An injury time goal robbed Carshalton Athletic of a point as they lost 3-2 to Lowestoft Town on Saturday, writes James Barrett.

In an exciting game, that included several controversial refereeing decisions, strikers Paul Vines and Sonny Ayres got the goals for the men in red as both sides ended up finishing the game with 10 men.

“We put in another good account of ourselves against a top team,” said manager Paul Dipre at the final whistle.

“What I am disappointed with however is that we switch off as a team at certain points of the game. It happens too often and it costs us goals.

“We conceded the first goal on four minutes, the second within 60 seconds of equalising and the third in injury time. It’s a mental thing and something we’ll have to cut it out for next season.

“We were all disappointed to have travel so far and come away with nothing, but it's comforting to think that, after just one season as a group, our performances have been good enough to rattle some of the top teams in this division."

The home drew first blood within five minutes. Winger Robert Eagle found himself on the edge of The Robins box and his shot took a wicked deflection off David Ray’s blocking leg to end up in the back of the net.

In-form Carshalton striker Paul Vines levelled things up on 18 minutes. He latched onto Luke Nolan’s slide-rule pass and his first time shot went past oncoming keeper Andy Reynolds and in off the far post.

Carshalton’s joy was short-lived however as Lowestoft’s Lubo Guentchev released Chris Henderson into the box and his low cross found Eagle unmarked for a simple side-footed finish within 60 seconds of the restart.

Carshalton began the second half the more dominate, put the home side on the back foot and drew level for the second time on 52 minutes.

Nolan made run on the right, cut inside and played it into Sonny Ayres who had his back to goal. He turned his marker and hit a shot with his weaker left foot from 18 yards that crept into the bottom left hand corner.

Two minutes later referee Artis sent off Lowestoft striker Nathan Stone. The striker earned a yellow card for fouling Michael Kamara and a second followed swiftly for dissent.

Artis halted Carshalton’s pressure to then have a Lowestoft fan ejected from the ground for extreme continual threatening abuse following the red card just after the hour mark.

Ayres and Luke Pigden both had good shots stopped inside the home area and George Frith had a decent attempt on 86 minutes but the ball wouldn’t drop down over Reynolds.

And the real kick in the teeth came in the second of seven added minutes when substitute Michael Frew let fly from 25 yards and the ball flew over Hamann into the top corner to end Carshalton’s unbeaten run of five games.

To compound The Robins’ misery, Craig Tanner received a straight red card on 96th minute for a lunging challenge in the corner of the pitch.

Carshalton next host Aveley at Colston Avenue for their last home game of the season on Saturday.