Corinthian-Casuals 1 - 1 Hornchurch
Isthmian League Premier Division
Saturday 7th March 2020
Report and photos: Stuart Tree (full set here)

Corinthian-Casuals earned another vital Isthmian League point on Saturday courtesy of a 1-1 draw with championship chasing Hornchurch.
 
It was another display from James Bracken’s side that pleased the boss following on from the midweek win over East Thurrock United.
 
There was an immediate place in the starting line-up for debutant Kieron Cadogan as Bracken looked to utilise four attacking players, including Nat Pinney, Gabriel Odunaike and Ben Cheklit. On the opposite side was arguably the most formidable strike force in the Isthmian League with Jamie Cureton, Chris Dickson and Adam Cunnington set to test Casuals’ back line.
 
Had it not been for some resolute defending and two superb saves from Danny Bracken, Hornchurch could’ve easily led from early on as they exerted pressure on Corinth. But it was the home side who came closest to breaking the deadlock when Cheklit cut inside his man and unleashed a shot across Joe Wright only for it to rebound off the inside of the far post.
 
With 20 minutes played, Casuals took the lead. Gabriel Odunaike was upended in the box and the referee took his time to deliberate whether it was a foul before correctly awarding the spot kick. Nat Pinney sent Wright the wrong way to make it 1-0.
 
Hornchurch were level 12 minutes later; from a Casuals corner, the Urchins broke up the field in quick fashion with Dickson making most of the running. His pull-back found Jordan Clark (no… not that one) who side-footed it past Bracken in a swift and effective counter.
 
The second half was a cagier affair, though had its moments. Jamie Cureton, a player that’s scored his fair share of excellent goals against Casuals volleyed a wicked shot narrowly over the bar. At the other end, full back Jack Tucker found his way through on goal and riding a clumsy challenge, decided to square the ball rather than take the shot. However, his pass to Odunaike was intercepted and the danger cleared.
 
The full time whistle was welcomed as Casuals had held their lofty opponents for the second time this season to a 1-1 draw. Considering all the other results affecting sides around them (only Merstham picked up a point), the draw was a pleasing outcome from the afternoon as well as how Casuals had applied themselves against strong opposition.
 
Delighted with the performance. Hornchurch have got some fantastic players and they don’t have any obvious weak links,” said Manager James Bracken after the match.
 
“They carry a lot of threat especially with their front three and have decent players to come off their bench. They’re a good team. But we’ve more than matched them today. I don’t just mean we’ve dug in and fought and ground out a point. We arguably had the brighter opportunities throughout the game. Even near the end, we’ve got our right back in their box looking to pull back for someone to tap in.
 
“We had a decent balance to our play. Our defensive shape was good and when we got the ball, we put moves together and played some fantastic football. Some of the moves throughout the thirds would’ve graced any level. Credit to the lads for that. We’re starting to get in the habit of picking up good points and believe we can beat anybody.
 
“We’ve never been also-rans. We know we’ll give anyone a good game. This season, it’s been hard to see wins coming at times. But now, I look at it and we’ve got goals in us, a number of avenues from which we can create chances and we still have the grit and determination to make it hard for sides to score against us.”
 
Looking ahead to the match at Merstham on Tuesday night, Bracken was under no illusion at how important this fixture is.
 
“Merstham have earned a decent draw against Bognor, after leading 2-0, so we have to give their forwards and them in possession a bit of respect. We’ll need to ensure our defensive side matches the levels against Hornchurch, etc. If we do that, and we play like we have this past couple of weeks, they’ll have to play very well to get any points.
 
“We’ll be prepared, and we’ll concentrate on ourselves – I rate these players and I fancy us to go out there, create chances, score and play good football. Why shouldn’t I after what I’ve seen the last few games from us? We’ll just keep it going.”

AFC Hornchurch 3 - 0 Corinthian-Casuals
Bostik League Premier Division
Saturday 2nd February 2019
Match report: Cameron Smith. Pics: Stuart Tree (full set here)

Corinthian-Casuals were overturned 3-0 by a clinical AFC Hornchurch side in a dire game for the disappointed visitors and their supporters.

Most likely the coldest conditions teams in the Bostik Premier have had to play under so far this season, temperatures dropped to only a few degrees above freezing. The 225 spectators in Hornchurch Stadium wrapped up in as many layers as possible and were staying inside until the players finally emerged from their dressing rooms in order to retain some sort of heat. As the pink and brown of Casuals walked out side-by-side with the red of Hornchurch, three vital points were on offer for whoever desired it the most.
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Trying to adjust to the bizarre ground where a running track distanced supporters from players by a good few metres, the Corinth contingent were in fine voice and their support nearly were able to celebrate when a messy free-kick from Ekim was touched on by Odunaike, but his effort was blocked. Possession was exchanged between the two teams for most of the half; the Urchins seemed to be more threatening when pacing at the Casuals defence. Conceding a soft free-kick on the 20 yard mark on the stroke of half-time, Corinth would rue letting George Saunders take the set-piece as he directed a brilliant effort into the top right corner. Bracken was unable to keep it out and Hornchurch were 1-0 up.

After the break, James Bracken’s team-talk would hopefully inject some energy and confidence into a shaky start for the away side. A shot from Mu Maan flew over the bar and a flurry of half-chances eased the worried Casuals fans. Majed Osman’s introduction at half-time was certainly positive but his creativity was targeted and subtly cancelled out by a strong defensive performance from the hosts.

In a rare burst on the right, Hornchurch managed to get a second goal, but not from their own player. Reece Hannigan was the unfortunate one to connect to a Saunders cross and it beat Bracken to make the last 20 minutes very uncomfortable for Casuals. Substitute Josh Uzun floated a perfectly weighted corner into the box that was not in Chafer’s grasp but not far away from Hannigan’s head. Classic pinball in the box, the ball fell for Mu Maan who smacked it into the hands of the Urchins no.1 before it was hastily disposed of. Jordan Clarke and Hannigan had other chances for the Casuals and it was unlucky they didn’t have at least one name on the goal-sheet.

Maybe it was the yearning to score that had left Casuals vulnerable to counter-attacks as Purcell finished a delightful move from Hornchurch and made it 3-0. It was more shock than shame as the Urchins only had a few chances in the whole game but managed to dispatch them all. Even if the board was raised with 90 more minutes, Casuals would not have been able to get three points from Hornchurch as it just didn’t seem to be their day in-front of goal and it was a 3-0 result at full-time.

James Bracken and his pink and brown army look to improve on the past two losses, but thank you to AFC Hornchurch and good luck for the rest of the season. Staying in 14th, Corinthians face the long trip to Folkestone on Tuesday night before Lewes travel down to King George’s next Saturday.

We were lethargic, slow, laborious on the ball and didn't have enough fight," said Manager James Bracken after the match. "I could go on and reel off a million negatives like I did at half time. It was rubbish and nowhere near good enough.

“Second half we were probably the better team until they scored their goal. When it's an own goal, again, it just kills you, it kills the team, the players and the mentality. That's three own goals now in a short space of time, and I said to our lads, where are our crosses that are forcing them to defend that kind of space? They're not going in enough.

“We can analyse our performance , and we have to, but I just think we have to look at ourselves, we have to be real about things now and just do better.

“Potentially we will now be looking over our shoulders towards those at the bottom, but potentially we could also win three or four in a row and be near the play-offs again. There is always 'potentially' but we have to now focus on Tuesday. I expect a reaction, if we don't get a reaction then we will have to look at things again.
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“Folkestone will have a reaction as well after losing 6-0, which is surprising as they are a good team. Last time we lost 4-0 when we went there, it is not an easy place to go, and certainly not one where you look at the beginning of the season and earmark three points. With some of the performance levels we've seen today I'd be an absolute maniac to back us to go and do anything if I'm honest.”

Corinthian-Casuals claimed their second league win in a week when Gabriel Odunaike’s 78th minute strike was enough to earn all three points against AFC Hornchurch.

The result leaves James Bracken’s side looking up the table rather than down. “If we win our game in hand, we’re three points off the playoff places,” said Bracken following the win. “If you’d have asked me if I’d take that at the start of the season, most people would snap your hand off.”

“That’s four wins out of the last five against Bostik Premier opposition in all competitions. We’ve defeated an unbeaten side here today and thoroughly deserved it.”

“It was great today. Non-League Day. Big crowd. There was a real buzz about the place. When the final whistle went, and you get that spine-tingling feeling… you can’t buy that. That’s what we play for. We play for those moments. We’ve had plenty of those in the past. We had a great day today and it’s up to us to continue to earn more of them.

“The boys done the right things today. We’re improving all the time and hopefully the last few games will give them the belief that they can perform to the required standard. Even when things aren’t going so well, we can look back at matches like today and draw from it.

“If we win our game in hand, we’re three points off the playoff places. If you’d have asked me if I’d take that at the start of the season, most people would snap your hand off.

“We’re not going to get carried away. It’s a tight league, right down to the bottom. But we’ve shown through recent performances that when we get it right, and when the boys stick to what they’re supposed to do, we’re more than capable of picking up points.
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“Looking back, when we played Brightlingsea Regent for over an hour with ten men, we still should have won. That’s two points dropped. The Kingstonian game should’ve been a point. That puts us three points better off in total. Take that and we’re two points outside the playoffs with a game in hand. I’m happy. It could be better but we have to be happy.”

Corinthian-Casuals 1 - 0 AFC Hornchurch
Bostik League Premier Division
Saturday 13th October 2018
Report and photos: Stuart Tree (full set of pics here)

There are some days you look back upon and say ‘that was perfect’. Saturday was a strong contender after Corinthian-Casuals grabbed their second league win in a week, dispatching unbeaten AFC Hornchurch in the process.

Perfect? Close to it. The summer had returned – briefly, even allowing Manager James Bracken to throw on a pair of shorts when just a week ago, he stood shivering in the corridor of Imber Court trying to get warm and dry.

Non League Day saw a bumper crowd through the turnstiles – including the four Preston North End supporters who’ve taken Casuals to heart since their first stumbling across the amateurs at Three Bridges in 2013. They even gave their flag ‘Northern Casuals’ – complete with a tribute to the late Terry Farnworth, to add to the growing number of banners that adorn the ground.

The weather was set. The atmosphere was set. The two captains – uniting to hold a ‘Prostate Cancer UK’ charity message at the coin toss, we set. All that was needed was a performance to match the audience.
Casuals started cautiously but soon grew into the game. The best chance fell early on to Warren Mfula after the ball fell to him around 12 yards out. Callum Chafer saved well to keep the scores level.

Whilst play was good, despite the strong wind blowing down the ground, neither team created too many clear cut chances. Brad Comins had one save to make. Mu Maan’s shot was palmed around the post by Chafer. But both sides exited the field at half time scoreless.

The second half saw Casuals with the wind behind their backs. They looked to capitalise on this early. Jordan Clarke let fly a 25 yard curling effort which whistled past the stanchion and clipped the stand roof.

Pressure started to tell on Hornchurch and to the neutral observer, you’d have been hard pressed to work out who was the unbeaten side and who sat second-bottom in the league. Corinth exploited Hornchurch’s wings. Corner followed corner and thoughts of VCD last season entered some heads. Could all this pressure come to nothing or will it pay off?

It was the latter. On 78 minutes, Jack Tucker found Mu Maan who fooled his marker. A covering defender couldn’t clear and Maan squared the ball for Odunaike to tap in from six yards.

Casuals never looked threatened in the remaining time and Comins was only forced to make one clearance. Bracken’s side had their second win and second clean sheet in four days. Fans celebrated. Punters took part in a post-match crossbar challenge for charity. The Corinthian Ale had been drunk dry. The flags finally taken down after sunset – with many not wanting the day to end. Perfect? Pretty close!

Eyes turn to King George’s on Tuesday as Casuals host Croydon in the London Senior Cup.

​Manager James Bracken's post match thoughts can be read here.