Carshalton Draw with Cheshunt -

Carshalton Draw With Cheshunt

Carshalton Athletic played out an entertaining 3–3 draw with Cheshunt at Colston Avenue on Monday evening.

With a quick turnaround from Saturday’s 0–0 draw with Folkestone Invicta, manager Peter Adeniyi made three changes to his side. Noah Nzuzi returned after missing out at the weekend, while Bryan Ifeanyi came back into the starting XI after beginning Saturday’s match on the bench. There was also a first start for defender Ben Mundele following his recent move from Ramsgate.

The match got underway with plenty at stake for both sides. Cheshunt began the evening in the final relegation spot, with Carshalton just two points ahead in 16th. The Robins created the first real chance on nine minutes when Tommy Bradford delivered a free kick from midfield into the box. Laurence Ernest allowed the ball to bounce before taking a touch and looping an effort just over the bar.

Carshalton were on the front foot in the early stages and came close again on 13 minutes. Nzuzi made a strong run down the left and whipped in a cross to Bradford, who turned and fired a powerful shot towards goal. Azaze reacted well in the Cheshunt goal to push the effort away. Two minutes later, the Robins had another opportunity when Bryan Ifeanyi delivered a pinpoint cross from the left. Rzeznik rose highest but could not make full contact, and his glancing header drifted wide of the far post. Ifeanyi then went close himself, driving into the box before seeing his shot well saved by Azaze.

Despite Carshalton’s early dominance, it was the visitors who took the lead on 17 minutes. Neat build-up play on the right between Sam Granville and Matthias Fanimo resulted in a dangerous ball into the area, and Connor Kurran-Browne reacted quickest to stab the ball home and give Cheshunt a 1–0 lead.

The goal did not deter the Robins, who continued to push forward and almost drew level on 35 minutes. Rzeznik received the ball just outside the box and struck a powerful effort with Azaze slightly off his line.

The shot beat the goalkeeper but crashed off the crossbar and went out for a goal kick.

Carshalton would not have to wait much longer for an equaliser, as Bryan Ifeanyi levelled the scores on 39 minutes. From a corner, the ball pinballed around the Cheshunt penalty area, and after the visitors failed to clear, it fell to Ifeanyi, who curled a right-footed shot into the bottom corner to make it 1–1.

The Robins looked to take the lead before the break, with Ifeanyi again involved as he pressured Azaze into losing possession before cutting the ball back to Oppong, whose effort found the side netting. In first-half stoppage time, Ming took a free kick from the left and attempted to curl it into the far corner, but his shot drifted just over before the referee brought the half to a close.

Carshalton carried their momentum into the second half and were awarded a penalty on 52 minutes. Nzuzi threaded a perfect through ball to Eddie Oppong, who raced through one-on-one with Azaze. Oppong took the ball around the goalkeeper, but Azaze brought him down before he could shoot. The referee pointed to the spot and showed the Cheshunt keeper a yellow card. Ifeanyi stepped up and calmly placed his penalty into the bottom corner to the keeper’s left,

scoring his second of the game to put Carshalton 2–1 ahead.

The Robins were firmly on top, with space opening up in the Cheshunt defence. On 54 minutes, Carshalton put together an impressive passing move, with Ifeanyi finding Bradford, who then played Oppong through on goal. Oppong thought he had scored his first goal for the club after slotting home, but the assistant referee had already raised his flag for offside. Bradford was involved again on 57 minutes, delivering a corner to the penalty spot where Laurence Ernest rose highest, only for Azaze to be well positioned and catch the header.

Carshalton’s hard work was undone on 61 minutes when Cheshunt equalised. A centrally taken free kick was delivered to the back post, where substitute Raul Fernandes Da Silva, introduced just three minutes earlier, met the ball with a diving header to make it 2–2. Matters worsened for the Robins on 72 minutes when Cheshunt regained the lead. A long throw from the right by captain Darion Furlong was struck towards goal, and after the ball ricocheted around the box, substitute Tommy Wood applied the final touch to put the visitors 3–2 ahead.

Knowing they needed a response, Carshalton pushed forward in search of another equaliser. Ifeanyi almost completed his hat-trick with a curling effort towards the far corner, but a well-positioned Cheshunt defender headed the ball clear. Fabio Saraiva was introduced for his second appearance since returning from injury and nearly made an immediate impact. After Ladapo laid the ball off to him outside the box, Saraiva struck a powerful low shot that almost beat Azaze,

but the goalkeeper reacted quickly to push it away for a corner.

From the resulting set piece, the Robins drew level with a stunning strike from Josh Shonibare. The initial delivery was headed clear, but only as far as Shonibare outside the box, who had time and space to smash a first-time effort into the top corner,

sending the home supporters wild behind the goal.

The match remained finely poised, and Carshalton almost snatched a winner on 87 minutes when Ladapo was played through on goal. Driving towards the box, the substitute was denied as Azaze rushed out to narrow the angle and make the save.

Both sides continued to search for a late winner, but after five minutes of stoppage time, the referee brought an entertaining contest at Colston Avenue to an end, with the points shared.

The result sees Carshalton move ahead of Wingate & Finchley into 15th place, while Cheshunt climb out of the relegation zone on goal difference. Attention now turns to Saturday, when Carshalton are back at home to face Chatham Town.