Carshalton Athletic 0 Sutton United 0 (From Surrey Comet)

Carshalton Athletic 0 Sutton United 0

1:24pm Monday 4th January 2010

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Sutton United escaped with a point from Colston Avenue on Saturday against a Carshalton Athletic side determined to make amends for their 3-0 defeat at Gander Green Lane seven days earlier.

The Robins hit the bar in the first half and missed the best chance of the game with two minutes left.

In contrast, with Charlie Taylor restricted to 20 minutes as a second half substitute by a shoulder injury, United failed to create any chances of note in the first half.

However, Sutton did look likelier to snatch a winner after Paul Doswell’s triple substitution, that also saw Danny Phillips come on and threaten to open up a home defence that had previously had a comfortable afternoon,

Carshalton’s first attack came in the opening minute after a rare lapse from Karim El-Salahi allowed Jones Awuah in behind him to set up a shooting opportunity for Barry Stevens, whose shot was just two high.

Awuah, one of three former Sutton players in Carshalton’s line-up, also fired in a low cross from the left which was well claimed by Kevin Scriven.

At the other end, Sam Gargan caught Joe Dolan napping from James Norwood’s pass, but his cross was cleared.

Alan Bray then met Alan Pouton’s corner with a goalbound header, but Dave Woozley nodded it over the bar.

Woozley was soon in action at the other end after Kenny Beaney, who recently completed a permanent move across the borough, swung in a free kick.

Woozley met it with a crashing header that came down off the underside of the bar and captain David Ray headed the rebound over when it looked easier to score.

Sutton had another scare five mintues before the break. Orlando Smith beat Billy Hawes on the left and pulled the ball back, but Awuah’s shot was cleared off the line by James Hawes.

The visitors looked more comfortable in the second half as Carshalton, for all the promptings of Beaney and Stevens, failed to get past the centre back partnership of El-Salahi and Bray.

At the other end, Matt Hann’s good run provided a rare threat, but his shot was deflected for a corner.

Taylor and Phillips immediately combined to good effect after coming on, with Taylor denied by an excellently timed tackle by Woozley that deflected the ball out for a corner.

Phillips then jinked through before a shot that was deflected on to the roof of the net.

United were still conceding too many free kicks, though, with Beaney a constant threat from set pieces.

When given a chance from a central position 25 yards out, Beaney fired in a fierce shot that was tipped over, albeit comfortably, by Scriven.

Referee Rob Smith’s patience finally ran out, with bookings in quick succession for Sonny Cobbs and Nick McKoy, but United did come close to snatching a goal when Norwood’s corner bounced around beyond the far post and was eventually stabbed across goal by El-Salahi, with Taylor just unable to apply the finishing touch.

It was Carshalton who should have grabbed the points, though, when Beaney’s cross from the left to the far post found Awuah, who volleyed high and wide when he should have done much better.

Carshalton Athletic: N Hamann, D Ray, R Watkins, D Woozley, J Dolan, K Beaney, B Stevens, K Murray, C Faulconbridge, J Awuah, O Smith. Subs n/u P Palladino, S Cox, G Gonnella, R Kamara, K Davies.

Sutton United: K Scriven, B Hawes, J Hawes, S Cobbs, A Bray, K El-Salahi, M Hann(sub D Phillips 69), A Pouton (sub C Taylor 69), S Gargan (sub S Watts 69), J Norwood, N McKoy. Subs n/u S Perkins, S McKimm. Booked: Cobbs (77-persistent infringement), McKoy (79-persistent infringement).

Referee: R Smith (New Addington)

Attendance: 1,014

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