Corinthian-Casuals 1 - 2 Leatherhead
Isthmian League Premier Division
Saturday 12th March 2022
Report and Photos: Stuart Tree (full set of pics here)
A last-gasp Cameron Black header gave visitors Leatherhead three vital points in their battle against relegation, leaving Corinthian-Casuals without a win in nine league matches.
Casuals had earlier taken the lead courtesy of Ben Cheklit but were pegged back on the stroke of half-time by Mitchal Gough before the late Black goal gave the Tanners a much needed win.
The home side, comfortably in mid table were showing signs of battle weariness with a large number of players unavailable through injury. Most telling was the loss of Elliott Bolton who’s ever-presence in midfield was a huge blow due to an MCL injury which will keep him out for the remainder of the season. Bolton joins Jack Tucker, Mo Diallo and Jerry Nnamani amongst others missing for James Bracken’s side. In came teenagers Isaac Olaniyan, Josh Green and Brave Omondi, all of which would feature.
In the four fixtures played between the two clubs over the course of this season, this was by far the most competitive of the Tanners sides. Under new Manager Luke Tuffs, they’ve built a resilience not seen in those previous encounters. But it was Casuals who took the lead when Emmanuel Mensah squared a ball across goal with Ben Cheklit on the receiving end, impossible to miss. It could easily have been another one of those narrow defeats that Leatherhead have suffered in recent weeks but when Mitchal Gough launched himself at the end of a free kick to expertly head home on the stroke of half time, it was game on!
If a ball falls to any Casuals player in the penalty area, you’d want it to be Kieron Cadogan, but his shot was well saved by the young Jacob Adams in goal. Adams would put a claim in for Man of the Match with a couple more vital saves, not least from a marauding Ricardo Thompson who found himself with just Adams to beat, but a strong hand denying the midfielder.
With critical time running out for the Tanners, the game swung in their favour. Coupled with the introduction of Casuals youngsters, replacing their battle-worn teammates, it was the perfect opportunity to pressure the home side. It had looked as though Casuals would eek out another draw – what would’ve been the sixth in eight games but when a 92nd minute corner was defended only as far as the edge of the box and the resulting return cross was met by Black who nodded home much to the delight of the travelling support.
Despite taking the lead in the game, it didn’t feel like three points dropped, but rather just one after looking like yet another draw. Credit to Leatherhead who didn’t give up looking for a winner and even though the winning goal had both sides chattering as to whether it was offside, sometimes you just need that sprinkling of luck which can kick-start a dramatic survival campaign.
“Look at the team sheet and the side that finished the game for us today,” said James Bracken after the match. “Compare that with the team that was starting for us six to eight weeks ago. You’ll see the amount of changes we’ve had to make.
“We’ve ended up with five under-18s on the pitch along with a few walking wounded struggling to get to the end of the game. The performance in the second half wasn’t good enough. Simple as that. We were just firefighting. Who was going to drop first?
“First half was a rubbish game of football with not much quality in it. But you look at what we’re playing on and how bobbly it is. It’s like playing pinball out here. But we did create three or four really good chances. So it comes back to the point I’ve previously stated that we need to score those. We could’ve been going in at two or three up and in control.
“We let in a disappointing equaliser on our part. I earmarked that their biggest threat would come from set pieces and that Gough, would be their biggest threat. And then we allow him a free header inside the last couple of minutes of the first half.
“We’ve looked at the goals we’ve conceded. Half of them come in the first five minutes, either side of half time or the last knockings. We’ve done exactly the same today.
“Half time, we even went through the details of how to mark someone! I felt it needed doing.
“Losing Elliott, losing Ola, losing Tucker, losing Ollie, losing Jerry… there’s five players off the bat that would get in our strongest team this season. Unfortunately we are where we are at the moment. We don’t have the strength in depth. We put some academy boys out there today and they’ve come and done their best. Brave done some good things and Greenie has tried really hard. I think it’s a wake up call from being a good under-18 player to playing at this level – and they’re very good players! It’s a massive step up to playing Step 3 senior football. Physically, you don’t get any time on the ball. Your decision making is always under scrutiny and hopefully, they’ve learned a lot from it. I hope that’s a positive that comes from today.
“But the bottom line is the team that finished the game on the pitch today isn’t good enough for Step 3 football. That’s the truth. We need some of our other players back very quickly because games coming up won’t get any easier. I look back at the Bognor game on Tuesday, which I thought we deserved more than a draw. Today was a game where if we’d just had a few more senior boys in amongst that, I think we go on and win it.”
Isthmian League Premier Division
Saturday 12th March 2022
Report and Photos: Stuart Tree (full set of pics here)
A last-gasp Cameron Black header gave visitors Leatherhead three vital points in their battle against relegation, leaving Corinthian-Casuals without a win in nine league matches.
Casuals had earlier taken the lead courtesy of Ben Cheklit but were pegged back on the stroke of half-time by Mitchal Gough before the late Black goal gave the Tanners a much needed win.
The home side, comfortably in mid table were showing signs of battle weariness with a large number of players unavailable through injury. Most telling was the loss of Elliott Bolton who’s ever-presence in midfield was a huge blow due to an MCL injury which will keep him out for the remainder of the season. Bolton joins Jack Tucker, Mo Diallo and Jerry Nnamani amongst others missing for James Bracken’s side. In came teenagers Isaac Olaniyan, Josh Green and Brave Omondi, all of which would feature.
In the four fixtures played between the two clubs over the course of this season, this was by far the most competitive of the Tanners sides. Under new Manager Luke Tuffs, they’ve built a resilience not seen in those previous encounters. But it was Casuals who took the lead when Emmanuel Mensah squared a ball across goal with Ben Cheklit on the receiving end, impossible to miss. It could easily have been another one of those narrow defeats that Leatherhead have suffered in recent weeks but when Mitchal Gough launched himself at the end of a free kick to expertly head home on the stroke of half time, it was game on!
If a ball falls to any Casuals player in the penalty area, you’d want it to be Kieron Cadogan, but his shot was well saved by the young Jacob Adams in goal. Adams would put a claim in for Man of the Match with a couple more vital saves, not least from a marauding Ricardo Thompson who found himself with just Adams to beat, but a strong hand denying the midfielder.
With critical time running out for the Tanners, the game swung in their favour. Coupled with the introduction of Casuals youngsters, replacing their battle-worn teammates, it was the perfect opportunity to pressure the home side. It had looked as though Casuals would eek out another draw – what would’ve been the sixth in eight games but when a 92nd minute corner was defended only as far as the edge of the box and the resulting return cross was met by Black who nodded home much to the delight of the travelling support.
Despite taking the lead in the game, it didn’t feel like three points dropped, but rather just one after looking like yet another draw. Credit to Leatherhead who didn’t give up looking for a winner and even though the winning goal had both sides chattering as to whether it was offside, sometimes you just need that sprinkling of luck which can kick-start a dramatic survival campaign.
“Look at the team sheet and the side that finished the game for us today,” said James Bracken after the match. “Compare that with the team that was starting for us six to eight weeks ago. You’ll see the amount of changes we’ve had to make.
“We’ve ended up with five under-18s on the pitch along with a few walking wounded struggling to get to the end of the game. The performance in the second half wasn’t good enough. Simple as that. We were just firefighting. Who was going to drop first?
“First half was a rubbish game of football with not much quality in it. But you look at what we’re playing on and how bobbly it is. It’s like playing pinball out here. But we did create three or four really good chances. So it comes back to the point I’ve previously stated that we need to score those. We could’ve been going in at two or three up and in control.
“We let in a disappointing equaliser on our part. I earmarked that their biggest threat would come from set pieces and that Gough, would be their biggest threat. And then we allow him a free header inside the last couple of minutes of the first half.
“We’ve looked at the goals we’ve conceded. Half of them come in the first five minutes, either side of half time or the last knockings. We’ve done exactly the same today.
“Half time, we even went through the details of how to mark someone! I felt it needed doing.
“Losing Elliott, losing Ola, losing Tucker, losing Ollie, losing Jerry… there’s five players off the bat that would get in our strongest team this season. Unfortunately we are where we are at the moment. We don’t have the strength in depth. We put some academy boys out there today and they’ve come and done their best. Brave done some good things and Greenie has tried really hard. I think it’s a wake up call from being a good under-18 player to playing at this level – and they’re very good players! It’s a massive step up to playing Step 3 senior football. Physically, you don’t get any time on the ball. Your decision making is always under scrutiny and hopefully, they’ve learned a lot from it. I hope that’s a positive that comes from today.
“But the bottom line is the team that finished the game on the pitch today isn’t good enough for Step 3 football. That’s the truth. We need some of our other players back very quickly because games coming up won’t get any easier. I look back at the Bognor game on Tuesday, which I thought we deserved more than a draw. Today was a game where if we’d just had a few more senior boys in amongst that, I think we go on and win it.”
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