Match report - Eastbourne Borough (a - FA Cup)

Our FA Cup dream ended but with our heads held high as we tussled with National South outfit Eastbourne Borough, writes James Barrett-Sterling.

Team news
New signing Antonio Douglas made his debut in defence after signing in the week, while Paris Hamilton-Downes was fit enough to be named on the bench for the first time this season. Former Robin Nathaniel Pinney was named amongst our hosts’ substitutes.

Kick-off

Both sides started brightly and our new boy ventured forward on three minutes and forced Bailey Vose into a flying save, with Mickel Miller turning the rebound wide.

It was then Richard Ossai's turn to be alert as he denied both Leon Redmond and the experienced Sergio Torress within the minutes of each other.

But our keeper couldn’t prevent us from falling behind on 10 minutes as Yemi Odubade was found by Harley Willard and the striker opened the scoring.

Although we kept our heads up – Raheem Sterling-Parker was denied a sight of Borough’s goal by a well-timed interception by Ian Simpemba on 15 minutes – our hosts went further ahead as Torres banged one in from around 20 yards.

Going two-down galvanised us however and we kept trying to get forward, with a reward finally arriving on 22 minutes – Mickel Miller putting over a cross which Simpemba sliced past his own goalkeeper.

Tommy Bradford’s eyes lit up a few minutes later as the home defence could only clear the ball into him, but last season’s top goalscorer dragged a shot wide.

He was involved again on 35 minutes as we halted a Borough attack and broke at pace, but the linesman’s flag curtailed Bradford’s seemingly well-timed run on goal.

But, just before we could get into the break and collect ourselves, Odubade added a third on 42 minutes by heading in a cross from the right.

HALF-TIME: 3 – 1

We hardly had time to draw breath after the referee restarted the second-half and we found ourselves three behind as Jamie Taylor added a fourth within a minute.

Borough weren’t letting up and we were thankful to Ossai for denying Harris and Torres while, when he was beaten, the crossbar kept out a Simpemba header on a free kick delivery.

Pinney had also came on but it was one of our current strikers who had the next say – Sterling-Parker ran onto a forward pass before lobbing the ball over the advancing Vose and into the empty net.

Like the first-half, that goal spurred us onto the front foot but we couldn’t turn that pressure into another goal until 78 minutes.

Pinney threatened to haunt us but Ossai stayed big and saved the forward’s chipped effort – then we broke and a flowing move ended with Sterling-Parker drawing out Vose before unselfishly laying in Price, whom hadn't stopped running in support, to tap home his first of the season.

Cheadle went close with a late free kick

It was game on and we smelt blood as we pushed forward looking for an equaliser - Jordan Cheadle fired in a trademark free kick which was headed off the line, while we were relieved to see Willard hit our side-netting with an angled drive at one point.

We thought we’d levelled on 88 minutes as Sterling-Parker had another sight of goal, turning on to his right foot in the far corner of the area, but this time his effort cannoned away off the crossbar.

Ola Sogbanmu and Josh Phillips both headed chances off target in added time so, despite a strong finish, it will be Eastbourne Borough in the hat for the next round.

Photos from the game are available here.

Next up
We face Dorking Wanderers in the Velocity Cup on Monday 18^th September before Phoenix Sports arrive on Saturday 23^rd September.

Carshalton Athletic: Ossai; Jelley, Dudley, Cheadle, Douglas (Hamilton-Downes – 85); Bradford (J Phillips – 89), Sogbanmu, Morath-Gibbs (Adeniyi – 58), Price (c), Miller; Sterling-Parker

Unused subs: Murphy-McVey, Searle, Healy, McLaughlin

Goals: Simpemba (22 own goal), Sterling-Parker (69), Price (78)

Assists: Miller, Sogbanmu, Sterling-Parker

Booked: Cheadle, Dudley

Eastbourne Borough: Vose, Redwood, McCallum, Wills, Simpemba, Charman, Willard, Torres (c), Odubade (Worrall – 88), Taylor (Pinney – 60), Harris (Drage – 75)

Unused subs: Street, Ransom, Pickering, Pearson

Goals: Odubade (10 and 42), Torres (18), Taylor (46)

Booked: Simpemba

Our 'Man of the Match': Raheem Sterling-Parker

Attendance: 438