Carshalton Athletic will start life in the Ryman Division One South next season after five wins from six games failed to keep the club up, writes James Barrett.
The Robins were denied safety only by goal difference after a dramatic set of results on the final day of the season. Carshalton had to beat Enfield Town, which they did 2-1, while hoping East Sussex outfit Lewes lost to Bury Town, which they did 3-2.
Unfortunately Lewes started the day with a better goal difference of seven meaning Carshalton had to proverbially 'win big or go home'.
"I'm bitterly disappointed to be relegated on goal difference considering our recent results," said manager Tommy Williams. "I thought 40 points [the club's final tally] would be enough to survive, especially when you look at last season's bottom four, but it wasn't to be."
Williams' men came from behind to beat Enfield via two second-half Nathaniel Pinney strikes and the Robins did have more chances, but either good goalkeeping or wayward finishing kept the score low.
"Clawing back that many goals, despite stranger things happening in this world, was always going to be a big task," laments Williams. "When speaking of goals, my mind goes back to the 94th minute equaliser Lewes got at Cray Wanderers last Tuesday because it effectively kept them up."
Williams took the role of manager last October, after owner/manager Paul Dipre stepped away from touchline duties, and he admitted it took a while to settle in while dealing with a flurry of departures from the playing staff.
"We bolstered the squad quickly but it is difficult adding new players and expecting them to gel with the old guard straightaway," he adds. "But I'm proud we gave ourselves a chance of survival and I give credit to all my players who put in a lot of effort and gave it a real go."
The challenge for Carshalton next season will no doubt be aiming to return to the Ryman Premier at the first attempt and Williams hopes to be leading that attack.
"I would like to be here next year and be given the chance to start with a full pre-season, hopefully with as many of the players I've worked with this year as possible," he said.
