Corinthian-Casuals 4 - 2 Ramsgate
Bostik League South
Saturday 4th November 2017
Match report and photos: Stuart Tree (full set here)
Corinthian-Casuals came from two goals behind to comfortably win 4-2 over Ramsgate in the Bostik League South.
Despite dominating possession throughout, Casuals found themselves with a mountain to climb after the half hour mark. But a quick fire brace from Jordan Clarke levelled the scores on the stroke of half time before Nathan Daly grabbed his first goal for the club and Jack Penny could only find his own net to make the scoreline comfortable.
Manager James Bracken after the match admitted that whilst it was no excuse, Casuals were without several players, all who potentially would’ve featured. Not least at the back, changes had to be made with Tommy Smith serving his suspension and the duo of Warren Morgan and Dave Hodges unavailable. 36 year old Jamie Byatt paired up with Jack Strange, celebrating his 20th birthday. A minute's silence was held in memory of Security Officer Vince Huggett's wife, Tina who tragically passed away this week.
Ramsgate, sitting in a lowly 19th place in the league had done their homework on Casuals and like the previous three fixtures – Hastings, Margate and Hertford Town, the Amateurs were susceptible to an early goal. A quick break down the right saw Alfie Paxman turn in his effort at the near post for a shock lead.
Despite dominance in play, Casuals were sucker-punched once again. Utilising the same tactic that saw them take the lead, Ramsgate made it 2-0 this time courtesy of Billy Munday, firing into the top corner.
Heads never dropped and Bracken’s side have an unwavering belief in their ability. Jordan Clarke pulled one back on 38 minutes much to the relief of the home support. He added a second on the stroke of half time converting a Reyon Dillon cross. How that last seven minutes must’ve changed the team talk.
Casuals were far more assured in the second half and looked to be only one winner following the equaliser. Though they had to wait a further 25 minutes before taking the lead. Gabriel Odunaike cutting in from the byline, passed it across the six yard box to find Nathan Daly, bagging his first goal for the club – cue explosive celebrations.
The game was put out of reach five minutes later when Jack Penny could only turn Danny Cunningham’s cross into his own net. Casuals looked to extend the lead further and Reyon Dillon fired home only to be denied by the offside flag.
The win is Casuals’ fifth in a row and 11th in 13 games, leaving the Amateurs 3rd in the league. Casuals face Molesey at home on Tuesday night.
“We certainly made hard work of it,” said Bracken after the match.
“But 4-2 in the end which I have to be happy with after going 2-0 down.”
“Conceding early as we have been lately isn’t a good habit. We don’t want to be conceding the first goal in games which we’ve done too often of late. Whilst it gives us an opportunity to show spirit and resilience, which we keep doing, it’s far from ideal.
“Our general play in the first half was very, very poor. The quality of our passing left us way too exposed at the back. We committed too many bodies forward and got punished coming back the other way, on the counter. It’s not good and we’ll look at that, but it’s simply down to us not being good enough with the ball.
“Some might say we underestimated our opponents. Never. We’ll never underestimate anyone. Not from my part, from preparations or the way I approach any match. I said to the players before that Ramsgate hadn’t scored for three games, they’ve not won for five games… don’t be the team that everyone looks at the results with surprise seeing they’d beaten us.
“Jordan’s goals before half time massively changed the team talk. I’d have stripped the paint off the walls and been rattling in the changing room had we gone in two down.
“But when you come back to 2-2, you have to give them a certain amount of praise. When you go two-down, you don’t expect to come in at half time, level. My team talk was going to be reading the riot act to get a reaction. As it happens, they reacted themselves, got back into it and give them credit for it. We just asked them to build on it from there.
Bostik League South
Saturday 4th November 2017
Match report and photos: Stuart Tree (full set here)
Corinthian-Casuals came from two goals behind to comfortably win 4-2 over Ramsgate in the Bostik League South.
Despite dominating possession throughout, Casuals found themselves with a mountain to climb after the half hour mark. But a quick fire brace from Jordan Clarke levelled the scores on the stroke of half time before Nathan Daly grabbed his first goal for the club and Jack Penny could only find his own net to make the scoreline comfortable.
Manager James Bracken after the match admitted that whilst it was no excuse, Casuals were without several players, all who potentially would’ve featured. Not least at the back, changes had to be made with Tommy Smith serving his suspension and the duo of Warren Morgan and Dave Hodges unavailable. 36 year old Jamie Byatt paired up with Jack Strange, celebrating his 20th birthday. A minute's silence was held in memory of Security Officer Vince Huggett's wife, Tina who tragically passed away this week.
Ramsgate, sitting in a lowly 19th place in the league had done their homework on Casuals and like the previous three fixtures – Hastings, Margate and Hertford Town, the Amateurs were susceptible to an early goal. A quick break down the right saw Alfie Paxman turn in his effort at the near post for a shock lead.
Despite dominance in play, Casuals were sucker-punched once again. Utilising the same tactic that saw them take the lead, Ramsgate made it 2-0 this time courtesy of Billy Munday, firing into the top corner.
Heads never dropped and Bracken’s side have an unwavering belief in their ability. Jordan Clarke pulled one back on 38 minutes much to the relief of the home support. He added a second on the stroke of half time converting a Reyon Dillon cross. How that last seven minutes must’ve changed the team talk.
Casuals were far more assured in the second half and looked to be only one winner following the equaliser. Though they had to wait a further 25 minutes before taking the lead. Gabriel Odunaike cutting in from the byline, passed it across the six yard box to find Nathan Daly, bagging his first goal for the club – cue explosive celebrations.
The game was put out of reach five minutes later when Jack Penny could only turn Danny Cunningham’s cross into his own net. Casuals looked to extend the lead further and Reyon Dillon fired home only to be denied by the offside flag.
The win is Casuals’ fifth in a row and 11th in 13 games, leaving the Amateurs 3rd in the league. Casuals face Molesey at home on Tuesday night.
“We certainly made hard work of it,” said Bracken after the match.
“But 4-2 in the end which I have to be happy with after going 2-0 down.”
“Conceding early as we have been lately isn’t a good habit. We don’t want to be conceding the first goal in games which we’ve done too often of late. Whilst it gives us an opportunity to show spirit and resilience, which we keep doing, it’s far from ideal.
“Our general play in the first half was very, very poor. The quality of our passing left us way too exposed at the back. We committed too many bodies forward and got punished coming back the other way, on the counter. It’s not good and we’ll look at that, but it’s simply down to us not being good enough with the ball.
“Some might say we underestimated our opponents. Never. We’ll never underestimate anyone. Not from my part, from preparations or the way I approach any match. I said to the players before that Ramsgate hadn’t scored for three games, they’ve not won for five games… don’t be the team that everyone looks at the results with surprise seeing they’d beaten us.
“Jordan’s goals before half time massively changed the team talk. I’d have stripped the paint off the walls and been rattling in the changing room had we gone in two down.
“But when you come back to 2-2, you have to give them a certain amount of praise. When you go two-down, you don’t expect to come in at half time, level. My team talk was going to be reading the riot act to get a reaction. As it happens, they reacted themselves, got back into it and give them credit for it. We just asked them to build on it from there.
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