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 |
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
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 |
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.
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