We put in a professional performance as it took time, and two penalties, to see off a dogged Sittingbourne on Saturday, writes James Barrett-Sterling.
Team news
Danny Dudley, Mohammed-Idris Oshilaja, Ricky Korboa and Ola Sogbanmu all returned to the starting line-up from last time out.
Kick-off
The visitors were appealing for a spot-kick as early as the first minute in this one as Oshilaja and Tyrone Guthrie bumped together in our box, but the referee waved play on.
But the opening 15 minutes basically saw us keeping possession for long spells as Sittingbourne were happy to just sit back and press when we got into their half.
The first shot of the game arrived on 17 minutes and, surprisingly, it fell to the visitors but Miles Cornwell fired as far wide from 25 yards as his first name would suggest.
We carved open their back line on 19 minutes as Peter Adeniyi got Mickel Miller away down the left. Sittingbourne wanted offside but our man cut into the box before picking the unmarked Korboa out back on the edge but, instead of lining up a shot, last week's match winner tried to beat a defender and the chance went.
Adeniyi stride forward again a minute later but, after a neat one-two with Sogbanmu, he didn't catch his shot and Harry Brooks easily gathered.
Sittingbourne were seemingly happy to just clear their lines when they won back possession but one move, on 26 minutes, ended with Dudley heading away a dangerous inswinging cross by Salvyn Kissitu.
Although he ended the game as our hat-trick hero, Miller's first real display of action came on 31 minutes - he cut inside from the right and unleashed a wicked curled effort from 20 yards that seemed destined to nestle in the top corner. Enter Brooks: the keeper flung himself across and tipped the ball over at full stretch.
It was a similar set-up a few minutes later but this time Miller shot low and the ball deflected off Korboa as he made a forward run - but the ball flew just wide of the near post.
But we eventually made our pressure count as Sogbanmu was felled just inside their box on 44 minutes and Miller stepped up to beat the dive of Brooks for his 20th of the season.
HALF-TIME: 1 - 0
We continued with our passing game after the break and Michael Aziaya, who impressed across the 90 minutes with his energy and break-up play, won a loose ball which Sogbanmu neatly flicked on for Bradford. He looked up and spotted the run of Miller but our goalscorer was flagged just offside.
Kalvin Morath-Gibbs managed to read a Mbolaji Dawodu through ball on 55 minutes and prevent Kane Rowland a glimpse of our goal.
But we doubled our lead just after the hour after Bradford wriggled free in the visitors' box and was bundled over by Chris Webber. The referee pointed to the spot and, after the official booked two Sittingbourne players for dissent, Miller this time sent Brooks the wrong way for 2-0.
Bradford then worked a couple of good openings, firstly by finding an unmarked Korboa who could've got a shot off with his left foot from 15 yards. He didn't and, as Sittingbourne got men back in the six yard box, our man could then only hit the side-netting.
Then, on 72 minutes, Bradford got onto a booming clearance and nodded the ball forward twice before forcing Brooks into a low save from 20 yards.
A minute later and Aziaya broke up another Sittingbourne foray before Korboa got Miller into the box but, again, Brooks parried away his angled drive.
A Sittingbourne free kick was hit too deep on 88 minutes and Cheadle cleared his lines. Miller and Korboa were left three-on-two but the former headed the ball on for Korboa to burst in on goal, but Brooks got down to push his shot away.
There was a sweet end to this game however as, in added time, Miller cut inside on a ball into the visitors' area and he curled a powerful effort beyond Brooks for his treble.
Match highlights, post-match interviews and photos coming soon.
Next up
We visit VCD Athletic on Saturday 13th January before East Grinstead Town come to us on Saturday 20th January.
Carshalton Athletic: Bishop; Oshilaja, Morath-Gibbs (c), Dudley, Cheadle; Korboa, Aziaya, Adeniyi, Bradford, Miller; Sogbanmu (Hamilton-Downes - 78)
Unused subs: McLaughlin, J Phillips, L Phillips, Murphy-McVey
Goals: Miller (44 pen, 64 pen, 90)
Assists: Sogbanmu, Bradford
Booked: Miller
Sittingbourne: Brooks, Webber, Kissitu, Davisson (Parkinson - 75), Gorham (c), Coker, Phillip (Elliott - 75), Dawodu, Rowland, Cornwell (Okimeji - 58), Guthrie
Unused subs: Allan, Carey
Booked: Dawodu, Kissitu, Davisson
Our 'Man of the Match': Michael Aziaya
Current league position: 5th (55 points - Lewes top with 60)