Carshalton Athletic got their faltering promotion charge back on track after leaving a traditionally unhappy Kent hunting ground with a point on Saturday.
The Robins played Hythe Town having lost in each of their last two visits to the Reachfields Stadium, plus their hosts beat them 3-0 in the reverse fixture back in December, but Kingsley Aikhionbare’s late strike ensured they left with a share of the spoils.
The 2-2 draw not only halted a run of three defeats but also took Carshalton back up into fifth place as Ryman South play-off rivals Hastings United and Lewes both lost on the same day.
On a mild afternoon for football, Saturday’s game really began to heat up in the last five minutes of the first-half as Ben Wilson put the home side into the lead with a deflected shot from 18 yards.
Carshalton captain Bobby Price led by example however by ghosting a header on Ryan Gondoh’s inswinging cross past goalkeeper Joe Mant to level things up before half-time.
The match seemed to be heading towards a stalemate until Wilson saw a low-angled free kick on 76 minutes sneak in at the far post and it seemed the Hythe hoodoo would strike Carshalton yet again.
But substitute Omari Hibbert, whom only joined the Robins the day before, slung over a 82nd minute cross which Tommy Bradford knocked down for Aikhionbare to smash home and rescue a point.
Carshalton’s attention is now focused on the visit of struggling Three Bridges on Saturday and nothing but victory will surely satisfy manager Peter Adeniyi and his troops.
There are seven other clubs harbouring play-off ambitions alongside Carshalton but they’ve all got a game in hand on the Robins, while South Park have an extra six.
The two clubs met back in December when Carshalton left Jubilee Walk 4-1 winners so, on paper, this should be a home win but Three Bridges, despite languishing second-bottom in the league, have shown some recent resolve by drawing their last four away games 1-1.
Carshalton Athletic vs Three Bridges is on Saturday 18th March (kick-off 3pm)
Featured image courtesy of Ian Gerrard, with thanks.
