SAL - 10th January 2004

Carshalton stretched their unbeaten run to eight matches when they shared the spoils with opponents Weirside Rangers here at Beddington Park on Saturday.  However, boss Neil Edwards will be far from happy with his team’s second half performance after he had watched them let the visitors from St. Mary’s overturn a two goal half-time deficit.

Hoping to build on their recent good performances, the home side started well going ahead as early as the 5^th minute after a disputed throw-in on the left led to the ball being played into the box where it broke kindly for Johnny Phillips who, having taken advantage of the hesitant Weirside defending fired home from close range.  Cars, who were looking by far the brighter of the two sides and good value for their lead were handed the chance to double the lead on 29 minutes when they were awarded a penalty after forward Mark Raven had been fouled.  Matt Wigham stepped up to take the kick, which he seemed to strike well, but the keeper was equal to it and pulled off a fine save at his left post.  With just 5 minutes of the half remaining the ever-busy Phillips pounced on a pass from Dave Tilley to slot home his and Cars second goal.  

Weirside came out after the interval looking a much improved side, but still producing little to worry the Cars defence where Shaun Swan and Keith Cave looked to be in control until that is midway through the half when a spell of sustained pressure saw the visitors rewarded with a goal to reduce the arrears.  Cars now found themselves on the back foot as Weirside with a newly acquired confidence surged forward looking for the equaliser, which duly arrived, in the 78^th minute when they exploited a lapse in the home sides marking.  With both sides looking for the win, Cars rallied well in the dying minutes and were unlucky not to snatch a dramatic late winner, but Wigham’s long range lob which looked to be going in was cleared from beneath the crossbar.

This really was a game of two halves, though Cars will know that having been two up at the break, they should have gone on to win it and collect maximum points which would have been invaluable to them in their fight to pull away from the second division’s relegation drop zone. Despite the disappointment of losing two points, there were several good individual Carshalton performances, the best of these coming from MOM Johnny Phillips who had a great first half topped off with a brace of goals.  

Next week sees the return of cup football when the visitors to Beddington Park will be Continental Stars of the Surrey South Eastern Combination League for what promises to be a highly intriguing Surrey Intermediate Cup tie.    

Beddington Hotspur