Greenwich Borough 0 Carshalton Athletic 2
Two second-half goals cemented a fabulous away for Carshalton Athletic win at high-flying Greenwich, writes James Barrett.

Team news: Josh Phillips came in for the absent Sean O’Toole from last Saturday’s draw against Hastings.

Both sides started with their tails up but it was Sekou Kaba that hit the first shot on target which keeper Jordan Beeney palmed round the post on five minutes.

Attacks were being traded at will and a lot of headers were being contested as defences were given early work, but Beeney was again in action on 13 minutes as he got down to smother a Phillips drive that lacked any real power.

For full details of all of the club’s activities go to ATHLETIC

Phillips contested for a decent cross by Jordan Hibbert a few minutes later but Britnell cleared the ball away as our man tried to set himself from eight yards.

Borough almost took the lead on 23 minutes as we lost possession in our own half and Michael Power got beyond Kalvin Morath-Gibbs on a through pass. Alex Kozakis came out to narrow the angle and the forward managed to dink the ball goalwards but thankfully Jahmahl King got back and steered it away from the empty net.

We continued to look good in possession but Borough’s robustness meant they always carried a threat, although through balls by both sides were somewhat wayward for a period.

One spell of passing, on 28 minutes, involved half a dozen players looking for a gap to exploit in the home defence – finally Phillips got a glimpse of goal but he failed to work Beeney.

Kozakis was called into action on 39 minutes as Kaba did well to hold up Britnell inside our area but he teed up Pritchard who was denied by our shot stopper.

Then we had a big chance to go in one-up at the break – Kaba won a Kozakis goal kick for Tommy Bradford to get Mickel Miller off down the right. He eventually squared a pass which Korboa could only help on by the penalty spot and Phillips, who was unmarked, side-footed the ball back across the far post with the goal at his mercy.

HALF-TIME: 0 – 0

King and Glenn Wilson both made brave interceptions as the second-half started lively, but we made the breakthrough on 57 minutes.

Bobby Price began the move deep inside our half and, as we broke, Bradford played Korboa in down the right and our captain, whom hadn’t stopped running through the middle, crashed the delivered cross past Beeney for his third of the season.

Borough tried to respond straightaway but Morath-Gibbs and King hurled themselves at two successive pot shots, the former getting a whack in the face during the process.

We kept things tight and scored the second on 67 minutes – Kaba showed strength to win possession before Adeniyi picked it up and slalomed past two opponents into their box. He drew Beeney to the near post before squaring for Phillips to slide the ball into the back of the net.

Greenwich made a couple of substitutes, and the tackles were now flying in as players on both sides picked up yellow cards, but our backline resisted Borough’s forward advances.

Kingsley Aikhionbare came on for Miller for the last 15 minutes, and made sure the home defence were kept on their toes, but it was Kozakis earning his corn as he caught two inviting crosses under pressure, while King blocked an attempt by Power from 12 yards.

We almost added a gloss to our victory in stoppage time as Korboa showed great pace to get down the left and eventually square a ball in but Pilbeam just met it in front of the incoming Aikhionbare.

All smiles: Phillips celebrates
at the final whistle