Carshalton Beat Wingate -

Carshalton Beat Wingate

Carshalton Athletic made it three wins in a row with a 4–1 victory against Wingate & Finchley at Colston Avenue on Saturday afternoon.

Manager Steven Bates made two changes to the side that beat Cheshunt 1–0 last weekend. Eddie Allsopp returned to the starting XI in place of Tolu Ladapo, who dropped to the bench, while Renedie Masampu started at left-back in place of Ben Mundele. Academy graduate Ciprian Fita was also named on the bench for the first time after impressing in training.

Carshalton got the game underway and made a fast start, opening the scoring in the third minute. The ball was played to Luke Read, who cut it back to Nathan Young-Coombes. Young-Coombes, inside the box, struck first time past Joel Halliday to make it 1–0.

It was a great start for the Robins, who continued on the front foot after the goal. Carshalton had a strong penalty appeal in the 15th minute when Young-Coombes appeared to have been brought down just inside the area, but referee Patrick Jolliffe waved away the protests. Just a minute later, Fabio Saraiva had a chance from just outside the box. The ball fell kindly to the midfielder, but his low effort was held by Halliday.

Carshalton doubled their advantage in the 19th minute. A great passage of play culminated in Ryan Huke cutting the ball back to the marauding Denzel Akyeampong, who fired into the bottom corner for his first Carshalton goal, putting the Robins 2–0 in front.

Carshalton remained on top, continuing to push forward and looking to extend their lead before the break. Luke Read found himself in the box and shot from a tight angle, but Halliday was equal to the effort and pushed it away for a corner. From the resulting set-piece, the ball fell to Young-Coombes in the penalty area, but Halliday again made a smart save.

As half-time approached, Carshalton nearly made it 3–0. Akyeampong pushed forward again from right-back and was played in by Young-Coombes, but this time the former Torquay man fired over the crossbar. Carshalton had one final chance before the break when Young-Coombes found space in the box, but the former Brentford striker fired into the side netting from a tight angle.

The referee blew for half-time with the Robins 2–0 up and in control, though there was still work to do to secure a third consecutive victory.

Wingate & Finchley got the second half underway, but it was the Robins who started fastest, making it 3–0 soon after the restart. A throw-in on the right-hand side found its way to Fabio Saraiva. Known for spectacular strikes, Saraiva hit the ball from around 18 yards with the outside of his foot. The effort struck the underside of the crossbar and went in, giving Halliday no chance and potentially putting the game beyond reach.

In the 51st minute, Bryan Ifeanyi went close to making it 4–0 when he cut inside from the left wing, but his curled effort flew just over the crossbar. The Robins were putting together some neat passing moves, and one in the 54th minute nearly led to another goal, with the ball played to Young-Coombes, whose effort was tipped over the crossbar. Steven Bates then introduced Tolu Ladapo, who nearly made an instant impact with a powerful strike from just outside the box, but his effort drifted just over.

Wingate & Finchley pulled a goal back in the 63rd minute. The visitors won a free-kick on the right-hand side, taken by Ryan Lowe. His delivery found Romeo Akinola in the box, and he headed into the bottom corner for his seventh goal of the season, making it 3–1.

The goal was a setback for the Robins, who had looked solid defensively up to that point, but they still held a two-goal lead heading into the final stages.

Carshalton had another penalty appeal turned down when Bryan Ifeanyi went down in the box, but referee Patrick Jolliffe again waved away the protests.

However, Carshalton were awarded a penalty in the 86th minute when substitute Tolu Ladapo was brought down just inside the area. Ladapo stepped up to take it himself, striking low to Halliday’s right. The Wingate goalkeeper got a touch, but not enough to keep it out, and the Robins extended their lead to 4–1 with only minutes remaining.

With time running out, Steven Bates handed a debut to academy graduate Ciprian Fita, who came on in place of Leo Young. The young forward looked lively in the closing stages as Carshalton saw the game out.

Referee Patrick Jolliffe blew for full-time, with the Robins running out 4–1 winners to make it three victories in a row.

The result means Carshalton remain in 17th, still four points clear of the bottom four, but now just two points behind today’s opponents Wingate & Finchley. Manager Steven Bates, commenting on ‘X’, said: “The team is starting to come together and the boys are working so hard to turn this season around.”