Tooting & Mitcham Utd 2 Carshalton Athletic 2

Monday 5th April 2010
Tooting & Mitcham United 2 Carshalton Athletic 2
Ryman League Premier League
At: Imperial Fields, Bishopsford Road, Mitcham
Kick-off: 3-00 pm
Admission: £10; Programme: £2 (52 pages)
Weather: cloudy, sunny spells
Attendance: 528
Duration: first-half: 46:05; second-half: 49:06

On paper, the 17-mile trip from Laleham to Mitcham was doable even in traffic though lengthy queues on the road between Kempton Park and Hampton Court made me wonder if I’d make it in time for kick-off. In the end, I parked up in a neighbouring sidestreet and entered Imperials Fields with around 10 minutes to spare. The game and ground made the trip worthwhile!

In a classic game of two halves, relegation-threatened Carshalton took a two-goal lead before the interval, only for Tooting’s leading scorer Paul Vines to net twice after the break to earn his side a point.

The stadium, opened in 2002 on the site of a former Crystal Palace training ground, was impressive with a large 612-seat stand and substantial terracing behind each goal. I'll claim a 'new ground' even though I saw Palace's Youth Team play on the former training ground in February 1991. If memory serves me correct, the current stadium has a different 'footprint' to the old training pitch.

Tooting & Mitcham United (black and white stripes / black / red): 1. Dave King, 2. Dean Hamlin, 3. Andrew Howell, 4. Michael Nelson, 5. Joe Vines (capt), 6. Matt York, 7. Allan McLeod, 8. Colin Hartburn, 9. Paul Vines, 10. Simon Parker, 11. Jason Henry. Subs: 12. Sam Clayton (for Parker, 82), 14. Mike Heverin (not used), 15. Tom Graves (not used), 16. Jason Pinnock (not used), 17. Adam Fletcher (not used).

Carshalton Athletic (maroon / maroon / sky blue): 1. Nick Hamann, 2. David Ray (capt), 3. Rob Watkins, 4. Karl Murray, 5. Lewis Gonsalves, 6. Adrian Toppin, 7. Barry Stevens, 8. Tommy Williams, 9. Byron Harrison, 10. Richard Jolly, 11. Ricardo Joseph. Subs: 12. Palayo Gomez (for Harrison, 79), 15. Rashid Kamara (not used), 16. Justyn Roberts (not used), 17. Luke Badari (not used).

Referee: Graham Kane.
Assistants: Shaun Fletcher and Simon Griffiths.

Goals
0-1 Richard Jolly (6)
0-2 David Ray (30)
1-2 Paul Vines (55)
2-2 Paul Vines (85)

Cards:
Tooting: Michael Nelson (YC, 18), Dave Hamlin (YC, 66), Allan McLeod (YC, 74)
Carshalton: Richard Jolly (YC, 66)