Carshalton Athletic played some excellent football to record their first win in eight matches.

If Carshalton continue to play as they have done in the last two home matches they will soon be climbing the table.

The Robins made the early attacks but Wealdstone almost took the lead when a defender out wide on the right spotted Stuart Searle off his line, but his clever lob over the keeper hit the inside of the post and bounced clear.

Byron Glasgow then played an exquisite ball wide to Denver McKenzie and his first time cross to the far post was met by the outstretched foot of Nick Hegley. However he couldn't control the ball in front of the gaping goal and it went wide of the other post.

Searle did well to block a shot from Danny Tilbury after he had broken clear of the defence and was bearing down on goal.

Bontcho Guentchev saw his header cleared off the Wealdstone line as the half finished with Athletic on top.

In the second half kicking towards their favourite end Carshalton won four corners in the first few minutes with Wealdstone keeper Andy Carter making a fine save from a McKenzie header.

But from the fourth corner after 60 minutes, the pressure paid off.

Glasgow hit over a long ball and Massey, in space, drove the ball into the Wealdstone net.

Carshalton were playing some thrilling football, with Danny Moore and Hegley combining well down the left-hand side as they caused numerous problems for Wealdstone.

The visitors then put their own pressure on the Carshalton goal, but Searle finally managed to grab the ball to ease the tension.

Wealdstone had a strong penalty appeal turned down when a player appeared to have been pushed in the area.

But Carshalton deserved their second goal, after 80 minutes. Hegley sent over a corner from the right hand side and the unmarked Matt York slammed the ball into the net from 15 yards.

Substitute Mark Hines then sent a diving header screaming narrowly over the bar.

Massey went close to getting his second when, spotting the keeper out of goal, he hit a 25 yard shot from wide on the right only to see the ball hit the side netting.

In the 90th minute Moore deservedly scored Carshaltons third goal, his first for the club.

Once again combining well with Hegley, he worked the ball into the area. The keeper made a point blank save from Hegley but the ball fell to Moore, who bundled it over the line.

Carshalton can now look forward with confidence to Saturday's match against promotion candidates Ford United.

October 26, 2001 16:00