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Joe Vines returned to the side following his
suspension and Jason Pinnock regained his starting place as
Tooting looked to put memories of Maidstone behind them and
instead build on an unbeaten 5 game unbeaten league run.
But Carshalton are also a side in form and it was the visitors
who dominated possession for the first quarter of a hour. Even
so, it was the Terrors who carved out the only goal
threatening chances. A great Pinnock run from the centre
circle set Martin Grant loose into the penalty area and it
took a flailing defensive leg to scramble his short range shot
off the goal line. A minute later Grant managed to get
his head to a long throw, but he could only direct it weakly
wide. After that the game settled into an unexciting spell as
the teams cancelled each other out in the middle of the park.
On the half hour a defensive slip freed
Jamie Byatt down the left, he cut into the penalty area near
the byline but his low shot posed no problems for Searle.
On 40 minutes McLeod burst through the middle, supplying Grant
with another chance - again wide. Paul Vines, this time as
provider, cut back a low cross into the area, but this time
the Robins were able to make use of the clearance calling King
into his first serious action.
Just before the interval came what was
probably the defining incident as Joe Vines interrupted a
breakaway attack with a less than subtle challenge, another
card for is collection!
Half Time
0 -
0
Whilst
Tooting might have felt slightly disappointed at not having
grabbed a goal in the first half, the vicissitudes
of the game, or perhaps a few kind words from Mr Byrd saw the
Robins make a flying start after the break (or is that beak?).
Joe Vines was clearly in a flap as his early tackle provided
the free kick that resulted in Carshaltons opener.
Tooting failed to clear the ball as it arrived in the box and
Jolly drilled it home. Joe had been
lucky to stay on the field for that offence, but being so
close to the edge must have played on his mind when shortly
after his horrendous attempted clearance gave the ball away to
set up Kadi for a simple second. Tooting were now on the
rocks and being pummelled as Robins put on an impressive
display, though somehow the third goal did not come.
Billy clearly had to take action and twenty five minutes in he
did, with a triple substitution, including the hapless elder
Vines. Things did improve as the busy
Pitterson and Henry-Hayden dug in and gave the excellent
Carpenter and Graves something to keep themselves occupied
with. Whilst Robins seemed happy to relax a little. even after
the departures of Kadi and Stevens, Aaron Goode and Oliver
Hunt had to stay on full alert, as Bremner particularly proved
to be no mug. The Terrors goal had an
almost surreal feel to it, as the visiting defence stood and
watched a long cross find Pitterson unmarked at the back
post, allowing him to slot home unopposed. Whilst
this re-awakended the visitors Tooting actually had a chance
of equalising deep into injury time when Searle failed to
collect a long range free kick. However, the follow up
was looped straight back into his grateful grasp.
It would have been quite an injustice on an afternoon when
Tooting got a glance at how good the football at this level
can be.
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