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Stalemate

26/2/2023

Corinthian-Casuals 0-0 Canvey Island

Pitching In Isthmian Premier Division
Saturday 25 February 2023
Attendance 277
Match Report by Finlay Stubbs
Photo by Chris Randall

Corinthian-Casuals got their long-awaited first clean sheet of the season following a 0-0 draw against play-off chasing Canvey Island in a game that either side could have won.

Casuals came into the game looking to bounce back from a disappointing defeat away to Folkestone Invicta last weekend, and Justin Fevrier made one change to the starting XI, with captain-for-the-afternoon Shaun McAuley coming into the centre of midfield.

Canvey came closest in the opening stages, with Joe Paxman’s effort cleared off the line by Simba Kudyiwa to deny the visitors from taking the lead. Then followed a closely fought half, with both teams playing on the front foot and testing their opponents’ back line, leading to a high-tempo game, although neither side was able to control possession.

As the rain came pouring down, Casuals began to find space to exploit in the wide areas with Joe Halsey driving forward down the right before cutting inside and seeing his effort saved by Bobby Mason. At the other end, keeper Callum Coulter was called into action to deny Bradley Sach one-on-one after he was slipped through on goal by former Casuals midfielder Charlie Edwards.

Fevrier’s men continued to grow into the half, causing Canvey problems with their movement in and around the box. Casuals had a chance to go into the break ahead as a corner was swung in from the left, which Mason failed to deal with, but Malakai Hyman put his effort over.

The second half was a frantic affair as both teams looked to play on the front foot, causing the game to open up. The counter-attack was a constant threat throughout the half and Coulter was called into action early on, tipping a header over the bar from close range following a long throw from the visitors.

Casuals then had two big chances in the space of three minutes as Kamara ran through on goal, but he was kept out by the feet of Mason. The keeper was then called into action again as Mack Reilly drove into the box and his shot was blocked, before the rebound fell to Kamara who was once more denied by Mason, getting down well to his right. Casuals kept pushing forward, as Finlay Lovatt dribbled down the left and his cross was headed clear before an attacker could latch onto it. Shortly afterwards, substitute Jared Myers immediately impacted the game with his pace and tenacity, steaming down the right before seeing his shot pushed away by Mason.

Canvey were also on the search for a late winner and almost got their moment through Sach who ghosted past two Casuals players in the box before placing his effort wide from 12 yards out. They then continued to push for a goal and looked to impose their physical presence in the box, with Edwards flicking a header goalwards that was well kept out by Coulter.

The closing stages were fiercely contested with Casuals looking to frustrate the visitors as conditions brightened up and the sun shone through the clouds. The hosts defended the late onslaught with resilience and Canvey continued to deliver into the box from wide areas but the Casuals back line was equal to everything, claiming their first shut-out of the season.

Overall, it was another well-earned point for Casuals who created enough chances to have won against a potential promotion candidate and defended resolutely when they needed to.

Next up for Casuals is an away trip to Margate next Saturday, before they return home for a local derby against Carshalton Athletic on Saturday 11 March.

Corinthian-Casuals: Coulter; Kudyiwa, Lahan, Hyman; Halsey (Myers 73), McAuley, Williams, Adelakun; Kamara (Dowridge 82), Reilly, Lovatt (Pinney 74)

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Too Little Too Late

19/2/2023

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Folkestone Invicta 3-2 Corinthian-Casuals
Gayle 38                        Lovatt 90
Olutade 70, 89 Pinney 90

Pitching In Isthmian Premier League
Saturday 18th February 2022
Attendance: 778
Match Report by Finlay Stubbs

A late fightback from Corinthian-Casuals wasn’t enough to take anything away from the south coast as they fell to a 3-2 defeat to Folkestone Invicta in a frantic encounter.

After the dramatic late equaliser against promotion chasing Hornchurch on Tuesday, Casuals came into the game with the belief that they can compete with the strongest teams in the league. Justin Fevrier made two changes to the starting XI with a return for Hakeem Adelakun and Malakai Hyman coming in for Zack Chislett and the injured Ricardo Thompson.

The first half was a closely fought affair with both teams not allowing space in the midfield, forcing the game to mostly be played out wide, where Jared Myers looked lively for Casuals, seeing an early effort deflected over for a corner.

Folkestone started to grow into the game with a flurry of corners and had the ball in the back of the net, only for it to be ruled out for offside, before Callum Coulter was forced to make a save to deny Ian Gayle at the back post from a free kick. Shortly afterwards, Casuals were caught on the ball and Ira Jackson drove forward and saw his effort clip the outside of the near post.

At the other end, Sahid Kamara got in behind the Invicta backline after an intricate through ball from Mack Reilly, but a last ditch challenge from Gayle prevented him from getting a shot away.

At the other end, Casuals defender Jola Lahan was forced to concede a corner to prevent Ian Draycott getting in for Folkestone, looping a header over his own crossbar. However, the hosts took advantage of the set-piece, playing short to Scott Heard, whose cross wasn’t cleared by Casuals allowing Gayle to pounce and fire his side ahead.

At the start of the second half, Casuals began proceedings on the front foot with Morgan Williams testing Patrick Ohman with a strike from the edge of the area after some tricky footwork from Kamara.

Reilly then felt he should have won his side a penalty after he was brought down in the area but the referee waved play on to Casuals’ disappointment.

The game then became an end-to-end affair, with Casuals trying to break down the Folkestone defensive shape, while the hosts were looking to strike on the counter-attack. This plan worked for the hosts as they doubled their lead in the 70th minute when Ibrahim Olutade latched onto a direct ball from Ohman, looping his effort over the onrushing Coulter.

Despite the goal, Casuals continued to attack and try to find their way back into the game with Reilly heading an effort straight at Ohman. Finlay Lovatt then worked his way through the Folkestone backline with his attacking endeavour and trickery, before his effort was pushed wide by the goalkeeper.

Unfortunately for Casuals, Folkestone grabbed a third with a minute of normal time remaining when Jackson picked up a short corner, dribbled past his marker and squared to Olutade, who couldn't miss from close range to claim his second and seal the victory for his side.

Undeterred, Casuals kept probing in added time and got a consolation through Lovatt, who drove into the box and slotted his effort home to give the travelling supporters something to cheer about.

They weren’t done there either, grabbing a second through substitute Nathaniel Pinney, who curled an effort with the outside of his boot into the top corner after hard work from youngster Will McDonald.

But it was a difficult afternoon for Casuals as they lost out in an even contest that featured chances for both teams. In the end, it was a matter of producing quality and impetus in both boxes, where the hosts claimed the victory. Nonetheless, Casuals can go into the next Saturday’s game at home to Canvey Island confident in their ability to find the net after a promising end to the game.

Corinthian Casuals: Coulter; Hyman (Dowridge 45), Kudyiwa, Lahan, Halsey; (Pinney 59), Williams, Adelakun; Myers, Kamara, Lovatt; Reilly (McDonald 77)

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Did He Mean It?

15/2/2023

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Corinthian-Casuals 2-2 Hornchurch 
Williams 36                     Hayles 72 
Lovatt 90+                       Brown 84 
 
Pitching in Isthmian Premier League  
Tuesday 14 February 2023 
Attendance 160 
Match Report by James Streatfield
Image by Scott White
 
Finlay Lovatt rescued a point in remarkable fashion for Corinthian-Casuals in the dying breaths after an all-action encounter with third-placed Hornchurch. 
 
Four days on from disappointment at home to Hastings United, Casuals boss Justin Fevrier made four changes from the team that started on Saturday. 
 
The opening stages proved to be a cagey affair, with neither side posing a concrete threat to the other. Jared Myers gave Casuals their first opportunity, taking the ball on his chest and running down the line, only to play a ball across the box that couldn’t be met by any of his teammates. A warning sign for the opposition. 
 
The visitors then began to pile on the pressure, showing their threat. A looping free kick found the head of Rickie Hayles, who's equally looping header was making its way towards the top right corner before the left fingertips of Callum Coulter tipped it over the bar. Coulter was once again called into action when Liam Nash steamed through one-on-one with the Casuals keeper, who matched the attacker’s shot with a sterling save down to his left. 
 
Hornchurch’s number 8 and captain, Lewwis Spence, had been dictating the play through this period, starting attacks and moving the ball from side to side effectively. This was until the 26th minute when he was forced off through injury and the tide turned. Casuals gained a hold of the game and dominated the midfield battle. This dominance showed when Mack Reilly’s slide-rule pass was met by the ever-willing run of Morgan Williams (pictured top), who slotted it through the legs of Joe Wright to make it 1-0 to Casuals. Handed his full debut by Fevrier, Williams – on loan from AFC Wimbledon – put in a stellar performance, pulling the strings and breaking up play, making it difficult for Hornchurch to progress, particularly in the first half. This was until the 26th minute when he was forced off through injury and the tide turned. Casuals gained a hold of the game and dominated the midfield battle.  
 
Casuals came out after half-time with the same vigour and determination that they finished the previous half. Williams continued to probe, while Myers tried and tested his man, having now switched sides to play on the left. 
 
Mark Stimson ordered his Hornchurch players to “level up”, and unfortunately for Casuals, that’s exactly what they did, as a Remi Sutton throw-in fell to Sam Higgins who swivelled and fired a fierce shot from close range. Once again, however, Coulter came out on top, saving low with his feet.  
 
The warning signs became graver as the game progressed into the latter stages, and Hornchurch eventually levelled when Rickie Hayles met a corner at the near post and found the net from close range. There was nothing Coulter in the Casuals net could do about this one.  
 
The situation worsened 10 minutes later when a loose header from Lahan fell into the path of Hornchurch’s Ellis Brown, who calmly slotted the ball away into the bottom-left corner. With five minutes of normal time left to play, Casuals looked all out of luck.  
 
Fevrier looked to his bench, calling upon the services of Nathaniel Pinney, who came into the game to make his 100th Casuals appearance. Our congratulations are extended to him on this achievement and we thank him for his services to the club.  
 
He had still had a part to play in the action too. The visitors seemed to be walking away with the victory as the game entered stoppage time, keeping the ball penned deep into Casuals’ half. Though it’s not over until it’s over, and Pinney picked up the ball on the edge of the box and played a sharp ball out to Finlay Lovatt, who’s cross-come-shot miraculously looped inside the far post and into the back of the Hornchurch net in the last moments of the game to level it up. The players celebrated with the supporters behind the goal before the final whistle blew on a dramatic game. 
 
Casuals can take positives from their performance – a real show of determination. Taking the game to a team at the top end of the table and coming away with a point will instil confidence in the side for the near future.  
 
Corinthian-Casuals: Coulter; Chislett (Stokoe 83), Kudyiwa, Lahan, Halsey (Pinney 90); Thompson (c) (Hyman 58), Williams; Myers, Kamara, Lovatt; Reilly 

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Battling Casuals Frustrated by Hastings

12/2/2023

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Corinthian-Casuals 0-2 Hastings United
Pope 28 (pen)
Scott 43

Pitching In Isthmian Premier League
Saturday 11 February 2023
Attendance 286
Match Report by Finlay Stubbs
Image by Chris Randall

Corinthian-Casuals were left disappointed after two first-half goals were enough for Hastings to take the three points back to the south coast, in a game where both teams created opportunities.

After the last-gasp defeat to Horsham on Tuesday, Casuals boss Justin Fevrier gave debuts to Jola Lahan, Shaun McAuley and winger Sahid Kamara in an attempt to get back to winning ways.

The opening stages were closely fought, with both teams looking to impose their patterns of play with Mack Reilly and Kamara looking to get on the ball and test the Hastings full-backs. Casuals almost got the breakthrough when Finlay Lovatt showed resilience driving into the box, evading challenges from the Hastings defence, however his cross was just behind Kamara.

The visitors then started to create chances of their own, showing their physical presence as Ollie Black saw his header tipped over by Callum Coulter. Then Hastings were given an opportunity to take the lead after Simba Kudyiwa was adjudged to have wrestled David Smith to the ground in the Casuals area, causing the referee to point to the spot. Ben Pope stepped up and fired his effort under Coulter to put his side ahead.

Hastings gained confidence from the goal, continuing to push forward, and they almost got their second after a dangerous Black long throw caused havoc in the Casuals area. The ball eventually made its way to Freddie Legg who fired his effort just wide. The visitors were rewarded for their persistent pressure, though, and got their second before half-time after a driving run from Pope, who saw his effort from range parried into the path of Knory Scott, and he tapped his effort in to give Hastings a two goal lead at the break.

Coulter was called into action early in the second half, denying a Craig Stone header from point-blank range following a free kick from the left to deny the visitors from grabbing their third.

Casuals then got on the front foot, looking to find a way back into the game. A close-range strike from Reilly was well kept out by Louis Rogers in the Hastings goal to deny any early comeback. The hosts kept pushing forward in wide areas as a cross from Malakai Hyman found Kamara who put his header just wide from close range, and the second half onslaught from Casuals continued after Rogers pulled off a miraculous save to keep out Reilly from close range following excellent link-up play between substitute Morgan Williams – another debutant – and Lovatt.

In the closing stages, Hastings recovered their composure and had an excellent chance to snatch their third after a long-range effort from Kane Penn was well saved by Coulter in the top corner to keep the deficit at two before the full-time whistle was blown.

It was a frustrating afternoon for Casuals who at times opened up a disciplined Hastings defence in the second half, only for Rogers to deny any fightback. He earned his clean sheet with multiple reaction saves, but despite the defeat, Casuals can take confidence from the second-half display and signs that they are able to break down an organised defence.

Corinthian-Casuals: Coulter; Hyman (Myers 66), Kudyiwa, Lahan, Nicholas (Dowridge 84); Lovatt, McAuley, Thompson, Kamara; Reilly; Pinney (Williams 58)

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Stalemate

Too Little Too Late

Did He Mean It?

Battling Casuals Frustrated by Hastings

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