Hungry Robins rule the roost (04.03.06)

FEATHERS flew in this battle of the basement at York Road on Saturday, as the Robins terminated the Magpies’ unbeaten home run in some style.
Two defensive lapses midway through the second half proved decisive, sending United sliding back into the relegation zone.
However, no one should write the Magpies off on the back of this one result, as Carshalton have lost just twice in their last 14 league outings, while claiming the scalps of leaders Weymouth and high-flying Welling United.
Saturday’s six-pointer began in typically dramatic fashion, when assistant referee Bill Christie pulled a hamstring during the warm-up.
In time honoured fashion an appeal went out to the crowd and up stepped Carshalton supporter Peter Chmielinski, allowing the match to start after a delay of just five minutes.
From the first whistle the visitors imposed themselves on the game, forcing United to defend deep.
Indeed, Ryan Parsons had to block Matt York’s goalbound effort within a minute of the kick-off.
This pressure continued for most of the first half, with United restricted to half-chances on the break.
Nevertheless, solid defending had most of the crowd predicting a goalless stalemate.
Home keeper Scott Tarr was definitely the busier of the two stoppers, but neither he nor former Magpie Adam Federici were unduly stretched.
Michael Johnson did force Tarr to palm a shot wide in the 26th minute, and from the resulting corner David Graves had a close-range effort cleared off the line by Parsons.
In the ensuing scramble the Magpies conceded a free-kick, but Matt Fowler’s low, curling shot was easy meat for Tarr.
United’s best chance came two minutes later, when Nana Badu and Stephen Hughes exchanged passes on the edge of the box, before the former unleashed a fierce shot towards the top corner.
Unfortunately, for both Badu and Carshalton’s Colin Hartburn, the ball struck the defender full in the face, leading to a two-minute stoppage for running repairs.
Still, both sides erred on the side of caution and it was no surprise when the first half ended goalless.
After the break Carshalton were again denied by Tarr, when he made a great low save to keep Tony Quinton’s close-range header out of the net.
But then it was Federici’s turn to keep the score line blank with two flying saves.
In the 53rd minute Badu chased a seemingly lost cause, retrieved the ball on the byeline and cut it back to the advancing Ryan Ashe, whose shot was only kept out by a terrific finger-tip save.
Ten minutes later Hughes was fouled just outside the area, and from the resulting free-kick the burly striker forced Federici to paw his curling effort round the post.
Minutes later Carshalton broke down the left and the resulting cross found Matt Fowler unmarked in the penalty area.
Tarr again performed heroics to keep the initial shot out, but the loose ball fell to Johnson, who slotted home into an empty net.
Two minutes later a similar attack saw Mark Simms denied by Tarr, but again the ball ran loose, and as Simms moved in for the kill he was clattered from behind by Chris Wild.
After a five-minute break Simms limped off, while Marlon Patterson stepped up to fire home from the spot via Tarr’s outstretched hand.
Carl Taylor made a triple substitution in an attempt to rescue a point, but although Yashwa Romeo went close on a couple of occasions it was Carshalton who came closest to scoring in the dying stages, Fowler again bringing the best out of Tarr with a dipping volley.
After five minutes of stoppage time the referee finally relented, prompting loud cheers from the visiting fans.
The result moved Carshalton two points clear of the relegation zone and within shooting distance of struggling Hayes and Eastbourne Borough, while United slipped back into the bottom two.

SHOULDER TO SHOULDER: Dean Bradshaw battles it out with the Carshalton skipper at York Road on Saturday. Picture by Nigel Keene.

Maidenhead United: Tarr, Dell, Parsons, Bunce, Wild, Bruce (for Osman, 72), Lewington (for Romeo, 72), Ashe, Hughes, Badu (for Bradshaw, 72). Unused subs: Whiteman, Stevenson.
Carshalton Athletic: Federici, Hartburn, Patterson, Graves, Cartledge, York, Simms (for Marshall, 72), Quinton, Fowler, Dundas, Johnson. Unused subs: Nwanze, Armel, Hamici, Naughton.