A real ding-dong of a game saw us stretch our unbeaten league record but it wasn't all plain-sailing, writes James Barrett-Sterling.
Team news
New signing Billy Bishop, whom played one game for us last season, began in goal. Peter Adeniyi had to drop back in to the defence as Danny Dudley and Kalvin Morath-Gibbs were absent. Ricky Korboa was named among the substitutes for the first time this season.
Kick-off
The game started at a fair tempo with Mickel Miller's deep cross just missing incoming red shirts on three minutes, while Bishop was alert to slide out and gather a through ball in front of the incoming Danny Lawrence.
Jordan Cheadle picked out Miller with a raking 50 yard pass on six minutes but he couldn't find a way past Jack Penny. He instead fed a pass into Raheem Sterling-Parker whom took a touch and turned to hit a shot from six yards, but Oliver Gray threw himself in its path.
Tom Jelley then drove forward over halfway before releasing the ball into Miller. He played a neat one-two with Bradford to get a glimpse of goal but he dragged his shot wide from 18 yards.
The game continued to ebb and flow, and the visitors had to make an early change at the back, but our next chance fell to Miller who hit the side-netting from a tight angle when perhaps a pullback would've caused more problems.
But Ramsgate got the first goal of the game on the half-hour - Rory Smith was unmarked and he guided a deft header inside the far post with Bishop rooted to the spot.
And, just three minutes later, Smith showed composure to dance around two half-challenges on the edge of our box before firing in low from 15 yards.
As good as the neat footwork was, it highlighted a hesitant defence - thankfully the forwards got us back in it on 36 minutes.
Bradford turned on a pass mid-way inside the Ramsgate half and played a through ball that Sterling-Parker took between George Crimmen and the incoming keeper Luke Watkins - he simply had to roll his eighth goal of the season into an empty net.
Bishop displayed his inner Manuel Neuer on 40 minutes as he came 30 yards out of goal to control a long ball away from the lurking Smith. Adeniyi took the ball on and it ended up in their box. Bradford turned and smashed it goalwards but Watkins somehow clawed it away with one hand.
Watkins twice again denied Bradford whom took pot shots from distance, while Sterling-Parker fizzed a dangerous ball across their six yard box in added time, but Joe Kane smuggled the ball out at the back post.
HALF-TIME: 1 - 2
Ramsgate sub George Crimmen caused consternation inside his own box within a minute of the restart - he sliced Jelley's cross up and back towards his own goal, but the ball dipped into the roof of the net.
We were on the front foot but coming up against a stubborn visiting defence - several attacks fizzled out either through shots blocked or final balls being cleared.
So, when Ramsgate won a corner on 63 minutes, a neat training ground routine ended with Bishop turning a shot round for another. We defended the initial delivery but eventually Jake MacKenzie knocked in a low cross. Again, Smith wasn't picked up and he plundered his hat-trick with a simple tap-in.
It was tough to take - we hadn't been in this position many times this season, but we rolled up our sleeves and Korboa, who was introduced for the injured Sterling-Parker, made an impact two minutes after coming on.
His positive run won a corner which Bradford swung into the near post. Miller was among the crowd and he simply bundled the ball in past Watkins to make it 3-2.
Our tails up, we kept on the front foot but our equaliser came after Paris Hamilton-Downes did well to block a pass inside our box. From that Bradford and then Adeniyi got Miller on the shoulder of Luke Wheatley whom pulled our man down.
The defender was lucky not to see red but Cheadle punished him by curling the 20 yard free kick around the wall and inside the far post.
Colston Avenue was now rocking and Korboa tested Watkins from 20 yards with a low shot, but he did add an assist to his return to the first-team.
Bradford played Korboa in down the left and he eventually got a cross in which, although Philips couldn't connect in front of goal, Miller controlled before crashing in an angled shot.
We were in the lead for the first time and only had seven minutes of normal time to see out.
In fact, before Ramsgate pegged us back, we had a fair shout for a penalty as Dan Keyte appeared to slide in late on Korboa but the referee waved play on.
And the visitors went and won a corner which Kane rose highest to power a header goalwards which Smith flicked in on the flight.
Check out all the goals and post-match interviews with Ricky Korboa and Peter Adeniyi: robins.tv
Photos from the game are available here.
Next up: We travel to Hastings United on Tuesday 3rd October before we head to Heybridge Swifts in the FA Trophy on Saturday 7th October.
Carshalton Athletic: Bishop; Jelley, Sogbanmu, Cheadle, Hamilton-Downes (c); Price, Adeniyi; Bradford, Phillips, Miller; Sterling-Parker (Korboa - 67)
Unused subs: Healy, Opoku, Douglas, McLaughlin
Goals: Sterling-Parker (36), Miller (68 and 83), Cheadle (75)
Assists: Bradford (2), Miller, Korboa
Booked: Sogbanmu, Cheadle
Ramsgate: Watkins, MacKenzie, Penny, Kane (c), Wheatley, Gray (Crimmen - 18), Chapman, Woollcott, Smith, Lawrence (Munday - 88), Keyte
Unused subs: Mensah, Paxman, King
Goals: Smith (30, 33, 64 and 86)
Booked: Woollcott, Wheatley
Our 'Man of the Match': Paris Hamilton-Downes
Attendance: 363
Current league position: 6th (18 points)
We were on the front foot but coming up against a stubborn visiting defence - several attacks fizzled out either through shots blocked or final balls being cleared.
So, when Ramsgate won a corner on 63 minutes, a neat training ground routine ended with Bishop turning a shot round for another. We defended the initial delivery but eventually Jake MacKenzie knocked in a low cross. Again, Smith wasn't picked up and he plundered his hat-trick with a simple tap-in.
It was tough to take - we hadn't been in this position many times this season, but we rolled up our sleeves and Korboa, who was introduced for the injured Sterling-Parker, made an impact two minutes after coming on.
His positive run won a corner which Bradford swung into the near post. Miller was among the crowd and he simply bundled the ball in past Watkins to make it 3-2.
Our tails up, we kept on the front foot but our equaliser came after Paris Hamilton-Downes did well to block a pass inside our box. From that Bradford and then Adeniyi got Miller on the shoulder of Luke Wheatley whom pulled our man down.
The defender was lucky not to see red but Cheadle punished him by curling the 20 yard free kick around the wall and inside the far post.
Colston Avenue was now rocking and Korboa tested Watkins from 20 yards with a low shot, but he did add an assist to his return to the first-team.
Bradford played Korboa in down the left and he eventually got a cross in which, although Philips couldn't connect in front of goal, Miller controlled before crashing in an angled shot.
We were in the lead for the first time and only had seven minutes of normal time to see out.
In fact, before Ramsgate pegged us back, we had a fair shout for a penalty as Dan Keyte appeared to slide in late on Korboa but the referee waved play on.
And the visitors went and won a corner which Kane rose highest to power a header goalwards which Smith flicked in on the flight.
Check out all the goals and post-match interviews with Ricky Korboa and Peter Adeniyi: robins.tv
Photos from the game are available here.
Next up: We travel to Hastings United on Tuesday 3rd October before we head to Heybridge Swifts in the FA Trophy on Saturday 7th October.
Carshalton Athletic: Bishop; Jelley, Sogbanmu, Cheadle, Hamilton-Downes (c); Price, Adeniyi; Bradford, Phillips, Miller; Sterling-Parker (Korboa - 67)
Unused subs: Healy, Opoku, Douglas, McLaughlin
Goals: Sterling-Parker (36), Miller (68 and 83), Cheadle (75)
Assists: Bradford (2), Miller, Korboa
Booked: Sogbanmu, Cheadle
Ramsgate: Watkins, MacKenzie, Penny, Kane (c), Wheatley, Gray (Crimmen - 18), Chapman, Woollcott, Smith, Lawrence (Munday - 88), Keyte
Unused subs: Mensah, Paxman, King
Goals: Smith (30, 33, 64 and 86)
Booked: Woollcott, Wheatley
Our 'Man of the Match': Paris Hamilton-Downes
Attendance: 363
Current league position: 6th (18 points)