Team: Dan, Chico, Chris (Capt), Connor, Toby, Harry M, Harry L, Alex, Ruaridh, Jack, Simon   subs: Will, Oliver, David

After the promise of the pre-season schedule, the reality of the league kicked in today with a disappointing performance against a Molesey side that started sharper, worked harder - at least for the initial periods - and were more ruthless in their finishing.

There was a lethargy in the early match performance that was only ever going to end up with Carshalton getting punished and that is exactly what happened as a failure to press the play in the middle allowed Molesey free rein in midfield.  Losing possession in defence allowed a Molesey striker to pivot and volley a shot over Dan that he could only parry into the roof of the net.

The match then descended into a niggly stage with certain players losing focus but the real problem was a failure to do the simple things and getting the ball down.  Easier said than done when under pressure I know but Carshalton have the ability to do it well and it was making life unnecessarily difficult when instead of rolling the ball to feet we were dinking and chipping the ball at best and just blindly hooking the ball high and forward at worst.

Having said that, towards the end of the first half there were signs that we were getting back into the game and a move involving Harry M, David and Will that set up Ollie for a thundering shot that their keeper somehow kept out with a marvellous save.

The half time team talk focused on the need for composure and discipline but was not helped by the enforced withdrawal of Chris with a knee injury on top of a troublesome hamstring.  Chris had done well in marshalling the defence during the first half and his leadership would be missed.

The second half did not immediately bring about a hoped for improvement and a long clearance from their keeper found us on the back foot when we didn’t deal with the bounce.  Their first shot was amazingly saved by Dan as was their second but a third bite of the cherry was not wasted when the ball, fell kindly for their forward who struck home well.

Molesey got their third and it was at this point when at last Carshalton began to show their true capability.  There was some excellent movement down the left between Toby, Connor, Ollie and Ruaridh as they found the confidence to play tight triangles and this brought reward in better retention of the ball and the creation of chances.  Jack and Simon worked hard upfront without really get the breaks or run of the ball.

Ruaridh found Alex with a cross that an off-balance Alex volleyed wide.  The introduction of Chico into central midfield brought about added composure and he started to distribute the ball away as well as almost getting on the end of a Jack through ball. 

During those last ten minutes he seemed as the entire team had woken up to what they needed to do and there was added snap into tackles as the likes of Connor and Harry L defended well and Will kept persisting down the right.

It was obviously too little too late but it was pleasing to see the evidence that there is quality in the team and despite the result there were good individual performances such as Toby who again showed that he is bringing stability and tenacity to the left back role.

So not the start hoped for and room for improvement but some good stuff to take forward into our next games.  Onwards and upwards!

Paul Turner