A ding-dong derby saw three penalties as Carshalton won by the odd goal in five, writes James Barrett-Sterling.
Corinthian Casuals 2 - 3 Carshalton Athletic Isthmian Premier League Saturday 24th August 2019
Attendance: 271
Last four results: LLWW
Our 'Man of the Match': Ricky Korboa
Next up: https://www.carshaltonathletic.co.uk/post/upnext
Team news
Bobby Price was unavailable but the returning Luke Read was handed the right back position. Tommy Bradford was fit enough to be named among the substitutes for the first time this season. Ex-Robins Warren Sadre-Morgan, Nathaniel Pinney and Mike Dixon lined up for the hosts.
Kick-off
The Robins got off to an absolute flyer in this one - Christie Pattisson took down a long ball, turned Sadre-Morgan inside and out before picking out Ernold Haxhiu whom sidefooted home his first ever goal for the club from close range.
And the travelling fans were in dreamland on six minutes as Luke Read's long ball was chested down by Ricky Korboa and, as the forward settled himself inside the area, he flashed the ball past Bracken with the outside of his right foot.
It was almost three on 10 minutes as Read found Korboa again, he left it to Jerry Amoo and the winger's effort was pushed onto the far post by Bracken. The subsequent corner dropped into a clutch of bodies and the ball was hacked away almost on the Casuals goal-line.
Carshalton were looking comfortable as the home side failed to create any dangerous chances and, following a half-cleared corner for the Robins on 28 minutes, Daniel Pappoe tried an acrobatic overhead kick that dropped just wide of the far post.
The home side got a glimpse of Carshalton's goal on 44 minutes as Dixon beat Patrick Ohman in a race to a ball over the top. He then bore down on goal but Read had got back and the defender cleared the angled shot away from the empty net.
But Casuals came again and a high cross was brought down by Kevin Serbony. Read fell to the ground and caught the ball with his arm - spot-kick awarded and Pinney slotted it home to reduce the arrears.
HALF-TIME: 1 - 2
The second-half began the same as the first ended - with a penalty being given, but this time for Carshalton as Korboa was barged over by Coskun Ekim inside the area. Amoo duly converted his second spot-kick in two games by beating Bracken low into the corner.
There was a nice ebb and flow as both sides tried to get on the front foot, but Ohman wasn't called into any serious action until the 67th minute.
Sadre-Morgan made a buccaneering run past a couple of opponents and cut inside the Robins box before being halted by Haxhiu - the referee blew for another penalty but this time Ohman was equal to Pinney's shot and he pushed the ball away at full stretch.
Bradford was introduced for his first league action of the season shortly afterwards, but the hosts did pull another goal back to set up a tense final 10 minutes - Reyon Dillon found Leon Lalor-Dell and he was given time and space to angle a low drive into the bottom far corner.
Casuals pushed forward and Dillon met a half-cleared free kick on 82 minutes with a bicycle kick that flew over Ohman's crossbar.
A rare Carshalton sortie near the end of normal time saw Bradford win the ball, look up and play fellow sub Raheem Sterling-Parker towards goal. The forward was seemingly clipped by a defender, a clashing sound was heard on the sidelines, but the referee blew up and issued Sterling-Parker a caution.
The home side had one last chance deep in added time as they forced a corner. It was hung up in the air, Ohman bravely punched it away while being clattered by several bodies and it later transpired the goalkeeper suffered a dislocated shoulder.
Catch match highlights and post-game reaction via robins.tv
Carshalton Athletic: Ohman; Read, Pappoe, Hamilton-Downes (c); Pattisson, Haxhiu, Adeniyi (Sogbanmu - 46), Samuels, Amoo (Bradford - 70); Koroma, Korboa (Sterling-Parker - 77)
Unused subs: Dudley, Kamara
Goals: Haxhiu (2), Korboa (6), Amoo (48 pen)
Assists: Pattisson, Read, Korboa
Booked: Hamilton-Downes, Sterling-Parker
Corinthian Casuals: Bracken, Spencer, Sadre-Morgan, Mills, Strange (Dillon - 46), Ekim, Bakare (Maan - 73), Antonio, Dixon (Lalor-Dell - 64), Pinney, Serbony
Unused subs: Lalor-Dell, Mann, Uzun, Jamison, Dillon
Goals: Pinney (45 pen), Lalor-Dell (79)
Booked: Ekim
