Robins continue to struggle in league
11:28am Monday 23rd January 2012 in Carshalton
Nick Hamann has told his Carshalton Athletic colleague's they need to start winning in the league if they are to achieve anything this season, writes James Barrett.
The goalkeeper was man-of-the-match on Saturday as he pulled off a strong of fine saves to secure the Robins a 1-1 draw at East Thurrock United - their seventh league game without a win although they have drawn the last four.
Paul Vines, hat-trick hero against Lincoln City in the FA Trophy last Wednesday, scored the goal but Hamann admitted he is worried about the club's league form, "We started this game with the same line-up against Lincoln and we didn’t quite perform to the standard we showed last Wednesday," he said.
"We need to start winning again in the league to ensure the beginning of another hopefully long and unbeaten run.
“I think we were happy to leave Thurrock with a point at the end as they had more clear-cut chances than us, their goalkeeper didn’t have much to do in the second half.
“The windy conditions and the pitch made it hard for us to play our passing game and, at times, you couldn’t be sure where the ball would up end once you’d kicked it.
"But we battled well and deserved to come out of the game with something.”
Manager Paul Dipre though was pleased to have got a point.
“This last week has been mentally and physically draining for the players but I am very proud of how they have dealt with recent challenges," he said.
"It’s been a good week overall which were all very pleased with.
“It was a game lacking in real quality, partly because it was played in terribly windy conditions on a very uneven heavy pitch.
"It was a real battle and you can see why East Thurrock have done so well recently, they are a difficult side to beat, very physical and have bags of energy.
“We tired towards the end of the second half as playing two humdingers against a Blue Square Premier side has taken its toll.
"United didn’t have a midweek game and I would have taken a point before the game so I am not disappointed."
Carshalton started with the same line-up that began the FA Trophy replay against Lincoln City. The only personnel difference came on the bench, where Billy Crook, Dean Lodge and Tony Finn all returned to the first 16.
United kicked with the wind behind them in the first half and had the opening chance when the ball broke from a David Ray block inside his area and Nick Hamann had to pat down a Greg Cohen strike.
And the home side kept up the pressure on four minutes as Hamann did well to fingertip a Sam Higgins shot onto the post after the striker cut inside the box and worked space past Justyn Roberts. The ball cannoned off the inside of the near upright and flashed across the goal away to safety.
Carshalton’s first pot shot came from Reece Jones, who fired over from Paul Vines’ chested laid off on the edge of the United area on six minutes.
The wind made it hard for The Robins’ defensive clearances to gather any real distance and one Kieran Murphy header looped up and backwards, almost giving Hamann a problem as Higgins pressured the inadvertent back pass.
Laurent Hamici created a half chance after he ran with the ball 50 yards forward and across the pitch. He won a thrown-in deep in United territory and Murphy flicked on Ray’s delivery, but Hamici’s right foot just missed the dropping ball.
However, on 16 minutes, Carshalton took the lead following some good build up play in the United half.
Luke Pigden and Craig Tanner combined on the left, but couldn’t find the space to deliver a cross. The ball went back to Roberts, who knocked a first time ball into the area which Ray contested. The ball broke ack out to Tanner who whipped a ball to the back post that Vines headed firmly past goalkeeper Richard Wray.
Vines nearly repeated that feat one minute later from a Ray cross, but this time his header just dipped over Wray’s bar. The threat the in-form striker posed was obvious, and United’s Kris Newby was lucky not to earn a card for kicking out at Vines off the ball while waiting for a throw-in to be delivered.
Sam Collins nearly capitalised on a spill from Hamann after he saved a Higgins shot on 23 minutes, but the midfielder slipped in the mud and the keeper comfortably completed his gather.
Hamici picked up the first booking of the game on 28 minutes when he caught Tom Stephens a little late cutting across the full back, and Ricardo Joseph got the second one two minutes later when he scythed down Kye Ruel on the edge of the Carshalton area.
The wind became stronger, so much so that a Hamann goal kick went about 25 yards before being pushed back towards his six yard area.
Newby smashed a half volley over the apex of Hamann’s near post and a smart passing move that involved Jones, Ray, Joseph and Pigden saw Vines almost get on the end of Tanner’s eventual cross as the first half came to a close.
Both sides started the second half brightly despite the wind and Higgins headed a Cohen cross wide on 53 minutes as Carshalton adapted to playing with the wind.
Hamici and Vines found it hard to latch onto forward balls as the conditions carried them further than they anticipated and Hamann had to save well again down to his right as Collins burst through and hit one from 25 yards.
Pigden then made a last-ditch clearance inside his own six yard box from another Cohen cross as United cranked up the pressure which eventually led to their equaliser on the hour.
A Carshalton midfield move broke down and the ball was swept out to Newby on the right. His cross found Higgins unmarked in the centre of the goal and his header flashed past Hamann, giving the keeper no chance.
Tanner became the third Robin in referee’s notebook three minutes later after racking up four fouls up to this point and Hamann had to pull a save out of the top drawer to stop United taking the lead soon after.
A mix up between Murphy and Roberts saw the ball fall into the path of both Higgins and Newby on the edge of the area. Newby took the shot on and bent it towards the top right corner, but Hamann sprung and stopped it with a big hand and then halted the ball going out for a corner to boot.
The game went from end-to-end for the last 20 minutes. Vines had a shot blocked by Ryan Sammons inside the United box and Hamann saved again, with his foot this time, to deny Collins in his six yard box.
Hamici and Luke Nolan made way for Sonny Ayres and Tony Finn as both sides continued to look for a winner in the last 10 minutes. Murphy made a good block on Reiss Gilbey as the midfielder threatened to bear down on Hamann’s goal and Jones almost found Vines with a cross during one Robins attack that saw the ball worked well between Finn and and the on-loan midfielder.
And, as the game finished with a further five bookings including ones for Jones and Pigden, Higgins crashed another shot off a post from 15 yards after he travelled with the ball with only Murphy for company.
The Robins travel to Whyteleafe for the third round of the Surrey Senior Cup on Tuesday before hosting Margate at Colston Avenue on Saturday.
They then play thier FA Trophy third round fixture at either Worksop Town or Newport County on Saturday, February 4.
Carshalton Athletic: Hamann; Ray (c), Murphy, Roberts, R Joseph; Nolan (Finn), Jones, Tanner, Pigden; Vines, Hamici (Ayres). Unused subs: Lodge, Crook, Kamara.
Goal: Vines (16).
East Thurrock United: Wray, Sammons, Stephens, Wood (c), Peddie, Gilbey, Newby, Collins, Higgins, Ruel (Hewitt), Cohen. Unused subs: Elbi, Hall, Gorbell, Riley.
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