CAFC 0-1 Dartford - Match Report -

CAFC 0-1 Dartford FC

Carshalton fall to defeat despite dominant display

Carshalton Athletic suffered their first defeat of the season following a narrow 1-0 loss to former National League South side Dartford.

Forward Eddie Dsane netted the only goal of the game after 18 minutes and from then on it was all Carshalton, who despite dominating proceedings and creating multiple chances, failed to find the leveller.

For Carshalton, there were two changes following the 3-1 victory over Chichester City last week. Midfielder Tom Jackson and winger Steve Gody, who opened the scoring against Chi, made way for Bryan Ifeanyi and Tommy Stagg, the latter being rewarded for a quick-fire brace.

Therefore, captain Tommy Bradford was also moved back to be the most advanced of the midfield three. Meanwhile, Tyler Christian-Law returned to the starting eleven for Dartford with Samir Carruthers on the bench, surprisingly, for the first time this season.

It was an open start to proceedings with both sides keen to take the game to the other. What was clear from the get-go was the Robins’s desire to get in behind after Fabio Saraiva and Luke Read floated balls into the path of Bryan Ifeanyi and Mason Saunders-Henry. The first sight of goal for the visitors came inside five minutes, Denzelle Olopade dragged his shot wide of the post from the edge of the penalty area.

Then ensued a good spell of pressure from the hosts, Azez Sankho, who in the attacking phase was playing an inverted role and given license to roam free in the middle of the park, was set clear away thanks to a through ball from Stagg, but the young man was soon denied by the offside flag. Battling excellently in the midfield, Saraiva teed up Ifeanyi down the left and crossed; however, it was diverted into the arms of Dartford goalkeeper Matt Kerbey.

A few moments later, Stagg drove against the defender on the swivel before Ifeanyi found himself with the ball attacking left and lashed a delivery across the face of goal, which narrowly evaded Bradford at the back post. Carshalton were gradually beginning to cause more of an attacking threat once they had got wingers Ifeanyi and Saunders-Henry into the match, particularly the latter. Toying with right-back Samuel Okoye the talisman’s dazzling quick feet enabled him to cut back and cross to Saunders-Henry in the box who controlled and pulled the trigger, but his effort was blocked.

Just before the 20-minute mark, the Darts took the lead through new signing Eddie Dsane. The brilliant footwork from Olopade attacking right set up Dsane perfectly for the strike, guiding the ball into the far corner for his first in black and white since joining from Kingstonians. It was a bit harsh on the Robins, especially given they had a great chance moments before when Bradford’s side-footed strike from a well-worked corner was denied by the outstretched leg of the defender.

Keen to capitalise on the momentum garnered from the goal, the Darts showed signs of intensifying their press led by striker Callum Jones. Except for a Dom Vose set piece that was played wide to Ifeanyi and driven at pace front post before the referee blew the way of the visitors to penalise a foul on Kerbey, the match entered a bit of a lull. Carshalton moved the ball nicely; however, the Darts were extremely well drilled, proving difficult for the Robins to break down as they attempted to build play.

Vose had a free kick on the left of the penalty area that whistled just over the bar as the match approached the final five minutes of the half, Bradford was hugely influential in the attacking move that won the set piece. Vose was at it again when his inswinging corner was cleared only as far as Bradford languishing on the edge of the area, he laid it off to Saunders-Henry to come on to it and float towards Fikayo Atewologun, who rose but was flagged offside.

Carshalton were gifted a glorious opportunity to draw level on the stroke of halftime after Stagg was through on goal in a two vs one with Bradford and squared it right to the 30-year-old in space. Our captain got the ball caught in his feet and gave the defenders time to recover and clear with the pair left rueing their mistake.

Heading into the break, the Robins were on the ascendancy, despite the Darts perhaps being the better side for the first 20 minutes.

Adeniyi introduced Gody to proceedings at half time, hooking Saunders-Henry. Carshalton went close almost immediately after the break when Saraiva had a long-range strike which should have been a routine save, but it was pushed away by a diving Kerbey and Stagg was alert to the rebound; however, the Sutton loanee redeemed himself and got a leg to it, throwing off the onlooking Bradford awaiting another rebound.

Minutes later, Bradford’s lovely ball inside on the right split the two defenders and found Vose in the penalty area, he squared it across to see the ball fired at goal and denied magnificently by the outstretched leg of Kerbey from close range, Bradford’s follow up was then deflected and cleared.

It became apparent that Dartford had come out second half to sit deep and protect the lead, that being said they still posed a threat on the counter attack. Talented academy product Olly Box was dispossessed following a wonderful well-timed Atewologun challenge, who had taken it upon himself to carry the ball up the pitch and shoot high over the bar a few minutes prior.

Pushing for the leveller and applying considerable amounts of pressure, the ball sat up nicely for Sankho to strike on the half-volley a couple of yards out from goal, but he miscued it. In a bid to freshen things up, Stagg and Vose then departed for Andy Somo and Tom Jackson to take to the pitch mid-way through.

The visitors withstood a barrage of shots and crosses from the Robins, platforming some very spirited last-ditch defending that denied the Reds any sought of avenue back into the match.

Entering the final third, Saraiva once again drove at the defender and the deflection was flicked on by Bradford to Ifeanyi in space on the left, fashioning the ball onto his stronger left foot, he lashed an effort at goal angling it to nestle it into the far post, but it was blocked. Not long after, Ifeanyi’s delivery was cleared only as far as Saraiva, whose half volley had Kerbey scrambling.

With seven minutes until time, Carshalton created their best opportunity of the game when Gody’s cross flashed across the face of goal and was begging to be turned in by somebody in red, but neither substitute, Somo nor Jackson, could latch onto it.

The board indicated four minutes of added time, and the Robins carried on probing the Darts defence. Wave after wave of attack was subdued with Atewologun riding two challenges to play through Ifeanyi, who had his cross cleared.

It would pan out to be the final chance of the 90 and Carshalton suffered their first defeat of the season.

In truth, it was not our day, even though the Robins were on top for most of the game as Dartford had shown the clinical edge that perhaps our lads lacked. Adeniyi’s side do not have long to wait to make amends as they go again on bank holiday Monday away against Cray Valley.

CARSHALTON ATHLETIC: Foley Read Hamstead Atewologun Sankoh Vose Camacho-Saraiva Bradford (C) Saunders Henry Stagg Ifeanyi; SUBS: Hamilton-Downes Jackson Gody Kabujko Somo Goather-Braithwaite

DARTFORD: Kerbey Odaudu Hill (C) Dsane Jones Olopade Box Pinder Okoye Williams Tyler – Law; SUBS: Marsden Carruthers Allen Nayler Apat

Goals: Eddie Dsane 18