Corinthian-Casuals 0 - 2 Bishop's Stortford
Isthmian League Premier Division
Tuesday 26th October 2021
Report: Stuart Tree
A poor first half performance from Corinthian-Casuals condemned them to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Bishop’s Stortford on an uninspiring evening in the Isthmian League Premier Division.
Two first half goals from Jake Cass, the first via the penalty spot was enough to dispatch James Bracken’s side in the opening forty-five minutes. Despite an improved second half, the three points remained comfortably in the hands of the visitors.
Coskun Ekim came in for an injured Elliott Bolton and Emmanuel Mensah returned to action, displacing Warren Mfula on the bench.
Perhaps exhausted from a continuous run of high-pressured games, including a 38-year best FA Cup run, Casuals never got out of first gear. A season low attendance was also telling as relentless football takes its toll on the pocket too.
Stortford had the lion’s share of possession in the first half but the first chance fell to Jack Strange, who’s half volley struck the crossbar from a fine free kick courtesy of Ben Cheklit.
But Strange was involved in the first controversial moment of the game when he was adjudged to have fouled his opponent in the box. Whilst contact was made, it came after the defender had nicked the ball away. Despite his protests, which earned him a yellow card, the penalty stood and Jake Cass dispatched with ease.
Wind in their sails, Stortford applied good amounts of pressure and carved Casuals open on a couple of occasions. They survived the first – Emmanuel Mensah clearing off the line but the second time, Cass had no problem turning in a low cross.
Bracken made two changes at half time in an attempt to liven things up and to an extent, it worked. There was more forward endeavour, putting Stortford onto the back foot. Substitute Mfula was unlucky not to get more of an inbound cross, heading just wide.
But it was only in the final minutes that Casuals should’ve scored; two chances falling in the dying minutes with Archie Edwards denying a goal-bound strike and Kieron Cadogan blazing over from 15 yards, front and centre.
In the end, it was a comfortable away win for the visitors who were never really tested throughout.
"That first half didn’t resemble anywhere near the levels of performance we’d expect both individually and as a collective," said Bracken after the match.
"Let’s be fair to Stortford, they pressed us really well. We knew they’d come with a lot of energy and we knew what we’d be up against. We prepared ourselves for that but we seemed to persist in trying to play our way out of enormous pressure. They came here fresh, motivated and put us under spells of pressure where, on a pitch that’s a bit soft, we’ve tried to be too clever at times. As a consequence, we’ve lost the ball in too many bad areas. 2-0 down at half time and we thoroughly deserved to be.
"We turned things around slightly at half time but our chances didn’t come until right at the end and we didn’t take them anyway. But it was better from us in the second half and we probably edged it without being particularly good ourselves, in what was a scrappy game.
"For some players, it looked like it was a game too many at the moment. We’ve tried to freshen things up and a couple of players have come in tonight with a view of giving us a few more fresh legs and a hunger to try and win that shirt.
"But we’re going to have off-nights. We need seven or eight players to turn up each game giving their best. The two or three that aren’t quite on it probably get subbed but you still have enough on the pitch to win. But tonight, if you’d have said to me, “who had a good game?” the God’s honest truth is ’no one’. Literally, to a man – not one of those players has played to a level that I know they can.
"We haven’t shipped six or seven goals though, which is happening to a lot of other teams in this division. We’ve let in two – second half is better and probably should’ve grabbed one back at the end to make it a little more respectable. But the bottom line is, the first half cost us. We can’t afford to start in first gear. That won’t get you any points against a decent Stortford side.
"Cheshunt won’t be an easy game either. They’re sitting in and around the playoff places and were second when the season halted last year. They’re a decent side. They’ll come here with physicality. They’re lively around the box. We’ll try to be best prepared for them. I expect us to be better and if we are, I expect us to win. But we just need to go and do it out there on the pitch."
Isthmian League Premier Division
Tuesday 26th October 2021
Report: Stuart Tree
A poor first half performance from Corinthian-Casuals condemned them to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Bishop’s Stortford on an uninspiring evening in the Isthmian League Premier Division.
Two first half goals from Jake Cass, the first via the penalty spot was enough to dispatch James Bracken’s side in the opening forty-five minutes. Despite an improved second half, the three points remained comfortably in the hands of the visitors.
Coskun Ekim came in for an injured Elliott Bolton and Emmanuel Mensah returned to action, displacing Warren Mfula on the bench.
Perhaps exhausted from a continuous run of high-pressured games, including a 38-year best FA Cup run, Casuals never got out of first gear. A season low attendance was also telling as relentless football takes its toll on the pocket too.
Stortford had the lion’s share of possession in the first half but the first chance fell to Jack Strange, who’s half volley struck the crossbar from a fine free kick courtesy of Ben Cheklit.
But Strange was involved in the first controversial moment of the game when he was adjudged to have fouled his opponent in the box. Whilst contact was made, it came after the defender had nicked the ball away. Despite his protests, which earned him a yellow card, the penalty stood and Jake Cass dispatched with ease.
Wind in their sails, Stortford applied good amounts of pressure and carved Casuals open on a couple of occasions. They survived the first – Emmanuel Mensah clearing off the line but the second time, Cass had no problem turning in a low cross.
Bracken made two changes at half time in an attempt to liven things up and to an extent, it worked. There was more forward endeavour, putting Stortford onto the back foot. Substitute Mfula was unlucky not to get more of an inbound cross, heading just wide.
But it was only in the final minutes that Casuals should’ve scored; two chances falling in the dying minutes with Archie Edwards denying a goal-bound strike and Kieron Cadogan blazing over from 15 yards, front and centre.
In the end, it was a comfortable away win for the visitors who were never really tested throughout.
"That first half didn’t resemble anywhere near the levels of performance we’d expect both individually and as a collective," said Bracken after the match.
"Let’s be fair to Stortford, they pressed us really well. We knew they’d come with a lot of energy and we knew what we’d be up against. We prepared ourselves for that but we seemed to persist in trying to play our way out of enormous pressure. They came here fresh, motivated and put us under spells of pressure where, on a pitch that’s a bit soft, we’ve tried to be too clever at times. As a consequence, we’ve lost the ball in too many bad areas. 2-0 down at half time and we thoroughly deserved to be.
"We turned things around slightly at half time but our chances didn’t come until right at the end and we didn’t take them anyway. But it was better from us in the second half and we probably edged it without being particularly good ourselves, in what was a scrappy game.
"For some players, it looked like it was a game too many at the moment. We’ve tried to freshen things up and a couple of players have come in tonight with a view of giving us a few more fresh legs and a hunger to try and win that shirt.
"But we’re going to have off-nights. We need seven or eight players to turn up each game giving their best. The two or three that aren’t quite on it probably get subbed but you still have enough on the pitch to win. But tonight, if you’d have said to me, “who had a good game?” the God’s honest truth is ’no one’. Literally, to a man – not one of those players has played to a level that I know they can.
"We haven’t shipped six or seven goals though, which is happening to a lot of other teams in this division. We’ve let in two – second half is better and probably should’ve grabbed one back at the end to make it a little more respectable. But the bottom line is, the first half cost us. We can’t afford to start in first gear. That won’t get you any points against a decent Stortford side.
"Cheshunt won’t be an easy game either. They’re sitting in and around the playoff places and were second when the season halted last year. They’re a decent side. They’ll come here with physicality. They’re lively around the box. We’ll try to be best prepared for them. I expect us to be better and if we are, I expect us to win. But we just need to go and do it out there on the pitch."
RSS Feed