Robins Fall to Rooks
Carshalton Athletic were left to rue missed chances and injury setbacks as they slipped to a 2–1 defeat at home to Lewes in the Isthmian Premier Division on Monday night.
Following Saturday’s hard-fought win at Cray Valley PM, manager Peter Adeniyi made just one change to the starting line-up, handing a first appearance of the season to winger Nabeel Ghannam against his former club. Mason Saunders-Henry dropped to the bench.
For the visitors, newly appointed Lewes manager Bradley Pritchard – who previously played for Carshalton in the 2005/06 season – was chasing his first win in charge after defeat to Hashtag United. He rang two changes, bringing in Billie Clark and Walter Figueira.
Carshalton found themselves behind almost immediately. Just two minutes in, Lewes full-back Ryan Bernal surged down the right and delivered a low cross into the six-yard box, where Devonte West pounced to steer the ball home and give the visitors a dream start.
Lewes continued to threaten, with Billie Clark again involved, finding West in the area minutes later. This time, however, goalkeeper Matt Kerbey reacted well to keep the score at 1–0.
Things got worse for the Robins when Ghannam appeared to pick up a knock and, despite trying to play through it, was forced off after 12 minutes. Kola Salami entered the fray, with Bryan Ifeanyi switching to the left wing.
That change would soon pay off, as Carshalton found an equaliser in the 22nd minute through a moment of individual brilliance. Ansu Janneh did well to dispossess Billie Clark, sparking a quick Robins counterattack. The ball was worked to Ifeanyi on the left, who isolated his defender,
cut inside onto his right foot and curled a superb effort into the far corner from the edge of the box – almost a carbon copy of his weekend strike at Cray Valley.
A physical first half saw chances at both ends, with Devonte West continuing to cause problems for the Carshalton backline. Just before the break, centre-back Luke Read met a corner with a powerful header that sailed over the bar – but came off worst in a clash of heads and was unable to continue. Saunders-Henry came on in his place, marking the Robins’ second injury-enforced substitution of the evening.
The second half opened with both sides pushing for a winner. Carshalton looked dangerous down the flanks, particularly through the lively Salami and Ifeanyi. Salami had a good effort saved by Rogers early on, while a free kick from Lewes at the other end clipped the outside of the post as the Rooks came close themselves.
Carshalton’s best chance of the half came in the 71st minute. Ifeanyi dazzled down the left, beat his marker and fed Sankoh inside the area,
but Rogers produced another vital stop to keep the scores level.
Despite having the momentum, Carshalton were hit by a sucker punch on 76 minutes. A rare lapse at the back saw Dylan Pepe caught in possession by Lewes centre-back Jack Burchell, who found himself through on goal and calmly slotted past Kerbey to restore the visitors’ lead.
The Robins threw everything forward in the final stages. Josh Shonibare, who had been driving at the Lewes defence throughout, was cynically brought down by Ollie Starkey as he looked to break free. There were strong calls for a red card, but referee Derrick Laing opted for yellow.
Shonibare was the third Carshalton player forced off with injury – another frustration on a physically demanding night.
As the game entered stoppage time, Carshalton were handed a lifeline when Perry Iandolo was shown a straight red card for kicking out at Michael Dada following a foul near the touchline.
Despite the man advantage and a final flurry of pressure, the Robins were unable to find a second goal. A speculative long-range effort from Pepe was the final attempt before the whistle blew on a frustrating night at Colston Avenue.
The Robins will be hoping to return to winning ways this Saturday, when they welcome last season’s play-off semi-finalists Billericay Town to Colston Avenue.
Up Next
Date: Saturday 16th August
Opponents: Billericay Town FC
Competition: Isthmian League
Ko: 3.00pm
Venue: Colston Avenue
Admissions: Get Tickets Here
