Click on back button to return... 

The Carshalton side, having experienced last week the disappointment of semi final defeat, returned to league action on Saturday when they travelled to Riverside Drive, Chiswick for what was expected to be a very tough fixture against a Civil Service side that is enjoying a good season and chasing promotion to the first division.

Cars kicked off without regulars Tony Edwards, Alex Booker and Danny Hewitt with it soon apparent that not only were the three being missed but that the ferocity of the home side’s approach to proceedings was clearly unsettling a very young Cars team who struggled to come to terms with some fierce challenges and also the very slippery playing conditions.  It was clear that Civil Service were well up for this game and hell bent on avenging their early season reverse at Beddington Park.  The opening exchanges saw the home side totally dominant with an early goal looking to be on the cards. However, even the hosts couldn’t have envisaged the gift presented to them after 8 minutes. Having conceded a corner on the right Cars didn’t pick up the forward at the far post, who, when the corner was swung over took advantage of the non existent marking to help himself to a free header giving Ross Sinclair the Cars keeper no chance.  Civil Service now in front stormed forward looking to add to their lead, but they hadn’t reckoned on meeting the Cars centre back pairing of Dean Tomlinson and Chris Tilley in such fine form.  Time and time again the pair were called upon to break up the ever-increasing attacks of the home side. The Cars players finally began to settle down, forcing a good chance of their own in the 18^th minute when hard work down the left from Gary Cummings saw him cross for Paul Pearce who took the ball down on his chest and got away a left foot volley that the keeper was happy to push over his bar.  Despite Civil Service dominating both possession and territorial advantage it was Cars that created a couple of further chances as the first half drew to a close – Steve Powell shooting wide after getting on the end of a great pass from Michael Tilley, while Pearce drove wide of the right hand upright from 20 yards.

The second period was just seconds old when Cars should have drawn level, unfortunately though Michael Pickett, having turned his marker, shot tamely and straight at the goalkeeper after good work from Pearce and Cummings on the right wing had created the opening for him.  Cars having played their way back into the contest needed the smart reflexes of Sinclair to keep them in it when with 68 minutes gone he pulled off a tremendous save at his near post to deny the Civil Service right winger.  With 15 minutes remaining a slide rule pass from James Harrison set up Pearce who chipped the ball over the advancing keeper only to see the crossbar come to the home side’s rescue.  The points seemed to be slipping away from Cars, until with less than 5 minutes on the watch, young substitute Liam Howard made a fantastic tackle in his own half and played a superb defence splitting through ball to Pickett, who, having beat the offside trap sprinted towards goal and drilled home an early shot from 18 yards as the keeper attempted to close him down.  Just moments later the referee blew the whistle to end a thoroughly absorbing afternoon’s football.

This was another gritty and determined display from Cars, which ranks alongside the performance at Bank of England earlier in the campaign.  Very difficult to pick a MOM this week as all the Cars players played their part in securing a well-earned point that if not ending the Civil Service promotion bid then certainly puts a dent in it.  Cars are on the road again next week when they travel to The Paulin Ground, Fords Grove, N21 to take on division two leaders Winchmore Hill.  

Beddington Hotspur