Harrow Borough 1 Carshalton Athletic 5
Harrow were put to the sword by Carshalton's four goal hero Richard Jolly, leaving boss David Howell anything but.
Jolly completed his hat-trick inside 18 first half minutes, adding to Basmira Alima's early opener to end the game as a contest before the break.
The Athletic hotshot bagged another four minutes into the second half while Darren Grieves' last minute effort was scant consolation for beleagured Boro.
Manager Howell admitted he sensed it was not to be his side's day not long after arriving at Earlsmead on Saturday.
"We didn't really prepare properly," said Howell, candidly. "Something was not quite right with the lads beforehand but I couldn't put my finger on it. They just weren't focussed.
"I felt they were going through the motions a little bit and I told them that in the team talk before the game. I didn't like the general atmosphere and the concentration and application needed, I felt, wasn't there."
Howell was also incensed by some of his players' time keeping.
"People arrived late for one reason or another," he added. "The whole day didn't sit well with me and by 3.25pm the game was over."
Howell made one change to his previous starting line-up, Ismael Ehui coming in for Daniel McGonigle and starting up front alongside Darren Grieves.
But the forwards didn't get a look in in the early stages as Carshalton went for the jugular from the off.
Two quick goals put Athletic in control before Jolly made it 0-3 at the second time of asking after Simon Dahl's goalline clearance proved to be in vain.
Ehui and Lee Hall both went close for the hosts before Jolly completed a remarkable treble from a right wing cross.
Howell introduced James Fraser, Jerome Hall and Josiah Hunte at half time but it was too little, too late as Jolly grabbed another before Grieves got Borough off the mark at least.
Harrow Borough: Baptiste, Williams (Fraser), Dahl, Walters (cpt). Leech, Highton (J Hall). Lawrence, Ehui, Grieves, Constant (Hunte), L Hall.
