Monday 22 January 2018

Match report - East Grinstead Town (h)

We made it four wins in four as we saw off a spirited East Grinstead Town on Saturday afternoon, writes James Barrett-Sterling.


Team news
Kalvin Morath-Gibbs, Ola Sogbanmu, Tommy Bradford, Michael Aziaya and Jordan Cheadle all returned to the starting line-up, with Raheem Sterling-Parker named among the subs for the first time since his injury sustained on Boxing Day.

Kick-off
We began on the front foot and forced the first real save of the game inside 10 minutes.

Tommy Bradford found some space in the Town box and he thrashed a low effort on target with the outside of his left foot, only for Risheet Lal to palm it round the far post.

But, on 14 minutes, Omar Koroma ran onto a long ball and Town skipper Dean Cooney clumsily chopped him down as they jockeyed inside the area. The referee pointed to the spot and our man beat Lal's low dive for his sixth goal in Robins red.

We were keeping possession well but Town tightened up after going behind and now stifled a lot of our forward play, with full back Craig Ferguson in particular executing a perfect tackle on Sogbanmu as our man almost wriggled free on goal.

And visiting winger Isaac Hutchinson gave Billy Bishop a couple of things to think about with shots from distance that had our keeper on his toes.

But, one minute before half-time, Sogbanmu won us a free kick inside their D. Up stepped Cheadle whom forced Lal into a low parry and Koroma was alert enough to nod the rising ball back into the net.

HALF-TIME: 2 - 0

Town came out more purposefully after the break and Will Hoare found space in our box to get the ball beyond Bishop, but Danny Dudley had read the situation and cleared the ball from virtually off his own line.

But the home fans didn't have too wait long to celebrate again as, while we tried to create something down the left, Lal made a hash of an attempted clearance and Sogbanmu lobbed the ball back first-time over the keeper and into an empty net.

Our visitors didn't flag however and continued to put us under pressure which culminated in a chance for Marcus Elliott whom smashed a half volley from 12 yards into the ground, but Bishop did excellently to palm the bouncing ball away.

We weren't to be denied though - we regained our composure and a fourth goal came on 70 minutes as Ricky Korboa latched on to a poor defensive header before drilling a low shot across Lal and in off the far post for his sixth of the season.

A welcome sight greeted the Robins faithful as Raheem Sterling-Parker was then sent on, but Town conspired to take the tarnish off our afternoon on 74 minutes.

We only half cleared a ball into our box and Elliott teed up the lively Hutchinson whom blasted a low effort in off a post from 18 yards.

That was the only blot on our copy book however, unless you count Korboa’s miss from six yards after sub Mickel Miller got down the right before picking out his teammate whom skied his effort over the bar.

But Miller had the final say as, in added time, he galloped down the right and teased his way past two markers on the byline before being bundled over. He picked himself up and beat Lal from 12 yards to wrap up yet another comprehensive victory.

Match highlights, photos and interviews all to follow soon.

Next up: We travel to Phoenix Sports on Saturday 27th January before hosting Hythe Town on Saturday 3rd February.

Carshalton Athletic: Bishop; Oshilaja, Morath-Gibbs, Dudley, Cheadle; Bradford, Sogbanmu (Miller - 74), Aziaya (Adeniyi - 77), Hamilton-Downes (c), Korboa; Koroma (Sterling-Parker - 74)
Unused subs: L Phillips, Price
Goals: Koroma (14 pen, 44), Sogbanmu (53), Korboa (70), Miller (90 pen)
Assists: Cheadle, Sogbanmu
Booked: Hamilton-Downes

East Grinstead Town: Lal, Boulding, Ferguson, Wilson, Cooney (c), Bray, Hoare, Mazzone (Gaggin - 46), Postance (Giraud-Hutchinson - 74), Elliott, Hutchinson
Unused subs: Sargeant, Kitilaza
Goal: Hutchinson (74)
Booked: Wilson

Our 'Man of the Match': Ola Sogbanmu
Attendance: 343

Current league position: 3rd (61 points - Lewes 1st with 66)