Two second-half goals cemented a fabulous away win at high-flying Greenwich, writes James Barrett.
Team news: Josh Phillips came in for the absent Sean O'Toole
from last Saturday's draw against Hastings.
Both sides started with their tails up but it was Sekou Kaba
that hit the first shot on target which keeper Jordan Beeney palmed round the
post on five minutes.
Attacks were being traded at will and a lot of headers were
being contested as defences were given early work, but Beeney was again in
action on 13 minutes as he got down to smother a Phillips drive that lacked any
real power.
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| Getting it forward: Sekou Kaba |
Phillips contested for a decent cross by Jordan Hibbert a
few minutes later but Britnell cleared the ball away as our man tried to set
himself from eight yards.
Borough almost took the lead on 23 minutes as we lost
possession in our own half and Michael Power got beyond Kalvin Morath-Gibbs on a through pass. Alex
Kozakis came out to narrow the angle and the forward managed to dink the ball
goalwards but thankfully Jahmahl King got back and steered it away from the
empty net.
We continued to look good in possession but Borough's
robustness meant they always carried a threat, although through balls by both
sides were somewhat wayward for a period.
One spell of passing, on 28 minutes, involved half a dozen
players looking for a gap to exploit in the home defence - finally Phillips got
a glimpse of goal but he failed to work Beeney.
Kozakis was called into action on 39 minutes as Kaba did
well to hold up Britnell inside our area but he teed up Pritchard who was
denied by our shot stopper.
Then we had a big chance to go in one-up at the break - Kaba
won a Kozakis goal kick for Tommy Bradford to get Mickel Miller off down the
right. He eventually squared a pass which Korboa could only help on by the
penalty spot and Phillips, who was unmarked, side-footed the ball back across
the far post with the goal at his mercy.
HALF-TIME: 0 - 0
King and Glenn Wilson both made brave interceptions as the
second-half started lively, but we made the breakthrough on 57 minutes.
Bobby Price began the move deep inside our half and, as we
broke, Bradford played Korboa in down the right and our captain, whom hadn't
stopped running through the middle, crashed the delivered cross past Beeney for his third of
the season.
Borough tried to respond straightaway but Morath-Gibbs and
King hurled themselves at two successive pot shots, the former getting a whack
in the face during the process.
We kept things tight and scored the second on 67 minutes -
Kaba showed strength to win possession before Adeniyi picked it up and slalomed
past two opponents into their box. He drew Beeney to the near post before
squaring for Phillips to slide the ball into the back of the net.
Greenwich made a couple of substitutes, and the tackles were
now flying in as players on both sides picked up yellow cards, but our backline
resisted Borough’s forward advances.
Kingsley Aikhionbare came on for Miller for the last 15
minutes, and made sure the home defence were kept on their toes, but it was
Kozakis earning his corn as he caught two inviting crosses under pressure,
while King blocked an attempt by Power from 12 yards.
We almost added a gloss to our victory in stoppage time as
Korboa showed great pace to get down the left and eventually square a ball in
but Pilbeam just met it in front of the incoming Aikhionbare.
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| All smiles: Phillips celebrates at the final whistle |
More photos from the game can be viewed here.
Next up: We welcome Faversham Town on Monday 14th November
before South Park arrive on Saturday 19th November.
Carshalton Athletic: Kozakis; Price (c), King, Morath-Gibbs,
Hibbert; Phillips, Adeniyi, Bradford, Kaba, Korboa; Miller (Aikhionbare - 75)
Unused subs: Healy, Hamilton-Downes, Tadafe, Sey
Goals: Price (57), Phillips (68)
Assists: Korboa, Adeniyi
Booked: Bradford, Kaba
Greenwich Borough: Beeney, Pilbeam, Wade, Britnell (Mpingi -
69), Denness (MacDonald - 72), Power, Young, Pritchard, Wilson (c), Clark,
Alexander
Unused subs: Wariaty, Demelo, Jonah
Booked: Pritchard, Wade, Young
Attendance: 218
Our Man of the Match: Jahmahl King