Corinthian-Casuals 0-3 Kingstonian
Robert Dyas League Cup 1st Round
Tuesday 7th October 2014
Attendance 151
Match report by Stuart Tree
Casuals suffered their second defeat in three matches as Kingstonian ran out comfortable winners in this Robert Dyas League Cup first round fixture.
Matt Howard made wholesale changes from the side that drew with Faversham Town in order to give game time to his whole squad. In came Danny Green, Ben Bowra, Bammousa Cisse, Michael Fahm and Jordan Vidal whilst resting a host of first XI regulars including Dave Hodges, Jamie Byatt (injured), Carl Wilson-Denis, Maz Bettache, Danny Dudley and Juevan Spencer.
Tommy Williams, on his return to King George’s Arena also gave his squad a reshuffle but fielded a side full of talent including Rob Tolfrey, defenders Page and Drage, Dan Sweeney, Elvis Hammond and Nathan Pinney.
Both sides started lively and early signs indicated this was going to be an open game with plenty of chances. Dan Sweeney gave Danny Bracken an early tester as his wicked shot was expertly matched by the Casuals’ keeper.
It didn’t take long for the visitors to open the scoring; Elvis Hammond completed a neat move to deftly lob the ball over an oncoming Bracken who could do nothing about the finesse of the striker’s effort from an acute angle.
Immediately looking for parity, Jordan Vidal, playing in a more forward role fired a shot straight down the throat of Rob Tolfrey, who could only deflect it away. With Steve Goddard looming large, K’s cleared their lines from the resulting rebound.
Casuals then passed up a golden opportunity to level when a neat cross from Vidal on the left found an unmarked Cisse who’s feet entangled with the ball and kindly rolled into the very grateful arms of Tolfrey. Corinth started to pass up other opportunities to score; Steve Goddard went close with a header from a deep cross provided by Michael Fahm.
On 26 minutes, Nathan Pinney made it 2-0 to the K’s in a similarly taken goal to Hammond’s, with another deft lob over Bracken. The quality of the finish left the Casuals’ keeper cursing but in truth, there was nothing the Corinth Number One, nor Mason Welch-Turner who’d retreated to the goalline, could do about it.
The match continued as an open contest with plenty of free flowing football entertaining the 151 in attendance. The only point separating the sides was the quality of finishing. K’s were taking their opportunities where Casuals weren’t.
Skipper Joe Hicks was replaced at half time in order to rest for the important game versus Whyteleafe and with Tom Williams (not Tommy) slotting in at right-back, a reshuffle was required once again. Andre McCollin was also put into action coming off the bench for K’s. McCollin, who began his career at Casuals caused the defence problems with his pace and guile.
The second half didn’t live up to the first in terms of pace or quality but it was still felt that at 2-0, the next goal would be crucial. Casuals, who’ve consistently put in top class performances after the break this season couldn’t match previous efforts. The defensive partnership of Sam Page and Matt Drage were relatively untested and even with the addition of Michael Salako for Casuals, the duo soaked up spells of good pressure from the home side.
Steve Goddard had two efforts go close in the space of a minute; the first, well saved by Tolfrey and the second beat the K’s keeper but flashed just wide of the post. At the other end, Ben Bowra’s goal line clearance kept the Casuals in the match.
But the tie was sealed in the 84th minute when a slip from Danny Green allowed Nathan Pinney to break into the box and smash a shot of forceful power past Bracken. Heads dropped and any hint of a comeback was demolished.
Kingstonian were rightful victors and the difference between the two sides was the finishing firepower that Tommy Williams has at his disposal. Casuals can hold their heads high in the fact that many of the fringe players put in a decent performance against a squad who are tipped for playoff places in the Ryman Premier. Williams will see this as a good warmup to their important FA Cup tie against Eastbourne Borough on Sunday and their reward for winning this Robert Dyas League Cup encounter is a trip to Walton Casuals in the next round.
After the match, Assistant Manager Luke Garrard spoke, “Tonight was an opportunity for the players that haven’t been playing to get game time. It's also a chance for Matt and I to look at those players with the result of them giving us a bit of a headache for who we select on Friday, and for the rest of the season.
“I thought we done reasonably well. We’ve played against a good side tonight and their forwards were outstanding. Their midfield was particularly strong and we’ve come a little unstuck with their movement but all-in-all, the exercise that we’ve set out, we’ve achieved it; to look at players was the main objective for us tonight.
“It was nothing that I didn’t expect from Tommy (Williams) to put out a strong side tonight as they don’t have a reserve side. They have a core squad of 18-20 quality players and you know they have to move them around and fit them in just the same as we have to. Just that they’ve only got a first team squad, whereas we have a first team and a reserves side to look at players, so they’re always going to have a strong side.
“Friday (against Whyteleafe) will be normal service resumed and is a massive game for us.”
Robert Dyas League Cup 1st Round
Tuesday 7th October 2014
Attendance 151
Match report by Stuart Tree
Casuals suffered their second defeat in three matches as Kingstonian ran out comfortable winners in this Robert Dyas League Cup first round fixture.
Matt Howard made wholesale changes from the side that drew with Faversham Town in order to give game time to his whole squad. In came Danny Green, Ben Bowra, Bammousa Cisse, Michael Fahm and Jordan Vidal whilst resting a host of first XI regulars including Dave Hodges, Jamie Byatt (injured), Carl Wilson-Denis, Maz Bettache, Danny Dudley and Juevan Spencer.
Tommy Williams, on his return to King George’s Arena also gave his squad a reshuffle but fielded a side full of talent including Rob Tolfrey, defenders Page and Drage, Dan Sweeney, Elvis Hammond and Nathan Pinney.
Both sides started lively and early signs indicated this was going to be an open game with plenty of chances. Dan Sweeney gave Danny Bracken an early tester as his wicked shot was expertly matched by the Casuals’ keeper.
It didn’t take long for the visitors to open the scoring; Elvis Hammond completed a neat move to deftly lob the ball over an oncoming Bracken who could do nothing about the finesse of the striker’s effort from an acute angle.
Immediately looking for parity, Jordan Vidal, playing in a more forward role fired a shot straight down the throat of Rob Tolfrey, who could only deflect it away. With Steve Goddard looming large, K’s cleared their lines from the resulting rebound.
Casuals then passed up a golden opportunity to level when a neat cross from Vidal on the left found an unmarked Cisse who’s feet entangled with the ball and kindly rolled into the very grateful arms of Tolfrey. Corinth started to pass up other opportunities to score; Steve Goddard went close with a header from a deep cross provided by Michael Fahm.
On 26 minutes, Nathan Pinney made it 2-0 to the K’s in a similarly taken goal to Hammond’s, with another deft lob over Bracken. The quality of the finish left the Casuals’ keeper cursing but in truth, there was nothing the Corinth Number One, nor Mason Welch-Turner who’d retreated to the goalline, could do about it.
The match continued as an open contest with plenty of free flowing football entertaining the 151 in attendance. The only point separating the sides was the quality of finishing. K’s were taking their opportunities where Casuals weren’t.
Skipper Joe Hicks was replaced at half time in order to rest for the important game versus Whyteleafe and with Tom Williams (not Tommy) slotting in at right-back, a reshuffle was required once again. Andre McCollin was also put into action coming off the bench for K’s. McCollin, who began his career at Casuals caused the defence problems with his pace and guile.
The second half didn’t live up to the first in terms of pace or quality but it was still felt that at 2-0, the next goal would be crucial. Casuals, who’ve consistently put in top class performances after the break this season couldn’t match previous efforts. The defensive partnership of Sam Page and Matt Drage were relatively untested and even with the addition of Michael Salako for Casuals, the duo soaked up spells of good pressure from the home side.
Steve Goddard had two efforts go close in the space of a minute; the first, well saved by Tolfrey and the second beat the K’s keeper but flashed just wide of the post. At the other end, Ben Bowra’s goal line clearance kept the Casuals in the match.
But the tie was sealed in the 84th minute when a slip from Danny Green allowed Nathan Pinney to break into the box and smash a shot of forceful power past Bracken. Heads dropped and any hint of a comeback was demolished.
Kingstonian were rightful victors and the difference between the two sides was the finishing firepower that Tommy Williams has at his disposal. Casuals can hold their heads high in the fact that many of the fringe players put in a decent performance against a squad who are tipped for playoff places in the Ryman Premier. Williams will see this as a good warmup to their important FA Cup tie against Eastbourne Borough on Sunday and their reward for winning this Robert Dyas League Cup encounter is a trip to Walton Casuals in the next round.
After the match, Assistant Manager Luke Garrard spoke, “Tonight was an opportunity for the players that haven’t been playing to get game time. It's also a chance for Matt and I to look at those players with the result of them giving us a bit of a headache for who we select on Friday, and for the rest of the season.
“I thought we done reasonably well. We’ve played against a good side tonight and their forwards were outstanding. Their midfield was particularly strong and we’ve come a little unstuck with their movement but all-in-all, the exercise that we’ve set out, we’ve achieved it; to look at players was the main objective for us tonight.
“It was nothing that I didn’t expect from Tommy (Williams) to put out a strong side tonight as they don’t have a reserve side. They have a core squad of 18-20 quality players and you know they have to move them around and fit them in just the same as we have to. Just that they’ve only got a first team squad, whereas we have a first team and a reserves side to look at players, so they’re always going to have a strong side.
“Friday (against Whyteleafe) will be normal service resumed and is a massive game for us.”
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