Corinthian-Casuals 0 - 0 Hemel Hempstead Town
Hemel win 4-2 on Penalties
FA Trophy 2nd Round
Saturday 19th December 2020
Report: Dan Richards. Pics: Stuart Tree (full set here).
More photos from Andy Nunn here.

As football returned to the United Business Group Stadium for the first time since October, it was a shame this FA Trophy second round game had to be played behind closed doors, although technically there were two fans watching after a pair of loyal Casuals found a vantage point on top of a shipping container just outside the ground.

The match started evenly, but the first chance of note went to the away side, when Reggie Young was sent through on the left-hand side. His cross was headed just over by striker Josh Oyisan from close range.

The National League South side then created another good chance down the same flank, this time Ryan Sellers with the cut-back cross, but Danny Webb’s shot went well wide.

Yet it was Corinth who had the first shot on target, which came from Harry Carter as he was played into the box on the right, and forced a smart save from the Tudors keeper Dean Snedker.

Just before half-time, we had the best chance of the first half too, when Kieron Cadogan was played through on the counter-attack. The forward opted to play in his strike partner Jerson dos Santos, who saw his low, driven shot go agonisingly wide across the Hempstead goal.

The heavens opened around the hour mark, but that didn’t stop the two Casuals fans on the container from showing their love for the club, chanting all game. Tremendous support!

In the 70th minute, Casuals forward Ben Cheklit had a fierce pop at goal that whistled just over the bar from 30 yards out – and you can see why after his beauties against Hendon and Dulwich Hamlet earlier this campaign.

A few minutes later, we had another great chance as a scramble in the box from a corner was cleared to the edge of the area. Carter curled a beautiful strike that just went past the right post.

In the dying moments of the game, former Aston villa player, Samir Carruthers set through Webb on a mazy run down the left. Danny Bracken then made a great save, smothering a Webb shot, before Andrew Mills cleared a Jonathan Lacey shot off the line. Relief for the Casuals.

As the final whistle was blown, it was straight to penalties. Casuals went first and Cadogan coolly dispatched his kick. Unfortunately, Coskun Ekim and Cheklit couldn’t convert after two brilliant saves from Snedker for the Tudors, including a fingertip onto the bar from Cheklit. The National League South side now face Bromley in the next round on Tuesday.

James Bracken was proud of his side despite the defeat.

“I thought we did great,” he said. “We got a clean sheet and had our opportunities.

“I managed to watch the opposition, which I don’t usually get to do with Saturday and Tuesday games, and they actually set up differently to usual, but it didn’t make too much difference because we were best-prepared today.

“It makes a massive difference when you can prepare properly, and the boys always focus when you give them the information – they did a great job.

“They had a few chances at the end when we were tired, but you have to remember we have had one game in seven weeks before today, where they have been playing every week, in the league above, and are a good side in it.

“It was a game you want your fans to help you through in the last 20 minutes, but we didn’t have that and the boys managed to find that within themselves. So fair play to the lads – they had no help and did it themselves.

“It was a game I knew we could win if we got anywhere near to where we needed to be, so I’m disappointed to go out of the competition but I’m pleased, ultimately, with how we played against higher-league opposition.

“It was always going to be hard to create chances out there today on that pitch, we knew that, and they struggled to carve out clear-cut chances. I thought Danny was good today, towards the end he made two or three really smart stops.

“There was a debutant – Yannis Ambroisine – out there today that did great. That was his first game of the season and today he has got through 90 minutes, so I’m pleased that the training we have done has prepared them properly.

“It was a good cup game. At the start of the second half the dynamics of the game did change and we did need to change shape because one or two players were having to do too much running. So we went on the counter attack a bit more often.

“It’s not a criticism but had we used our opportunities a bit better we might have carved out that clear-cut chance to win, but we didn’t do it. Overall, I’m pleased with the performance, though.”

Cray Valley PM 4 - 3 Corinthian-Casuals
London Senior Cup First Round
Saturday 5th December 2020
Att: 133
Report and Photos: Stuart Tree (set of pics here)

Entertainment has been synonymous with Corinthian-Casuals this season and once again, it wasn’t in short supply as they shared a seven-goal thriller at Cray Valley Paper Mills in the London Senior Cup on Saturday.

Sadly, football has been in short supply of recent and this marked Corinth’s first match in over a month due to lockdown restrictions placed on the sport. Of course, Cray have been in a similar situation and this hastily re-arranged fixture – unusual these days for the County Cup, gave both sides an opportunity to get some much needed minutes in. It was especially needed for James Bracken’s side who face an important FA Trophy Casual derby against the Walton variety on Tuesday evening.

Though hampered with a number of injuries to some of his regular starters, Bracken was still able to name a competitive side against a very good Cray Valley who’d only exited the FA Cup at the first round stage just one month ago… they’re divisional gap proving not to be of any significance.

In fact, it was the Millers who looked the better side to begin with, despite Robert Paratore missing a golden opportunity to give Corinth the lead. Sam Hasler’s free kick found Matt Warren at the far post who turned in an easy conversion, leading to arms held wide in confusion from the too Casual defence.

The visitors grew into the half, though squandered a number of chances, including a Keiron Cadogan missed penalty. The former Palace hitman struck the post after he was taken out in the box. He was able to make amends when Jerson Dos Santos was also up-ended, though appeared to have actually been fouled outside of the penalty area.

Dos Santos got in on the act shortly afterwards, converting a sublime Hakeem Adelakun cross whipped in from the left, served up on a plate.

But on the stroke of half time, Hasler levelled up the scores with a pearler of a 25 yard free kick.

The second half belonged to the home side despite Casuals taking the lead once more. Cadogan wasn’t to be outdone in the free kick stakes and fired one home from equal distance to the delight of the strong Casual contingent behind the goal.

Understandably, fatigue set in with so few minutes under their belts and with one eye on Tuesday, perhaps looked to conserve some energy by sitting deep and playing on the counter. It had worked up until the 83rd minute when Ade Yusuff poked the ball into the net in what looked a sure offside position. The reaction of a whole team often tells you if the officials got it wrong and the general consensus was that they had. Still, no VAR in the London Senior Cup, unsurprisingly and thus the score stood. Penalties loomed once again for the Casuals in cup competition.

That was until Hassan Ibrahiym found space in the box and hit low across Danny Bracken to give the hosts the late, late victory – in the 96th minute no less. Casuals were amazed at where the official had found the added time but alas, the whistle went without the right to reply and Cray Valley were the victors, progressing in the competition facing either Harrow Borough or Glebe away in the next round.

Result aside, it was a refreshing return to football, played under competitive terms of which was very much needed – certainly for the Amateurs. It’s hoped that this will bear fruit come Tuesday night.
 
That was a good, tough game played at a high tempo," said James Bracken after the match.

"I wasn’t quite sure how we’d turn up and play today. In the first ten minutes, I feared the worst. But after that, we sparked into life, created some great chances, missed a penalty, scored one and put ourselves ahead with a great header.

"Disappointing to concede from a free kick right on half time but I thought we had looked sharp and relatively dangerous. Sadly, we’d lost a couple of centre-halves in the midweek session that we had and so a couple of others have stepped in and did okay considering. We let in four, so we cant give it too much praise but their third is a ridiculous goal to be given. The winner is scored because we’re pushing on, leaving ourselves open.

"As a game, I’m pleased to have got through it without injury. Last week, we lost the two centre-backs and Ben Cheklit to injury. I had feared it would be more but thankfully we’ve come through it with a clean bill of health. We won’t be too downbeat about the result either. Come Tuesday night, we’ll be much better for this."

Corinthian-Casuals 5 - 4 Hendon
FA Trophy 3rd Round Qualifying
Saturday 31st October 2020
Report and Photos: Stuart Tree (full set here)
More photos from Andy Nunn here.

It was a ‘Ghoul-fest’ at King George’s Arena on Halloween as Corinthian-Casuals and Hendon played out a nine-goal thriller in the FA Trophy.

A brace from Jerson Dos Santos was complemented with goals from Keiron Cadogan, Jack Strange and Ben Cheklit to ensure James Bracken’s Casuals progress to the next round of the competition.

It was stark contrast to the week before in which Bracken had described the dour 0-0 with Leatherhead as ‘one of the worst games he’d been involved in.’ In fact, the match drew praise from all of the 407 in attendance with comments left on social media afterwards, such as ‘genuinely one of the best games I've ever seen in 40 years as a neutral.’

The score-line bounced around like a tennis tie-break all afternoon. Even Bracken couldn’t quite recall what the final score was during the post-match interview. He was simply enjoying the occasion, with King George’s rocking.

The scoring started early with ex-Casual Shaun Lucien sending Danny Bracken the wrong way from a penalty, awarded when Warren Morgan fouled his attacker. Casuals were level seven minutes later when Dos Santos bopped in a header after Jonathan North couldn’t parry the first effort to safety. Dos Santos made it two when he let fly a rasping shot from 20 yards to give Casuals the lead.

Hendon Captain Tommy Brewer scored an equally-impressive goal to ensure the sides went in at half-time level.

The attacking intent from both sides intensified in the second half and Casuals once again took the lead, also from the penalty spot. Cadogan placing the ball in the left corner out of reach of North.

There was some controversy to Hendon’s next equaliser; Danny Bracken was felled in a melee from a corner which allowed Toby Byron to freely head home.

However, Casuals weren’t done. Jack Strange found space in the box to poke in from ten yards before Ben Cheklit had looked to have sealed the tie with a beautiful curler, leaving North clutching thin air. 5-3 for those keeping count.

Hendon made Casuals sweat for a nervy few minutes when Cheyce Grant pulled one back in the 89th minute and they could’ve taken the tie to penalty kicks deep into stoppage time had they converted a header which was frighteningly close.

This report doesn’t detail the number of other efforts from both sides, as we’d end up with ‘War and Peace’. A shout out to Bracken in goal who made a number of vital saves as well as the attacking intent of both sides who looked to score every time they surged forward. As James Bracken said last week, ‘We’re in the entertainment business’ and this was something straight out of the Palladium.

“Last year, we didn’t score enough goals,” said Manager James Bracken after the match. “We had one of the best defences in the league and the second lowest goal tally. In the summer, I was single minded that I wanted us to score more. But we were prepared that we might win some games 4-3 or 5-4 because when you do score more, you leave yourself open. That’s a trade off.

“Anytime you see teams win by big scores, there’s often a 3-2 or a 4-3 in there. It’s about finding a balance.

“We should remember that we went behind in this match. It was important that we went in at half-time in touch. We not only responded to going behind early, we took the lead. We kept going and we got ourselves into a winning position.

“Of course, I’d rather win 2-0 or 3-0 than 5-4 but that’s the trick in finding the right balance. I can deal with that. We’ll look at the goals that we’ve conceded and see where we can improve. We can also rest easy knowing we’ve got five goals in the team. If we’re able to do that again on Tuesday, then whoever we play will have a lot to do to beat us.

“My feelings are out there on the performance we put in against Leatherhead. People have said to me that I was right in what I said and that my criticism was justified. These are from people I trust who’ve watched us consistently over the years – not those who’ve turned up to see one or two games.

“You can skin a cat a thousand different ways in football. The most important thing is when you set the team up in the 15-20 minutes before the game, they all follow the game plan. They all need to be on board with the instructions and give it 100% maximum effort. We didn’t do that last week. We did this week. And we won. So there’s nothing but praise for the boys. I thought there were a lot of fantastic performances out there. They got the fans going.

“I want an atmosphere like that every week. I’m sure everyone wants that atmosphere every week. Why wouldn’t you? You can go to a lot of other non-league clubs and they’re full of old people who just want to moan. You hear the groans from the stands.

“Here, we like to be in it together. It’s not us and them. The fans are behind the goal doing there bit and the boys on the pitch are doing their bit. You keep each other going. The team needs the fans and vice versa. I’m not sure which came first today. All I know was the team played well, we scored five goals and the fans were fantastic.

“I felt very relaxed today. I found myself tapping my feet, nodding along to the songs. I thought I was going to start dancing. Maybe I need to check what people put in my tea today.
​
“I enjoyed it. After last week, that’s really what I needed. I said to the boys, enjoy it, smile, because if you’re doing that, then I’m enjoying it and that’s all I really want. They followed my instructions, they scored five goals and we won. What’s not to enjoy about that?” 
​

Riverside Radio Highlights

This season for the first time at Riverside Radio, our Sports Team are recording highlights of featured matches. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated as we'll continue to work to bring you better highlights. If anyone would like to help or get involved in recording highlights or anything else at the Riverside Radio Sports Team you can email the Sports Editor, Henry Thomas-Aldridge, at henry@riversideradio.com

Corinthian-Casuals 0 - 0 Leatherhead
Pitching In Isthmian League Premier Division
Saturday 24th October 2020
Attendance: 600
Report and Photos: Stuart Tree (full set of photos here)

Corinthian-Casuals Manager James Bracken described the stalemate against Leatherhead as ‘the worst game of football he’s been involved in’ as neither side could break each other down in blustery conditions.
 
The Casuals supremo was not happy with just a point against a side who in recent times, had been on the wrong end of results at King George’s.
 
Leatherhead had started with a flurry of attacks with the wind behind their backs. Balls were pumped up to makeshift centre-forward Jerry Nnamani, usually found at centre-back in an unusual approach to the game.
 
Casuals game plan had to change early on too when Kevant Serbony took a hard tackle in the middle of the park and had to be stretchered off. Neither side created much and Casuals continued their first half goal drought this season. Youssef Bamba and Jerson Dos Santos were the two closest to ending that, but both only having half-chances to do anything with.
 
The second period livened up in places with both sides having mini-spells. Matt O’Donoghue found himself bearing down on goal and only Zaki Oualah’s legs prevented the full back from scoring. Likewise, at the other end, Danny Bracken was forced into a sharp save when a swirling shot from Joe Leslie had to be turned over. Oualah was forced into another good stop when Ben Cheklit almost reproduced his 20 yard curler against Dulwich. Coskun Ekim followed up with a sharp shot just wide of the mark.
 
But the game won’t live long in the memory and a real shame considering it was played in front of a sell-out 600 crowd. As James Bracken says “we’re in the entertainment business” and for large periods of this affair, it wasn’t entertaining.
 
“I’m more than angry,” said James Bracken after the final whistle. “I’m also disappointed for everyone who’s come along intending to watch a game of football. I like people to come along have a great day and watch a good match. We’re in the entertainment business especially in a world where there isn’t a lot to cheer about at the moment. For some, it the highlight of their week. They look forward to Saturdays down at Casuals where they can meet up with their pals, and it’s a great place to be.
 
“But today, between Leatherhead’s lack of ambition and our inability to follow the most basic of instructions led to one of the worst games of football I’ve been involved in. Had we even scored near the end, I wouldn’t have even celebrated, just because as a spectacle, it was terrible.
 
“It wasn’t all our own doing. I’m not openly criticising Leatherhead. They came here for a point and they got that, so good luck to them. It’s odd to show no ambition like that though. We didn’t get off the bottom of the league for months last season. But they’ve come here, celebrating a point against us. I don’t know if I take that as a compliment. Looking at recent results for us, maybe teams are giving us a bit of respect. Maybe that’s been earned over the last month or so.
 
“As a spectacle, the game lacked quality and nous. The most frustrating element was if they’d just done what I’d asked them to do, we’d have won the game. Usually, they follow my instructions to the letter, but today, they haven’t. And we’ve passed up an opportunity for three points.
 
“Don’t get me wrong. We’ve had a couple of great chances to win the game. Their keeper has made a couple of great saves. But there was not enough consistency from us. Not enough building pressure. Some of the decision making I couldn’t get my head around. For example, we’re playing short corners when we know they’ve let in two from corners and yet we’re not putting balls in. They’re not in our repertoire, they’re not what we’ve worked on. I don’t know what they’re playing at. We talked about stretching them wide but again, we’ve not done that either. We wonder why we can’t create more chances? That’s because individuals haven’t listened.
 
“For the last twenty minutes, I’m just f*****g watching a bunch of Roy of the Rovers who want to take five hundred touches and dribble until they get tackled. It’s not how we do things here.
 
“It’s not how we play. I don’t care for the individual, I care for the group. They need to realise sharpish that there’s one way you’ll go if you cannot understand that.
 
“So I’ve been in a bad mood since the loss on Tuesday. Worse than bad. I’m unhappy. I’m an unhappy person. I don’t want to be unhappy. That’s because we lost in a game where we shouldn’t have lost. I’ve turned up here, still angry and upset about Tuesday. I haven’t put it behind me. We have an opportunity today to put it right and we don’t. Now I’m going home angry again. The players need to be like that too. Because I guarantee if they were, we’d have won that game today.” 

Wingate & Finchley 4 - 1 Corinthian-Casuals
Isthmian League Premier Division
Tuesday 20th October 2020
Report and Photo: Stuart Tree
​Photos from Andy Nunn can be seen here.

Corinthian-Casuals continued their points drought at Wingate & Finchley in the Pitching In Isthmian League Premier Division, succumbing to a 4-1 defeat.
 
The Maurice Rebak Stadium has been a fruitless place to pick up points for the Casuals and a second-half capitulation ensured that run continued.
 
It bucked the trend for James Bracken’s side who’d performed so excellently in their last four matches. Worrying was the lack of fight in the second half where usually, Corinth excel – even more so this season as every single one of their thirteen goals scored have been after half time.
 
It wasn’t always that way. Casting memories back to the beginning of the match and it could’ve been so different. If it hadn’t have been for stand-in Wingate keeper Dante Baptiste, Casuals would’ve certainly taken the lead. Best of the lot was a vital touch to steer Jerson Dos Santos’ close range effort off the post. Baptiste, praised by the Wingate Twitter feed was certainly the busier of the keepers, not to say that Wingate didn’t threaten themselves.
 
Corinth fell behind in the 39th minute courtesy of a penalty when a handball was adjudged to have occurred in the box. Ahmet Rifat coolly placed his spot-kick into the left corner and the home side took the lead into the second half.
 
They should’ve made it two when a defensive lapse allowed Ofori-Acheampong through on goal but inexplicably lofted the ball too high and over the bar when it looked easier to score. It was a vital let-off. Minutes later, Jack Strange powered home a header for the Casuals from a corner and Bracken’s side were well in the contest.
 
But the play broke down, the game became fragmented and the momentum was lost. Wingate began to probe again and the second goal became inevitable. A lack of closing down forwards led to Wingate taking the lead as Rifat grabbed his second.
 
A third was added by Rifat, almost direct from a corner and that was the game effectively sealed. Ofori-Acheampong added a late fourth to pile on the misery and ensure that Wingate moved above Casuals on goal difference in the league table. It was certainly an evening to forget.

Corinthian-Casuals 2 - 0 Enfield Town
Pitching In Isthmian League Premier Division
Saturday 17th October 2020
​Report and Pics: Stuart Tree (full set here)

Last season, it took Corinthian-Casuals five months to pick up their third win in the league. Just six games into this campaign, they’d already matched that with a deserved 2-0 win over Enfield Town.
 
A second half brace from Jerson Dos Santos ensured Casuals their second win in succession at home, in front of a pulsating bumper crowd, pushing them to 12th position in the league.
 
Resplendent in their new strip, Casuals took to the field with gusto and had the better of the early exchanges. Mark Jamison had the pick of the chances when he headed over from a corner. Enfield grew into the game and had good spells of possession yet rarely troubled Danny Bracken in goal.
 
The second period saw Corinth push on and it was no surprise when they took the lead; Dos Santos finishing coolly across Enfield’s keeper to bag his first goal on his return to King George’s. Keiron Cadogan should’ve made it two, when one-on-one but ended up swivelling and hitting the bar in the resultant shot.
 
But it was left to Dos Santos to wrap up proceedings in the 77th minute, exposing Enfield’s flagging back line and superbly finishing round an oncoming Nathan McDonald from 20 yards.
 
Enfield finished with ten men when Marc Weatherstone was shown a straight red card for a stamp on Matthew O’Donoghue.
 
Casuals were good value for their win and there were man of the match performances across the field. They’d successfully kept a strong Enfield side quiet all afternoon which fully warranted their three points.

After the match, Manager James Bracken had these words.

“We played some lovely stuff today, as we have in the last few games. There’s some lovely football there. We’re not panicking. We’re not hitting areas which some sides still do at this level. We’re putting some really nice pieces together.
 
“Everyone looks relaxed out on the pitch. They’re all willing to have the ball, passing it around and it’s showing. It’s not over-complicated – just confidence in play. At the minute, the boys are doing great. They’re out there putting in performances that are winning games and it makes my job easy.  
 
“Last year, we lost so many games by one goal. We probably lacked one or two quality players that could tip a tightly-edged game. Hindsight is a beautiful thing though.
 
“This season, we’re simply better. We also have a different mindset. In the first year that we were promoted, we were flying. We were a point outside of the playoffs in January. In our first year up, that’s unbelievable. We ended the season on a slump and started the next campaign with a hangover from that. We couldn’t shake that off. In that situation, I struggled to bring in quality players because of the circumstances.
 
“But we were always competitive and we were doing well by the end of the season. We built on that over the summer, we have a lot more belief about us. I can feel it within the group. If you don’t get the results you want, it has an effect on confidence, mindset and motivation.
 
“This year, we’ve already put in great performances against Dulwich Hamlet, Carshalton and Enfield Town. We’ve beaten Potters Bar Town away, who have picked up some decent results themselves. We’re confident.
 
“We’ve shown again today that we’re more than a match for anyone and we can beat these teams. I said at half time that we’d had a good half but we have to push for ninety minutes and ensure a 2-0 win. We’ve done that.
 
“It needs to go from ‘we’ve had a big result against Enfield’ who are a decent side with some big name players, to it being the norm. We won’t say that it’ll be a big win… it’ll just be a win. Let’s make that the mindset." 

Carshalton Athletic 1 - 0 Corinthian-Casuals
Pitching In Isthmian League Premier Division
Saturday 10th October 2020
Colston Avenue. Att: 600
Report and Pics: Stuart Tree (full set here)

Carshalton Athletic defender Paris Hamilton-Downes’ 83rd minute super-strike was the only thing to separate his side and visitors Corinthian-Casuals at Colston Avenue yesterday.
 
Hamilton-Downes couldn’t have struck his pearler any better when Casuals failed to clear the ball and invitingly fell to the defender 25 yards out.
 
The first half passed without incident, as Corinth decided to sit back and soak up the inevitable pressure of the home side in front of a sell-out 600 crowd. Casuals came close when Ben Cheklit found himself with space in the area but blazed his shot over. Kelvin Manuel nearly scored for the Robins but saw his effort smack the outside of the post and to safety.
 
The second half belonged to the visitors as they pressed their hosts on a continual basis. Corinth even looked as though they had scored from an Ekim free-kick but a foul was called by referee Shelby Elson in the build-up.
 
Looking increasingly like a stalemate, it came to Hamilton-Downes to separate the two sides with just seven minutes remaining. A flurry of corners and attacks from Casuals didn’t bear any fruit and Manager James Bracken left Colston Avenue disappointed not to have taken any points from the match in what was otherwise a keenly contested affair between two even sides.
 
Manager James Bracken spoke after the loss.
 
“In the second half, there was only one team that was going to win the game and that was us. First half, we sat perhaps a little too deep and we gave them a reminder at half time to go and be a threat ourselves. We showed that. We had the ball in the net which I couldn’t see a lot wrong with that. I thought the goalie dropped it and we’ve stuck it in. That’s probably a 1-0 win to us had that been allowed.
 
“No excuses though; a great goal won the game for them. We had two opportunities to clear it from there and the ball ended up at his feet. Had we cleared one of those properly, the chance never would’ve appeared. That’s disappointing.
 
“Carshalton were right up the top last year and they’ve not created a great amount of chances against us. We carried threat of our own and another day, the result is very different.
 
“We’ve got a decent team here. Some of the football we played was a joy to watch. One passage of play had a backheel, nutmeg and knocking the ball one touch for a dozen passes and I’m salivating, thinking this is proper football. We’re in a decent place. We lost one-nil – it happens and we dust down and go again.
 
“We had a couple missing – big players for us. Everyone’s a big player for me. If I pick you, I believe you’re a big player. They’ve delivered a decent enough performance against Carshalton. We’ve got a week now and two training sessions but there’s not much to change in honesty.
 
“We’re solid, we’ve got good players. I’ve got no problems with the squad. We’ll have a good week’s training with a smile on our faces. Then we’ll fire ourselves up for three points at home against Enfield.” 

Corinthian-Casuals 2 – 0 Brightlingsea Regent
Pitching In Isthmian League Premier Division
Tuesday 6th October 2020
Report: Stuart Tree. Photos: Andy Nunn (full set here)

‘We believe in hard work and ourselves’, the quote states for all to see in the home changing room. For over 70 minutes, Corinthian-Casuals had to trust that ethos before it finally paid off in a gritty, unpolished performance against Brightlingsea Regent.  

The football wasn’t of the same vintage as Dulwich Hamlet on Saturday. Far from it. But Casuals finally clicked enough to comfortably win through both dogged determination and a moment of brilliance.

James Bracken’s Casuals came into the match-up with just one point from twelve in previous Regent encounters. But this was a new season and new confidence; they’d already laid waste to another hoodoo with the 2-1 win at an increasingly improving Potters Bar Town. This night would present another opportunity to rectify past mistakes.

In came Jerson Dos Santos – his third spell at the club and linking up once again with his old Sutton mentor. It looked an attacking line-up worthy of a few goals, but the reality was, for the bulk of the game, a goal looked increasingly unlikely.

It started well; Regent’s Morisi Gelashvili bundled one off the line early doors and Mark Jamison’s header probably should’ve found the target. Regent had set up to defend but they came closest to scoring when Jerry Kamanzi struck the outside of the post from 20 yards. It took Bracken to warn his players at half time that they were a mere four inches from being behind in this match.

It bucked up their game and the second half had much more gusto about it. Youssef Bamba should’ve scored when he rounded the keeper but dallied too long allowing a defender to clear the lines.

Bracken’s reaction was to add more firepower. Stating he couldn’t bear to watch a 0-0, he threw on Nat Pinney – and he duly repaid his gaffer with the opening goal. It was somewhat fortuitous when keeper Laurence Whymark spilled a relatively comfortable cross and Pinney was on hand to bundle the ball into the net from five yards.

The game was sealed with four minutes remaining in a moment of pure delight. Receiving a throw in, Keiron Cadogan had spotted Whymark off his line and volleyed from no less than 40 yards, leaving the stopper scrambling and ultimately red-faced.

The win leaves Casuals in firm mid-table territory and just one defeat in the last five matches (if bookies don’t count penalties, then neither do we). It’s also two bogey-teams firmly put to bed.

Manager James Bracken spoke after the match.

“We started off well and just dropped off with us still at 0-0. It’s dangerous when you do that. Luckily, we found a couple of bits of quality in the second half. We’ve won the points and that’s the most important thing. We need to carry on picking up wins.

“We deserved to win, but there are times when you do that whilst not playing particularly well. We were far from our best.

“Had we done what we needed to do last week at Merstham, we’d have nine points now which would see us pushing for the top places in the league. But we should be happy with six points from the first four games considering how long it took us to get off the mark last season.

“Carshalton on Saturday is our next target and we need to deliver there.” 

Corinthian-Casuals 2 - 2 Dulwich Hamlet 
(Dulwich win 3-1 on penalties)
Emirates FA Cup 2nd Round Qualifying
Saturday 3rd October 2020
King George's Arena
Report and Pics: Stuart Tree (Full set here)
More photos from Andy Nunn here

Dulwich Hamlet made it through to the Third Round Qualifying of the FA Cup by the thinnest of margins via a penalty shoot-out after equalising in the 88th minute.

James Pardington was the hero of the shootout saving twice after Deon Moore’s late header had put Hamlet back in the tie.
 
In a surreal atmosphere, where away supporters were unable to attend thanks to rulings in the week from the DCMS and the FA, the partisan Casuals crowd were fully behind the hosts without anything coming the other way.
 
The best chance for the National League South visitors came from Lewis White, who’s turn and shot was expertly turned around the post by Casuals captain Danny Bracken.
 
But it was Corinth that was to take the lead. Substitute and debutant Youssef Bamba played a delicious pass to Keiron Cadogan who lashed home from 15 yards. 
 
Following a spell of Dulwich possession, Corey Henry bagged the equaliser with just twenty minutes to go. It looked to be going to penalties, though Corinth’s Mark Jamison flashed a free header over the bar and Dulwich’s Danny Mills also smashed the post in return.
 
Then on 84 minutes, a sublime goal from Ben Cheklit looked to have sealed the win, curling a beautiful effort into the top right corner. But with two minutes left on the clock, Moore’s inch perfect header found the top corner and the tie was down to being decided from the penalty spot.
 
Bracken saved Dulwich’s first but Casuals also had their two first efforts saved. A blast against the bar from Hamlet put the sides back on level terms but Bamba’s miss over the bar allowed Dulwich the chance to book their place in the next round, which was duly taken.

Merstham 3 - 0 Corinthian-Casuals
Pitching In Isthmian League Premier
Tuesday 29th September 2020
Report and Pic: Stuart Tree

When Assistant Manager Dan Pringle wants to describe the performance with a four letter word, you know it’s not been a good night for the Casuals.
 
And it truly wasn’t. Corinth put in one of the most insipid performances seen, certainly since the King’s Langley loss this time last year. Casuals failed to register a single shot on target as Merstham rolled over their opponents with comfort winning 3-0 and registering their first win of the season.
 
It’s never been an easy place to visit and Merstham are undoubtedly Casuals’ bogey side having not won at Moatside for at least eight years – and that was a last minute 1-0 smash and grab.
 
It didn’t start that way; in fact, the unchanged side that performed so well at Potters Bar Town on Saturday started the brighter of the two. Order of the day were whipped in crosses that could easily have been converted on another day. Had one of those gone in, it undoubtedly would’ve been a different game.
 
If you can’t convert your chances then you always leave yourself prone. That’s what happened. Merstham’s first goal seemed innocuous enough. It kind of crept into the bottom corner from EJ Mensah.
 
Casuals had also hit the crossbar twice in the first half and arguably looked the more threatening of the sides, even after the goal.
 
But the real turning point was conceding 7 minutes after the break; Danny Bracken was unable to hold onto a shot and AFC Wimbledon youngster Elliott Bolton slammed the follow-up home. That was game over. There was a lack of grit, determination and desire to get back into the game and the second half very much belonged to the home side. They threatened far more and the third came courtesy of Potchu Mendes Calucane. Game over.
 
The last twenty minutes saw the game peter out to a canter and Merstham comfortably claimed their three points whilst Casuals have to look upon themselves with a big FA Cup game against Dulwich Hamlet at the weekend, knowing another performance like that will simply not be good enough.