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Carshalton made the short journey to Roehampton on Saturday for a first away trip in the league since September, keen to avenge an earlier home defeat this season at the hands of their hosts Bank of England.  The Cars starting eleven due to injuries and the unavailability of skipper Dean Tomlinson contained no fewer than six changes from the team that had lined-up at the start of last week's AFA Cup tie against Old Finchleians.  With this being perhaps not the strongest side Cars have fielded this campaign, they opted to play with what for them was an unfamiliar 4-5-1 formation believing that the five across midfield could prevent the normally strong midfield of the home side dictating the play and running the game, something they had done far too easily in the November meeting of the teams at Beddington Park. 

The early exchanges showed that not only were the Cars midfield five competing with the home side, but were actually pushing them back and taking the game to them with players regularly getting forward in support of Tony Edwards who was playing as the lone striker, a role he seemed to relish the more the half wore on.  Although Cars were playing well and having marginally more of the possession, it was the home side that created the first chances of the match, though their two low and lacklustre shots proved no test for Ross Sinclair in the Cars goal, who easily dealt with both. 

On 34 minutes Cars at last tested the home keeper when neat interplay down the left flank led to Neil Collard, hitting a fierce shot from the edge of the area which the keeper was glad to get hands on and push wide of the far post.  As the first half neared its conclusion Cars enjoyed a period of sustained pressure that saw their opponent’s goal under siege, but for all their pressure, Cars never really looked like breaching the hard working home defence.  Right on the stroke of half-time Cars survived a scare when Sinclair had to be at his very best to save with an outstretched leg down at his near post, after a snap shot from the home centre-forward almost caught Cars napping.  

Cars started the second period in explosive fashion and should have opened the scoring when straight from the restart the ball was played long and wide to the right where James Harrison did well to bring it under control, ran through on goal and got away a shot which the keeper did well to block. The keeper's luck held as he found himself helpless to do anything other than watch the rebound as it cannoned into the knees of the fast following up Paul Pearce.  The ball though, luckily for the keeper, but agonisingly for Cars going wide of the right hand upright. Chances in this game were at a premium and as the minutes ticked away it was becoming more and more obvious that one goal would probably be enough to take the spoils. In the 68th minute, the best chance of the game fell to Cars when Pearce latched onto a chipped through ball and burst past the left-back, crossing low for Edwards in the six-yard box who met the ball perfectly only to see the trailing leg of the keeper amazingly keep the ball out. 

Just ten minutes remained of this intriguing and tense contest as Pearce once again attacked the left-back who was more than happy on this occasion to commit a foul and concede a free-kick rather than see the speedy Cars winger go past him yet again.  Neil Collard stepped up to take the resulting free-kick which he hung up at the far post thus enabling Edwards to arrive late, leap between two taller defenders and direct his accurate header beyond the reach of the keeper to give his side the lead.  The instruction from the touchline went out, and it was for Cars to keep hold of the ball and play out time; indeed this was something they did remarkably well, as time and time again they carried the ball to the corner flag where the opposition found themselves unable to retrieve it. 

The final whistle sounded with Cars fully deserving their victory and the 3 points that came with it after they had turned in a great second half performance in which they had denied the home side a single clear-cut chance on goal.  This was an impressive display from Cars and showed the great team spirit that is currently running through the side.  No player epitomised this spirit more than MOM Gary Cummings who gave 110% in a gutsy display at the heart of the Carshalton midfield.  With the players called-up all having very good games, Edwards would seem to be facing a few selection headaches when the regulars are ready to return.  

Cars are back on the road again next Saturday when they travel to St. Mary’s at Teddington Lock to play Weirside Rangers in what promises to be another epic confrontation between two sides that are the bitterest of rivals. 

Beddington Hotspur