​Read James Bracken's post-match comments following the 1-0 loss to Kingstonian

​I’ve said plenty of times that you have to win or learn and we have to learn from this. But we have to learn quickly. We can’t keep coming away from games with a loss.
 
We played fantastic today. The boys have done everything I’ve asked. We were compact, organised and mobile. We were a threat and everything you’d want from a football team to be. I can’t level any kind of blame across the board but you get one moment of absolute pure naivety and it cost us a goal and lost us the game.
 
It’s a tough one to swallow. If you get beaten by a side that’s better than you and are clearly second best across the pitch, you can take that collectively. But when it’s an individual error, it’s very hard to get your head round it.
 
That said, we have to stick by each other. It might be another player on another day. It is what it is. We need to ensure that individually and collectively, we are better from that experience that we’ve had today.
 
We had a few opportunities to score. Warren Mfula’s forced a good save from Tolfrey in the first half, another that he didn’t quite get a hold of. Reece Hannigan’s header that hit the post. It could’ve been very different. We opened them up in the second half. There were a few cynical fouls when we looked to break but the referee’s never stamped on it once. I thought the level of officiating was poor. On the lead up to the goal, there’s the most blatant handball I’ve seen this season – where he sticks his hand up above his head and pats it down, yet standing five yards away, he’s not seen it. Some of the decisions are beyond me.
 
Despite playing on Saturday, the team selection was fine, the performance levels were good and I never felt we had run out of steam. If anything, we were on top of them until the last minute. There’s no problem with the energy levels. That said, we’ve had 48 hours following an FA Cup tie and these lads are amateurs. It’s a scientific fact that it takes 72 hours to fully recover from a match. To ask anyone to do two games in 48 hours is a joke. From an FA Cup tie we can’t take lightly to a local derby and you want to perform for your fans. To put those two games together with one day’s rest is ridiculous.
 
100% I’ve seen enough to know we’ll be fine though. We’re at the level. Let’s get this right; we’re three points behind K’s. If you’d have said after four games that we’ll be three points behind them, I’d have snapped your hand off. K’s are no mugs. They’re an okay side. They’ve got some big name players and they’ll score goals. Remember, the other sides we’ve played were Folkestone, who you’ll expect to be up there as well as Margate. Merstham, we were far better than them.
 
We’re yet to play all of the sides that will be in the lower echelons of the league. If we play with the intensity as we did today, and Merstham in the second half and Folkestone for large parts of the game, then we’re there. We’re embracing it. We’re enjoying it even though the results aren’t there yet. It’s pushing us though and boys are having to step up and deliver to a better level than they were last year.
 
If we keep the belief, keep the workrate up and stick together, results will come. And when they come, they’ll come in threes and fours, like we’re used to.

Kingstonian 1 - 0 Corinthian-Casuals
Bostik League Premier Division
Monday 27th August 2018
Match report: Cameron Smith. Photos: Stuart Tree (full set here)

On a sour Bank Holiday afternoon, Kingstonian edged Corinthian-Casuals thanks to an unfortunate goalkeeping error that lost the “away side” three vital points at King George’s Arena.

When rumours were put to bed regarding the promotion to the Bostik Premier Division a few weeks after the play-off final loss, there was a fantastic buzz in the Casuals camp. Scanning the list of fixtures and planning all the cracking away days, there was one particular game that jumped out to many. Kingstonian away… at King George’s! With the local side ground-sharing with Tolworth-based Corinthians for the 18/19 season, the 27th August promised the easiest-to-get-to away match the Casuals contingent have ever had.

Hammering Croydon 6-0 on the Saturday and playing again on the Monday meant four changes to the starting XI, including two at the back- Juevan Spencer and Warren Morgan started in full-back positions. Gil Carvalho sat out ahead of Fraser Walker, who donned the no.7 shirt and Hamilton Antonio was introduced for Callum McAllister in midfield. Like Casuals, opponents Kingstonian only had one point to their name after five league games.

Corinth were in their white away strip whilst K’s wore the white and red stripes of their home kit. An opening thirty minutes that almost summed up the game as a whole saw both sides have chances but lack the cutting edge. Bursts of creativity from Antonio and Oldham worried the Kingston defenders early on, but despite quite a few dubious offside decisions it was the hosts that troubled the most. Set-pieces from K’s had the Casuals back line scrambling for a clearance many a time, which was after Buchanan’s narrow miss following a keeper mishap from a cross.

In the 30th minute, the golden opportunity of the half arrived in the form of Warren Mfula drive following a tricky run on the wing. The powerful effort forced a good save from K’s no.1 Rob Tolfrey as it rebounded for a corner kick. Possession shifting from one side to the other was what occurred in the remaining minutes of the half as the vocal Casuals supporters switched ends with the Kingstonian fans for the second slice.

A second half that saw more of the same… until a set-piece where Corinth support were nearly thrust into delirium behind the goal. Reece Hannigan was free at the back post and even though the centre-back was in a glorious position, his great header was nodded onto the post by K’s defender Josh Webb before it was cleared. A brilliant chance created by a brilliant header was only lacking one element- luck.

And unfortunately, that luck evaded Casuals keeper Bradley Comins too. In the 76th minute, the no.1 controlled the ball just inside the penalty area and instead of kicking it out of danger he attempted to fool the oncoming Elliott Buchanan, but failed and was dispossessed. Easily tapping into the open net, the no.9 wheeled away in jubilant celebration whilst Comins was the complete opposite. Minutes after, Jordan Clarke entered the fray for Corinthians in an attempt to rattle the K’s defence. It was a smart tactic from Bracken; Clarke ran Kingstonian ragged for the last eleven minutes with terrific moments of skill, pace and passion but he couldn’t find an equaliser, like the rest of the eleven. Full-time saw Kingstonian walk away from King George’s Arena with a big three points and a narrow 1-0 victory.

Onwards and upwards was the main message from the Casuals contingent to the players after the 90 minutes as Brightlingsea Regent visit on Saturday.

​Read James Bracken's post match thoughts here >>

Corinthian-Casuals 6 - 0 Croydon
Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round
Saturday 25th August 2018
Match report: Cameron Smith. Photos: Stuart Tree (full set here)

Corinthian-Casuals leaped into the next stage of the Emirates FA Cup following a more-than-comfortable 6-0 victory over Croydon in a Preliminary Round thrashing.

Tuesday night’s Velocity Trophy clash forced James Bracken’s pink and brown army to notch five goals past Westfield after conceding an early goal. Looking to match the brilliant attacking display on a cloudy Saturday afternoon, Casuals welcomed Croydon FC to King George’s Arena. The magic of the FA Cup was already in the ground far before kick-off as the Southern Counties East Premier Division side, who beat Tunbridge Wells in the previous round to get here, lined up alongside the Bostik Premier hosts and were ready to cause an upset.

In the 12th minute, Danny Cunningham fired a low effort that bounced off the outside of the post and was then cleared, which signalled the start of a Corinthian domination. Cunningham and Mfula were linking up wonderfully upfront and were aided by a sturdy midfield that starred Coskun Ekim in a captain role. Causing havoc in the no.7 role, Gil Carvalho assisted Max Oldham with a delightful cross to the back post where the little winger collided with the goalpost instead of the actual ball. So when Mfula calmly powered home an Oldham ball in the 32nd minute, you could safely say that it had been coming.

One goal up, Cunningham fronted a hungry Casuals attack once more and was left head in hands when he missed a practically open goal after Mfula rounded the keeper and fed him the ball. This nearly cost the home side as Croydon’s only chance of the half clipped the bar in the 40th minute. Putting his previous misses behind him, Cunningham dispatched a one-on-one untidily but clinically just before half time. It was 2-0 to the Casuals at the break.

Only taking four minutes after the referee restarted play to get on the scoresheet again, on-form no.9 Cunningham was elegant in the way he guided the ball into the keeper’s bottom left hand corner to make it 3-0. Strike partner Mfula was not far behind Cunningham and he too grabbed a brace when his effort rolled over the line after a sweet touch off the post. Perhaps thinking of Bank Holiday Monday’s league clash with Kingstonian, Bracken replaced Warren Mfula in the 72nd minute for another Warren… Morgan this time! Shifting into a striker role, Morgan ditched his usual full-back spot to destroy the tired legs of the Croydon defence late on in the game. Sprinting past the keeper, Morgan decided to square the ball for Gil Carvalho and even though he was two yards out, the winger could only find the Casuals car-park in an agonising miss. Behind the goal, the Casuals contingent willed the no.7 to his feet and soon after, the newbie was chasing down defenders searching for redemption.

Although he couldn’t secure a goal, Carvalho was instrumental in the fifth goal of the match. A corner that was headed down by Reece Hannigan was controlled expertly by Carvalho before teeing up centre-half Jack Strange to slot home. Five goals and only a few minutes left saw the rapid Morgan advance on the left side of the penalty area and despite being positioned on the by-line, he managed to sneak the ball past the Croydon no.1 and into the bottom corner in an outrageous conclusion to the match.
​
We wish Croydon the best for the rest of the season as Casuals progress into the 1st Qualifying Round of the FA Cup. The 6-0 win means that Corinthians have now scored 11 in 2 games… will this goal-scoring feat continue on Monday afternoon where Bracken’s army face Kingstonian in the Bostik Premier for an early six-pointer?

Corinthian-Casuals 5 - 1 Westfield
Velocity Trophy Preliminary Round
Tuesday 21st August 2018
Match report and photos: Stuart Tree (set of pics here)

Corinthian-Casuals progressed to the next round of the Velocity Trophy with a convincing 5-1 win over Bostik South Central side Westfield.

Danny Cunningham and Max Oldham both bagged a brace and Shaun Brown completed the rout despite having to come from behind courtesy of an early Brandon Diau goal.

James Bracken’s side, who reached the semi-final of this competition last year were one of the few teams entering at the preliminary stage this season. Their opponents, Westfield led by Tony Reid – Combined Counties League Champions.

Bracken made a few changes to the side which drew 1-1 against Merstham three days prior. In stepped Jack Tucker and Reece Hannigan at the back for their first starts in the chocolate & pink. Danny Cunningham, Terry Murray and Kevant Serbony all made the starting XI too.

Perhaps the unfamiliarity of the back line was contributory to conceding early, though it has been a common trait this season. Westfield slipped in round the back and Brandon Diau was on hand to dispatch the follow-up.

As the half progressed, Casuals grew into the game and the combination of Cunningham and Oldham were causing Westfield’s rear guard problems. The two combined for the equaliser when Cunningham’s forceful cross was hammered home from close range by Oldham, finding himself tangled in the net in the process.

Casuals made it two on the stroke of half time. Cunningham broke the lines and raced through on goal, calmly slotting past Westfield’s stopper Gary Ross. From here-on, there looked to be only one winner.

Ten minutes after the break, Cunningham grabbed his second of the night. Hakeem Adelakun’s free kick was headed across goal by Hannigan and Cunningham had the simple task of nodding the ball into the net to put daylight between the sides.

The fourth came on 67 minutes when the ball fell to Max Oldham 12 yards out who had no hesitation in blasting it past Ross to seal the tie.

Changes were made and substitute Shaun Brown got in on the scoring act with six minutes remaining.

It was a performance asked of the side by Bracken in a bid to gain momentum heading into the weekend with the FA Cup tie against Croydon and League match versus Kingstonian on the Monday.

“That should’ve been three points on the board for us,” said James Bracken following the match. “I’ll take a certain amount of responsibility for it because we’ve changed things and it didn’t turn out to be a positive first half from us.

“I’ve had words at half time because I wasn’t happy so needed to correct it and improve.
 
“Second half, we’ve dominated the game, had them rattled the whole half and should’ve won the match. Without a shadow of a doubt, we should’ve won that. We had two or three very good opportunities – the header at the back post being one.
 
“We said this would be a tough learning curve and it has been. The first half against Margate on the opening day was a real eye-opener. The second game we were in it for large spells and until they scored the third, we could’ve taken something from the evening.
 
“This game, we started slowly but not capitulated. We’ve kept in the game until half time and bossed it after that. We need to put 90 minutes together now. This is where the boys need to show their maturity that this level requires. The discipline, the focus, because these games are intense from the first minute to the last. Whereas last season we could play well for 45 minutes and win, this year we’ll give ourselves a lot to do if we don’t start right.
 
“First 45 minutes will be our target to improve. We know we only get better as games go on. That’s been the case since I’ve been here. Our fitness levels and energy is good and our heart and desire for the win can never be questioned.
 
“We’ve had three different goalkeepers for three different games but it’s been a lot worse than that.
 
“I signed a keeper on Tuesday who came in and done a job for us against Folkestone. I signed another on the same day to play against Merstham. Unfortunately he phoned me Thursday night informing me he’d cut his head open and had 14 stitches from a training injury.
 
“I managed to get Bradley Comins, who I know from my days at Sutton who’s done a really good job. The boy keeps his shirt… he was fantastic. He looked assured. I’m really pleased with him.
 
“But I’ve never known anything like it regarding the goalkeeping situation. I’ve never had a more stressful week in management… or in life! We’ve signed seven goalkeepers and today, I had the seventh one available with six out. You tell me when that’s ever happened anywhere, ever. Because I’ve never heard of it. Six goalkeepers, all signed… all out.
 
“When they’re all back fit, I’ll have plenty of competition for places. At the minute, it’s a case of just getting one out there which we’ve done.

​"I’m pleased with a few of the boys to be honest. Warren Mfula gets a mention. He’s a lad that’s come in and he’s worked his socks off. He’s an absolute gem. He leads the line, works for 90 minutes for the whole team. But there’s a few who I could mention individually today.

"Now we need to focus on the two cup games over the next week and we turn in two good performances and get two wins under our belt, putting ourselves in the next round of these competitions and go into the Kingstonian game with the confidence that we can play at this level and give it a proper good crack."

Corinthian-Casuals 1 - 1 Merstham
Bostik League Premier Division
Saturday 18th August 2018
Match report and photos: Stuart Tree (full set of photos here)

Corinthian-Casuals earned their first Bostik Premier League point on Saturday but Manager James Bracken believes it should’ve been three points as his side drew 1-1 against Merstham.
 
“Should’ve been three points on the board for us,” said Bracken following the match. “I’ll take a certain amount of responsibility for it because we’ve changed things and it didn’t turn out to be a positive first half from us.
 
“Second half, we’ve dominated the game, had them rattled the whole half and should’ve won the match. Without a shadow of a doubt, we should’ve won that. We had two or three very good opportunities.”
 
Bracken was yet again having to make a last ditch signing to ease his goalkeeping injury crisis.
 
Brother, Captain and League keeper of the year, three years running, Danny Bracken is out with a broken leg. Replacement Mo Maan injured his back during the opening day defeat at Margate with fellow summer signing Jack Wingate also crocked. Even Casuals’ kit manager, who is also registered as a goalkeeper injured his eye in a bizarre work-related accident and cannot play.  
 
A new signing was due to play, but the curse struck once again as a nasty head injury required 14 stitches on Thursday. In came Bradley Comins, a player James knew from his Sutton days.
 
The first half was a cagey affair with both sides looking to get their first points of the season. However, on 18 minutes, the deadlock was broken when Reece Hall lofted a ball over the reach of Comins to give the visitors the lead.
 
Both sides rarely threatened each other’s goalmouths for the remainder of the half and Merstham probably edged the better of the limited half chances.
 
But it was all change at half time as Casuals looked to get back into the match. On came Danny Cunningham to add firepower up top. It was just before the hour mark when Corinth were back on level terms. A surging run down the wing saw Juevan Spencer upended by Reece Hall in the penalty area. Up stepped Cunningham to dispatch the penalty.
 
Casuals should’ve made it two when a wicked cross from Hakeem Adelakun evaded three oncoming attackers – Warren Mfula getting a slight touch but only out for a goal kick. Max Oldham’s set up for Mfula’s shot was expertly saved by Chris Haigh in goal.
 
The game opened up and Merstham looked to counter. Dan Bennett caused problems but Comins was equal to everything. The final fifteen minutes saw end-to-end action in what was more like a cup-tie where winner takes all. But it ended all square and honours even. Merstham taking the first half and Casuals the second.
 
Eyes turn to cup competition now as Casuals host Westfield in the Velocity Trophy on Tuesday and Croydon in the FA Cup on Saturday.

Read James Bracken's comments following the match here >>

​Manager James Bracken had these words to say following the defeat to Folkestone.

"A disastrous start for sure. After Saturday, where we conceded as many as we did in the first half, you want to keep them from scoring for as long as possible and make sure it doesn’t happen again.

"The first cross of the game has ended up in the back of the net. There’s no blame there from anyone. It’s an error and the lad has held his hands up straight away. That’s fair enough. I can’t ask for more.

"It’s a decent enough response though. Second goal isn’t good from our point of view and we need to be better. This is the level we have to be. We’ll have to learn quickly. If you get things wrong positionally, the ball is in the back of the net. We’re being dragged up to speed quickly here in terms of lessons learned. As long as we learn them, that’s fine.

"We pulled a goal back, had other chances and on the balance of play, we probably edged possession. We probably completed double the passes that they have. They’re a very direct side. They go back to front very quickly. That obviously works for them. But in terms of performance I can’t really knock them too much. Energy and quality was all there. We need a little more guile around the final third to carve out one or two more clear-cut openings. That’s stuff we can certainly work on. But I do feel we have the quality, energy and fitness at the moment to make ourselves competitive.

"We’ve lost two games in a row but there’s no position yet. I certainly won’t be looking at the league table right this minute, worrying about anything. We’ll only worry about correcting what we need to correct. We’ll only worry about our performance levels and our attitude. At the minute, they’re bang on. We’ll concentrate on the Merstham game who’ve lost two themselves. So this is already quite a big game. One or both of us will bet our first points on the board. So we must ensure we turn up with a positive attitude and make sure it’s us on the day. "

Corinthian-Casuals 1 - 3 Folkestone Invicta
Bostik League Premier Division
Tuesday 14th August 2018
Match report: Stuart Tree

Corinthian-Casuals are still in search for their first Bostik Premier points following a 3-1 defeat to Folkestone Invicta on Tuesday night.

An early goal for Invicta was the worst possible start for James Bracken’s side who found themselves 2-0 down within the first quarter of an hour before Hamilton Antonio reduced the arrears two minutes later.

However, pushing for an equaliser in the second half, Casuals left themselves open to a long ball attack which was expertly finished by Keiron McCann to seal the three points.

It couldn’t have been a harder start to the season on paper taking on two pre-season favourites. Folkestone had made the playoffs last term and were looking to go one better this year. Last time the two sides met, Invicta ran out 4-0 winners, showing the tough task facing the Amateurs.

Making things worse is the goalkeeping injury crisis at King George’s. Casuals are without all four signed, recognised keepers and Bracken had to call upon a last minute replacement in Martin Grant to take his place between the sticks.

It couldn’t have been a worse start either. Folkestone, with their first attack found themselves wide and McCann’s cross rebounded into the goal off Grants legs.

They were two up 13 minutes later. Grant made a good stop to prevent Johan Ter Horst but Casuals failed to clear their lines and the striker was able to put away the follow-up.

Corinth got back into the game minutes later when Hamilton Antonio struck a low shot from 18 yards to give the home crowd something to cheer.

Terry Murray had the best chance to equalise but the cross evaded the defender at the back post. Warren Mfula, scorer of Casuals’ first Premier goal on Saturday almost found the net with an audacious overhead kick.

Grant was called into action on a number of occasions making a smart save from a rifled 25 yard shot and the pick of the bunch, a double save to prevent the visitors from adding a third.

With Casuals pushing for an equaliser, Folkestone broke quickly from their own touchline and sent a 75 yard diagonal ball which found McCann who fired in an unstoppable shot to seal the deal.

Late on, Gil Carvalho was dismissed for Corinth following two bookings to end the night with a loss and only ten men on the field.
​
Once again, there were positives to take and against the division’s expected front-runners, on paper, no one expected Casuals to get much from these fixtures. The test will come against those expected to not be challenging for honours come the end of the season.

Read James' post match comments here >>

​After the Margate Match, Manager James Bracken had these comments...

"I knew it’d be a tough learning curve. What I mean by that is we can play like we did in the first half against a Bostik South side and gone in at the break one-nil down. If we’d have responded like we did in the second half, we’d have come away with the three points.

"However, the learning curve here in this league is we go home with no points, based on the first half performance. That was nowhere near good enough. Some of our defending was suicidal. You give the opposition ten yards of space, they’re going to score every time.

"I said before the season started, if you make it easy for these teams and let in cheap goals, they’ll punish you.

"I don’t need to tell the players that though. They knew it wasn’t good enough.

"First half, I’m sure nerves crept in and decision making went down the pan. The boys were heading balls clear when they had time and space to bring it under control. It was real basic stuff.

"I told them at half time just to play more. All pre-season, we’ve played good football. We’ve got it down, passed the ball well, moved off the ball. Everything you’d want to come and watch.  I said, as far as I am concerned, I’m happy to draw a line under it and put right what we needed to put right. There’s no pressure on us now as the game is done. You’re playing for your shirts on Tuesday night… go and show what you’ve got. We couldn’t get any worse so have a go in the second half and win it, which we did.

"You win or you learn. That’s a common ethos and I honestly believe it. In this league, nothing is expected of us. We got what people expected from this fixture – nothing. But we learned a hell of a lot by the end of the match and if we start the game the way we started the second half, we’ll give Folkestone a right good game on Tuesday. Then the fine margins come into play as to whether you win or you lose.

"Remember, this isn’t our season done. It’s one game in and there’s always funny results on the opening day. We’ll certainly be more prepared for Tuesday. The nerves will be gone and hope to get back to our pre-season performance levels."

Margate 5 - 2 Corinthian-Casuals
Saturday 11th August 2018
Bostik League Premier Division
Report: Cameron Smith. Photos: Stuart Tree (full set here)

Opening their Bostik Premier Division season on a disappointing yet ever-optimistic note, Corinthian-Casuals conceded five goals in the first-half versus Margate, but netted two second half consolations in a 5-2 defeat away from home.

​Pre-season included fixtures against Whyteleafe, Crystal Palace U23, Bristol Rovers, Corinthian FC, Banstead and Staines Town for James Bracken’s squad that is brimming with excitement, hunger and a few new faces. Three wins and three losses from the six friendlies aided fitness after a deserved month off before the 2018/19 season opened with a trip to the seaside in the form of Margate. Select Casuals supporters trekked to Hartsdown Park in October 2017 for a Velocity Trophy clash and those will remember a fantastic penalty shootout win after Jack Strange’s lastgasp equaliser. Would history repeat itself on a sunny August afternoon?

Four new players joined (or re-joined) the Corinth contingent for the first match. Mo Maan, who is the brother of Casuals’ Mu Maan, covered the healing Danny Bracken in goal, former-Phoenix Sports winger Gil Carvalho shifted into no.7, Warren Mfula started upfront and Juevan Spencer returned to left-back after a year hiatus! New campaign, new players and a new kit for Corinthians; the chocolate and pink half-and-half was pimped with a new sponsor in the centre of the shirt… BT Sport! Bracken, Pringle, Williams and now Jamie Byatt took their places on the managerial bench before locking horns with the blue of the Gate.

The starting ten minutes proved bright for the visitors as wingers Carvalho and Oldham created problems for the hosts’ full-backs and forced a few set-pieces that ultimately came to nothing. So when Baselle Aristride nicked the opener for Margate in the 11th minute, it was a shame to see the better side down a goal.

Five-hundred and ten in attendance with the majority celebrating for the blues, a group of resilient away fans behind the goal kept the faith. This faith, however, was tested even further when Gate’s second attack resulted in a second goal - no.6 Wynter tapped in from close range.

All hard-work established in the first ten was undone from then on as the efficient home team took advantaged of a shaky back-four and injured goalkeeper to grab a third, fourth and fifth all before half-time. Alex Brown’s screamer from 25 yards left Mo Maan with no chance and Brown notched another one minutes later from a similar vantage.

Frannie Collin hit a free-kick in stoppage time and following an unfortunate deflection, resulted in five goals in the first 45 minutes for the jubilant Margate.

Five minutes after the referee started the second half, Casuals seemed to place the first-half thrashing aside in an attempt to regain some pride. Max Oldham’s side-footed finish did fly safely over the bar, but the build-up from the pink & brown’s strong midfield was their best passage of play so far. A simply sensational run from Gate’s Bernard nearly made it six, but his shot fizzled out for a corner.

Whilst Mo, suffering with his back was not having the ideal Casuals competitive debut, brother Mu entered the fray in the 58th minute. Edging towards the final twenty and Bracken’s eleven ever pushing for at least one goal to bring home, newbie Mfula was tripped in the penalty area during an attack in which the referee pointed to the spot. Mfula won the penalty, so he took it, though haplessly booting the ball over the bar.

However, he then composed himself in the 69th minute and forgot the 12-yard blunder to coolly slot home after Margate’s keeper Newcombe failed to properly distribute the goal-kick. Enjoyable to finally see the net ripple in the Casuals end, Mfula’s strike put Casuals 5-1 down overall… but 1-0 up in the second-half!

Despite a solid Morgan effort and Antonio’s quick feet around the opposition defence, it wasn’t until the 88th minute when a second goal was achieved. Whipped into the compact six yard box, Callum McAllister’s corner was met by centre-back Strange before debutant Carvalho scored his first Casuals goal by forcing it past the baffled keeper.

​Blowing for full-time before a rightful third was added, the referee halted proceedings with the score at 5-2. James Bracken’s pink and brown army may have lost 5-2, but showed real character to monumentally improve on a dreary first-half performance. We wish Margate the best of the luck for the rest of the season. Folkestone Invicta arrived to King George’s for the league’s first home game on Tuesday before Casuals hosted another on Saturday- against Merstham. 

Read James Bracken's post match comments >>