Robins into Surrey Senior Cup semi-finals (From Your Local Guardian)

Robins into Surrey Senior Cup semi-finals

10:58am Friday 17th February 2012 in Carshalton Athletic

A consumate Carshalton Athletic’s performance has put them one game away from the Surrey Senior Cup final as they brushed aside Met Police 4-1 on Tuesday, writes James Barrett.

All four goals scored had a mark of quality about them, but the overall team ethic would have pleased both fans and the management team as hard work and neat passing dominated The Robins’ display.

The handsome win sees Carshalton travel to Woking for the semi-final and, if results go the right way, they could end up meeting local rivals Sutton United in the final.

Manager Paul Dipre selected a diamond shape in midfield with the returning Billy Crook sitting just behind strikers Dean McDonald and Paul Vines.

However the first chance fell to the visitors when Dan Gwyther smacked a curling shot against Nick Hamann’s crossbar on four minutes.

But Carshalton soon found their rhythm and played some sublime football at times, culminating in Dean McDonald’s weighted through ball into right back Luke Nolan’s forward run. The young defender took the ball in his stride and lashed it home from around 12 yards.

Met Police struggled to cause Robins keeper Nick Hamann any trouble and Carshalton doubled their lead just before half time through attacking midfielder Billy Crook’s superb lob over keeper Mo Mann after he collected a flick-on from Paul Vines.

The game was still competitive as the second half reached its mid-way point, but Carshalton continued to retain possession well and Mann was by far the busier of the two goalkeepers. Carshalton striker Paul Vines added the third through sheer persistence; both an initial header and follow-up were saved well by Mann, but the striker rammed home his eleventh cup goal in all competitions this season from two yards.

Met Police left back scored a well-taken consolation goal on 81 minutes when he came onto a defensive Carshalton header on the edge of the box and drilled a sweetly struck shot into Hamann’s bottom right corner.

But it was left to substitute Carshalton striker Laurent Hamici to round off an evening of spectacular goals when he turned his marker and, from 30 yards out, bent a ferocious shot across the flailing Mann and in off the far post to cement the victory.