Match report - Guernsey (a)

We missed the chance to solidify a play-off position by only leaving Guernsey with a point, writes James Barrett.

Team news: Omari Hibbert came in for Rio Davidson-Phipps in the only change from last week.

But we made a terrible start to this one as, despite forcing an early corner, Guernsey's Robbie Legg got free on the right. We defended his initial cross but the ball was lofted back in and Dominic Heaume rose to guide a header past the stranded Joe Tupper.

We rallied but no-one was able to get on the end of Mickel Miller's fizzed cross, while Kingsley Aikhionbare showed great strength and pace to turn his marker on 10 minutes but Miller turned his low cross wide from 10 yards.

Then Miller and Panton almost conspired to get the advanced full back in on goal only for the home defence to clear, thankfully Heaume's eventual through ball for Young rolled out of play.

But we restored parity on 17 minutes as Gondoh won us a free kick 20 yards from our host's goal. Bradford's initial effort was blocked away but Bobby Price returned the loose ball with interest - the successful strike being his ninth goal of the season.

That joy only lasted five minutes however as Panton almost burst through again, this time being spotted by Jordan Hibbert, but Guernsey cleared and Dave Rihoy ran forward before toe-poking the ball over the advancing Tupper and into the empty net.

We began dominating possession as Guernsey seemed intent on defending what they had, with 10 green shirts deep inside their own half whenever we built from the back.

Bradford put a sighter from 20 yards well over while Jordan Kelly turned away an effort by Ryan Gondoh away at full stretch, while Craig Young had Tupper moving with a 25 yard free kick just wide.

Omari Hibbert did well to take a high ball into the Guernsey box down on 40 minutes and he finally teed up Bradford but our top scorer's effort bent away from the far upright.

Kalvin Morath-Gibbs did well as last man to prevent Young having a clear run on Tupper as Guernsey's long ball tactic almost paid off again, but Connor Sanders picked up a knock in added time as Josh Steel slid in late and was duly booked.

HALF-TIME: 2 - 1

Sanders had to be replaced with Peter Adeniyi for the second-half but it was Aikhionbare leading the way with a 50 yard run in the 50th minute before a third challenge bought him crashing to earth - Gondoh stepped up to the free kick but he fired the ball over.

But we equalised again just three minutes later as Adeniyi got the ball out wide to Price whom curled an inswinging ball which O Hibbert guided home for his second goal in two games.

Our tails up, Price met a deep Jordan Hibbert free kick from the left on 57 minutes but Kelly kept out his header at full stretch. Guernsey broke and sub Ross Allen played a one-two with Rihoy before shooting but Tupper palmed the ball onto his right-hand post.

We won yet another 20 yard free kick in a good position just after the hour but again it was wasted, Miller this time blasting over the crossbar.

We brought on Ricky Korboa and Rio Davidson-Phipps as the game ticked down to the 75th minute mark and, barring a couple of breaks quelled by our defenders, we had our hosts on the back foot.

But we couldn't penetrate the wall of green shirts, typified by the efforts of Sam Cochrane whom blocked shots from Bradford, Price and Davidson-Phipps all within the space of 10 seconds.

We won a corner on 83 minutes which we took short but, again, we had to probe along the Guernsey 18 yard line until Davidson-Phipps put a pot shot wide from 20 yards.

The Guernsey players appeared tired and were content to keep clearing their lines, although one defender did well to halt the run of Korboa as he threatened to break clean through on a Miller return pass.

And Miller headed a left-wing cross directly at Kelly in added time so, despite Young firing a late shot into our side-netting, the game finished honours even.

Game highlights and post-match interviews are available via robins.tv

Next up: We travel to Sittingbourne on Saturday 8th April before Lewes come to us on Saturday 15th April.

Carshalton Athletic: Tupper; Price (c), Sanders (Adeniyi - 46), Morath-Gibbs, Panton; Gondoh, Bradford, J Hibbert, Miller, Aikhionbare (Davidson-Phipps - 72); O Hibbert (Korboa - 68)

Unused subs: Kozakis, Healy

Goals: Price (17), O Hibbert (53)

Assist: Price

Guernsey: Kelly, Geall, Dyer (Steel - 37), Cochrane, Fallaize, Dodds, Rihoy, Black (Pereira - 90), Heaume, Young, Legg (Allen - 46)

Unused subs: None

Goals: Heaume (3), Rihoy (23)

Booked: Black, Steel

Attendance: 744