Robins end long wait for league win (From Surrey Comet)

Robins end long wait for league win

10:36am Monday 30th January 2012 in Non-League

Carshalton Athletic recorded their first league win of 2012 with a gutsy performance to come from behind and win 2-1 against an in-form Margate, writes James Barrett.

Two goals in the last 15 minutes, which included Tom Davis’s injury-time winner, were reward for Carshalton’s fight back against the same Margate line-up that thrashed Lewes 5-1 the week previous.

After a positive start by The Robins, with Sonny Ayres in particular looking bright up front, the visitors took the lead on 10 minutes when Craig Cloke headed home a corner unchallenged past Nick Hamann.

Carshalton had a penalty appeal turned down five minutes later, after a Luke Pigden free kick from 20 yards appeared to be blocked by the arm of Mark Corneille. Referee Kay blew his whistle but instead gave a second free kick for Corneille’s encroachment and subsequently booked him.

The Robins looked good when they played their passing game through midfield but couldn’t work Margate goalkeeper Simon Overland as much as they would’ve liked.

Margate’s direct play kept David Ray and his fellow defenders busy, and Cloke nearly scored an exact replica of his goal, but neither side could make a breakthrough.

And Hamann kept Carshalton in the hunt with two stunning saves in the last five minutes of the first-half, firstly knocking away Robinson’s curled shot from 18 yards at full stretch and then tipping a Richard Avery half volley onto his crossbar following another Margate corner.

Both defences were on top in the second half and Carshalton Athletic manager Paul Dipre brought on Dean McDonald and Kennedy Adjei which added fresh impetus to his side.

The equaliser came on 79 minutes and it an in-form Paul Vines that got it. Davis played in a corner which the striker knocked goalwards, but Overland blocked. Vines reacted quickest and rammed home the rebound in front of the jubilant home support for his sixth goal in four games.

And, as a precursor to his goal, Davis performed a diving header from a Vines cross after McDonald played the striker in down the left on 87 minutes, but Overland kept it out with a good save.

Four minutes later however, Davis got his reward as Finn toyed with Dean Pooley on the right and eventually delivered a wicked cross that Davis met on the run with a firm header past Overland. The victory extended their unbeaten run to six matches.

“It was a real game of two halves as Margate had some good shots on target in the first half without really dominating possession, but thanks to Nick they only scored one," said Dipre.

"We then dominated possession in the second half without having many shots on goal, but those we did have we converted,” said Dipre after the game.

“The game changed when Kennedy came on for Reece Jones. I asked Kennedy to hold and allow Tom to get further forward, which gave us a better shape and he ended up scoring the winner. McDonald also helped turn the game round, he was superb.

“The whole team worked very hard against a good team in superb form, but I felt we deserved the points and I am very proud of the team spirit which turned the game round.”

Carshalton next travel to Conference Premier side Newport County on Saturday in the third round of the FA Trophy.