of pressure but couldn't make any of our counter-attacks count.

One of those came in the 65th minute as Price nicked a square ball to stride forward over halfway. He eventually toe poked a pass for Aikhionbare to tuck home from just inside the box but the linesman on the far side had put up his flag.

Wilson doubled his, and Town's, tally in the 76 minute when Ricardo Panton for penalised for a handball level with the penalty spot on the left. The winger whipped the ball in low and it sneaked inside the far post.

A familiar sinking feeling set in among the travelling fans - would the Hythe hoodoo to strike yet again?

Aikhionbare draws us level

But we restored parity with eight minutes to go as Tommy Bradford rose above his taller marker to head down Omari Hibbert's deep cross and Aikhionbare smashed home his third of the season.

We had a chance to win the game on the stroke of 90 minutes as, following a handball by his own D by Johnson, Bradford stepped up but his free kick hit the wall and dropped into the grateful arms of Mant.

This result returned us back into the play-off positions in fifth as Hastings United and Lewes both lost.

More photos from the match can be seen here.

All the goals and other highlights can be viewed via robins.tv

Next up: We face Three Bridges at home on Saturday 18th March before Herne Bay arrive on Saturday 25th March.

Carshalton Athletic: Tupper; Price (c), Adeniyi, Morath-Gibbs, Panton; Bradford, Healy (Davidson-Phipps - 46), J Hibbert, Gondoh, Miller (O Hibbert - 81); Aikhionbare

Unused subs: Searle, Reynolds, Opoku

Goals: Price (45), Aikhionbare (82)

Assists: Gondoh, Bradford

Booked: Healy, Price

Hythe Town: Mant, Aboagye, Burchell, Johnson, Cloke, Newman, Chapman (Sawyer - 84), Adams, Campbell, Grant (Pogue - 73), Wilson

Unused subs: Price, Carr, Wraight

Goals: Wilson (40 and 76)

Booked: Chapman, Cloke, Pogue, Johnson

Attendance: 191

Our Man of the Match: Jordan Hibbert

From Carshalton to Cumbria, with love

Club secretary Chris Blanchard received this lovely letter from a Darren Singleton last week - have a read:




Of course, we were only too happy to oblige Darren's request!

The first-team and some staff members signed a home shirt (shown off by Mr B below) which will be winging its way to Mr Singleton, along with all the very best wishes for a speedy recovery from all at the club, very soon.

(pictures: James Barrett).

Brighton & Hove Albion choose Colston Avenue

Brighton & Hove Albion are starting a talent academy on Friday nights at Colston Avenue
Trials begin this month:
Friday 24th March 5pm-7pm U7,U8,U9
Friday 31st March 5pm-7pm U10,U11,U12
(this season's age groups)

To register please email: talent.id@bhafc.co.uk
and state, name, date of birth, current club & parents contact number

Current goalscorer standings

Here is a definitive list concerning the chase for this season's Golden Boot award (as of 04/03/17, all competitions):

Tommy Bradford - 30

Ricky Korboa - 19

Mickel Miller - 15

Josh Phillips - 6

Bobby Price - 5

Omar Folkes - 5

Brendan Murphy-McVey - 3

Paris Hamilton-Downes - 3

Kingsley Aikhionbare - 2

Kalvin Morath-Gibbs - 2

Sekou Kaba - 2

Own goals - 2

Peter Adeniyi - 1

Mekhail McLaughlin - 1

Sean O'Toole - 1

Ricardo Panton - 1

Ronald Sobowale - 1

Jordan Bird - 1

Rio Davidson-Phipps - 1
Ryan Gondoh - 1

- collated by James Barrett

Price and Adeniyi have scored six goals between them this season

Match report - Greenwich Borough (h)

It was an afternoon to forget as we fell to defeat against promotion rivals Greenwich Borough, writes James Barrett.

Team news: Josh Phillips came in up top, while Ryan Healy, Dominique Bongo and Rio Davidson-Phipps also returned to the starting line-up. Long-term absentees Ricky Korboa and Sean O'Toole were named on the bench.

The game started at a high tempo as both sides looked to get on the attack, but it was Liam MacDevitt's pace in the seventh minute that drew a tackle from Kalvin Morath-Gibbs and the referee gave a spot-kick - Charlie MacDonald made no mistake.

And we fell further behind just four minutes later as MacDonald picked up a defensive header before heading towards goal and unleashing a curling 20 yard shot, with the outside of his boot, that beat the dive of Joe Tupper.

Davidson-Phipps on the attack

We struggled to get out of first gear as time ticked on - mostly thanks to Borough's pressing game - although one smart move on 20 minutes involving Jordan Hibbert, Phillips and Bobby Price saw the young striker take aim from 18 yards, but a defensive blue shirt blocked his path.

We'd still not registered a shot in anger by the time Greenwich got their third - a MacDevitt cross was only half cut-out by Bongo and, although Tupper bravely denied MacDonald at close range, Davidson-Phipps couldn't smash away the loose ball and the midfielder tapped home his hat-trick.

We finally had the visiting keeper on his toes on 39 minutes as Healy got Miller away into the box but the angle was poor and our man fired into the side-netting.

HALF-TIME: 0 - 3

Panton and Aikhionbare were introduced for the start of the second-half but we were still sloppy in possession and finding it difficult to break down the visitor's resolve.

Morath-Gibbs did display some steel as he twice slid in to block off Borough attacks, while Aikhionbare got the fans upbeat with a couple of good runs and harrying challenges.

The visitors won a free kick 20 yards from our goal on 66 minutes but Panton got in the way of the powerful strike and deflected it away to safety.

And then the wind changed and we became the more dominant team - Bongo met Hibbert's free kick by the penalty spot, but his header just dipped over the top of the crossbar, then an unmarked Miller headed a Tommy Bradford corner just wide of the far post.

We were now the side nipping in to nick possession and looking to take on our markers but we only got on the score sheet with two minutes of normal time remaining.

Denied: Aikhionbare almost gets a goal

Peter Adeniyi went on a trademark run into the Borough box before teeing up Bobby Price, whose cross was guided onto the far post by the head of Phillips. Bradford reacted quickest and drilled the loose ball across goal for Miller to turn in his 15th of the season.

Bradford was looking to cause more damage just two minutes later as he took on, and skipped past, his marker on the left and put in a square ball for Aikhionbare. He seemed destined to slam the ball past Craig Holloway but the outstretched boot of Liam Hickey deflected the ball off target.

And Hibbert also put a 25 yard potshot with his weaker foot into Holloway's midriff during added time.

More photos are available here.

Match highlights can be viewed via robins.tv

Next up: We venture to Hythe Town on Saturday 11th March before Three Bridges arrive on Saturday 18th March.

Carshalton Athletic: Tupper; Price (c), Morath-Gibbs, Bongo, Davidson-Phipps (Panton - 46); Bradford, Adeniyi, Hibbert, Healy (Aikhionbare - 46), Miller; Phillips
Unused subs: Korboa, Kozakis, O'Toole
Goal: Miller (88)
Assist: Bradford
Booked: Healy

Greenwich Borough: Holloway, Paul, Hickey, Britnell (Miller - 90), MacDevitt (Dennes - 83), MacDonald, Eisa, Young (c), Pritchard, Wright (Spence - 87), Clark
Unused sub: Donaghey
Goals: MacDonald (7 pen, 11, 34)
Booked: MacDonald, Clark, Hickey

Our Man Of The Match: Kingsley Aikhionbare
Attendance: 306