Crossley Lema fired home from close range to give the visitors an early lead, before Alex Akrofi doubled that advantage when he turned the ball home from close range.

Tom Beere added a third on the half hour mark, chipping the ball over Jordan Perrin having been played through on goal.

Kieron Campbell pulled a goal back midway through the second half, before Rory Smith converted his penalty to give the Bay a great chance of completing an impressive comeback.

However, the men in blue were unable to find that all important third goal, with Carshalton hanging on to secure all three points.

Under the interim charge of midfielder Mike West, the Bay were looking to put an end to a run of four successive losses.

However, after only eight minutes, they were dealt a blow when the visitors forced their way in front when Lema got on the end of Beere’s cross, turning the ball home from close range.

The hosts immediately set about finding an equaliser and four minutes later, only an impressive defensive block prevented Campbell from testing the reflexes of Danny Bracken.

Looking to keep up with the rest of the play-off chasers, Carshalton set about trying to extend their lead, coming close to doing just that in the 25th minute only for Calvin Ekpiteta to fire wide from a tight angle.

It didn’t take much longer for the Robins to double their advantage when, in the 27th minute, Akrofi was picked out by Ekpiteta on the edge of the six-yard box.

His initial shot seemed to be saved by Perrin but in a reflection of our luck so far this season, the ball deflected back off the Carshalton striker and into the back of the net.

Low on confidence, the Bay began to wobble and not long after conceding a second, a third found it’s way in. A defence splitting ball played Beere into acres of space and after a clever touch to dink the ball over Perrin, he was soon celebrating with the travelling supporters.

An immediate response was needed and in the 32nd minute, Tushaun Walters was the man to almost provide it but having connected with a low ball into the Carshalton box, he could only direct his effort high and wide as the Bay entered the break three goals down.

A change in formation, and the addition of Marcel Barrington, at the beginning of the second half seemed to spark the hosts into life, with Campbell firing inches wide after a brilliant defensive header prevented Smith from pulling a goal back.

With the amount of pressure West’s side were applying to the Carshalton defence, it was only a matter of time before the Bay made the breakthrough.

In the 57th minute, KC picked up the ball near the centre of the pitch before charging forward, cutting inside, and unleashing a well-struck shot with beat Bracken to the bottom corner.

Coming on earlier in the second half, Kymani Thomas looked as though he was really enjoying himself out there, causing no end of trouble for the visiting full back.

Minutes after firing into the wrong side of the side netting, the winger left his marker for toast before taking aim at Barrington. The resulting cross had to much on it and the ball rolled away for a Carshalton throw in.

With 18 minutes left to play, hope of a heroic comeback were boosted when the referee awarded the Bay a penalty, after Smith was brought down when bursting into the penalty area.

Stepping up to take the spot kick himself, the forward made no mistake in picking out the bottom corner, leaving the hosts needing just one more goal to draw level.

At times in the final ten minutes, it was a case of attack versus defence as the men in blue came forward in waves. In the 80th minute, having won a dangerous free-kick, Campbell came within a whisker of scoring a third, only for Bracken to pull off a spectacular fingertip save to keep the ball from hitting its target.

Chances were coming thick and fast for the hosts, as Jason Banton’s delicious cross in the 85th minute whistled just beyond the reach of Thomas and Barrington.

With 90 minutes of the clock, the Bay couldn’t have come much closer to hitting the back of the net when Thomas once again worked himself into an excellent shooting position, only to see his attempt clear the crossbar by a matter of centimeters.

Throwing so many bodies forward was undoubtedly going to create space for Carshalton to attack in and deep into extra time, only a fine save from the returning Perrin denied the visitors a fourth.

But despite the Bay’s best efforts, they were unable to find that all important third goal as the visitors hung on to return home with all three points.

Full time: Herne Bay 2 Carshalton Athletic 3

Herne Bay Starting XI: Jordan Perrin, Troy Williams, Kacper Gruszczynski, Dan Johnson ©, Luke Illsley, Tushaun Walters (Kymani Thomas 54’), Rory Smith, Kieron Campbell, Jason Banton, Charlie Weston (Marcel Barrington 46’), Bode Anidugbe.

Unused Subs: Laurence Harvey, Mason Saunders-Henry, Eddie Allsopp