AFC Whyteleafe 5 - 1 Corinthian-Casuals
Combined Counties League Premier South
Saturday 28th December 2024
Report: Dominic Bliss
Photos: Stuart Tree (full set here) More photos from Andy Nunn here.

The first thing to say is this was not a typical 5-1 game. Casuals were not outclassed, simply beaten to the punch too many times by a ruthless Whyteleafe side who are in the thick of a tight promotion race.

At times, we had the better of the play between the boxes and our widemen were keen and effective. Trey Masikini was the liveliest player on the pitch in the opening exchange and won a penalty when he panicked the Whyteleafe goalkeeper into bringing him down just inside the area on seven minutes. Diogo da Silva, who also troubled the opposition backline during a bright start, stepped up to dispatch the penalty with nonchalant grace, sending George Hill the wrong way and giving Casuals an early lead.

Perhaps stung by Horley Town’s comeback the previous week, and aware of the threat posed by Whyteleafe, there was a reluctance among players and travelling support to get too ahead of ourselves.

With fog enveloping Church Road, the home side conversely began to play with more clarity, jolted into action by that early blow. Whyteleafe dominated the middle of the first half, with their midfield men Dan Bennett and Jordan Johnson-Palmer getting on the ball more, and green shirts surging onto second balls before looking to find their rapid wingers, Ryans Gondoh and Hall, at every opportunity.

The equaliser – after 20 minutes – was a piece of instinctive brilliance from Hall, who gave the Casuals defence very little chance to set themselves as he seized on a loose ball on the edge of the area following a blocked effort.

Kieron Cadogan came close for Casuals with a free kick shortly afterwards, as the visitors looked to respond. But just when we began to regain a foothold, we were caught cold by another through ball, and Matt Kellett-Smith arrived late in his attempt to intervene, bundling over his man just inside the area. The referee pointed to the spot.

Mo Maan returned to goal this week and read the penalty well, getting down to his left to push it away, only to see the determined Hall pounce on the rebound and score with his follow-up effort.

We were very much in the game until half-time, but within 10 minutes of the restart our optimism was dashed by a goal from Gondoh, our tormentor-in-chief in the reverse fixture against Whyteleafe earlier this season.

Yet Casuals continued to get on the ball and produce moments of promise, if only we had been more decisive in the final third. At times the combination play of Masikini, Cadogan, Da Silva and Reyon Dillon was enough to open up a half-chance, but we were shot shy, waiting for a clearer opening that just wouldn’t come.

Meanwhile, there was an intensity and a tenacity to the hosts’ play in both boxes. At the back, Corey Holder was vocal throughout, geeing up his team-mates, applauding every block, every challenge, every intervention the home side made in defence of their area. The experienced centre-back used to coach the Corinthian-Casuals FA Youth Cup side during our collaboration with Kinetic Academy a few years back and his nous, alongside the quality of skipper Helge Orome, made it very difficult for a lively Casuals attack to make a telling breakthrough.

It all played a part in the psychological battle, as Whyteleafe grew in belief, and Casuals’ confidence dropped off. There was no gulf in class, but there was a difference in decisiveness.

Mo Maan in goal made a couple of brave one-on-one blocks but could do little to prevent Gondoh and Orome adding a fourth, then a fifth, as we committed more men forward in search of a way back into the game.

On a day when it felt like every mistake was punished to the full, the frustration was in the fine detail. Whyteleafe’s fourth came from a break immediately after a Casuals attacking move that broke down due to over-elaborate play in front of goal. Their fifth came moments after Casuals’ substitute, Rafael Barbosa, was cynically brought down by the last man in the Whyteleafe backline after bursting towards goal with just the keeper to beat. The foul was made just outside the area, yet the referee decided to award just a yellow card, leaving Casuals dumbfounded as they watched the 11 men of the home side go and extend their lead at the other end.

No, the scoreline was not a true reflection of the game, or the respective quality within the two teams, but it did tell a story of its own about momentum. A few weeks back, Casuals were on the right side of an encounter like this, dismantling a spirited Sheerwater side as we seized on every loose ball and relentlessly pushed for more and more goals, eventually running out 4-1 winners in Tolworth.

A return to that level of performance wouldn’t take much. The ability is there, the support from our fans has never waned, and the togetherness within the dressing room was clear to see in the celebrations following Diogo’s opener. Sometimes a game just gets beyond a team in the middle of a difficult run. It will only take a battling victory to turn things around.

Corinthian-Casuals: Mo Maan, Gjoshe, Kellett-Smith, M Dos Santos, Protsyshyn, Antonio, Onovwigun (Barbosa 72), Da Silva (Cheklit 79), Cadogan (Cascoe-Rogers 68), Masikini, Dillon (Osunkoya 68)

Corinthian-Casuals 3 - 3 Horley Town
Combined Counties League Premier South
Saturday 21st December 2024
Report and Pics - Stuart Tree (full set here)
More photos from Andy Nunn here.

Back in the eighties, the late Jimmy Greaves coined the phrase “a game of two halves” – an idiom to describe a half of wonderous glory followed by self-destruction, or vice-versa. For instance, being 3-0 up at half time only to be pegged back by your opponents, a la Milan in the 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul, when Gerrard’s Liverpool made an astonishing comeback.

Now, I’m not comparing Casuals to Milan here – certainly not on the rough playing surface of King George’s at the moment. But when Horley Town’s Mason Seagroatt completed an unforeseeable comeback in the 93rd minute, Casuals would’ve been glad that the tie didn’t go to penalties and George Hyde in the Town goal, didn’t get to perform ‘spaghetti legs’.

But it was an astounding turnaround of events considering the dominance of Casuals in the first half. Though six goals in this fixture was never off the cards since the reverse match at the ironically-named New Defence saw nine goals shipped in all – with Casuals taking it 5-4.

Back to Saturday and Mu Maan’s side were looking to turnaround a very disappointing result at a bleak Chipstead in the week, where he expressed his frustration at conceding three goals. It couldn’t happen again! Could it? When Casuals produced a first half performance of such pleasure to fully redeem themselves, talk was of ‘clean sheets’ and ‘score six to fully send a message’. Oh Casuals – the tumultuous life we lead together.

Hero of the first 45 minutes was Diogo Da Silva – Casuals’ top scorer, who added a further three to this season’s tally, bringing the Brazilian to eleven and overtaking Kieron Cadogan in the process. He was faultless from the penalty spot in the fifth minute, following up with a goal, direct from his corner and finally, finishing off a beautiful Cadogan pass to give Corinth their most comfortable half-time lead this season. It could’ve been more with other set pieces flashing agonisingly close amongst other dangerous plays.

But it will remain a mystery as to what happened in the break. Was it all too easy? Did Horley think ‘get one early and it’s game on’? Perhaps a combination of both and when Casuals’ defence failed to reach the heights of Seagroatt’s header, five minutes after the break, it truly was ‘game on’!

Truth be-told, Casuals could’ve put the game to bed shortly after, with Hyde thwarting Cadogan’s neat trickery with a top save to his left.

But for the most part, it was one-way traffic with only one side looking hungry for the win. Horley pressed and split open a gaping hole in the defence, allowing Ben Senior the freedom of Tolworth to really pile the pressure on the home side. Had it not been for u18’s stopper David Wloch in goal, Horley would’ve found parity sooner than they did. The highlight of a string of saves was a full stretch one-handed tip onto the post to keep the score down.

It was baffling to watch though. A side with so much talent appeared to have forgotten how to play football. Clearances were hurried. Play was rushed. Defenders looked desperate to get the ball away from their feet as soon as possible. It only led to more and more pressure and, as we could all see coming, it finally broke – with Seagroatt completing the fully deserved comeback in stoppage time.

It’ll be interesting to see how Maan and his team address the situation; A playoff place is increasingly unlikely and relegation isn’t even a thought. But does this lead to complacency and apathy, the likes of which manifested itself with that second half performance? With just ten games left this season (which is utter madness in itself having four months of the season remaining), are Casuals ‘on the beach’? Post turkey redemption awaits.

Chipstead 3-2 Corinthian-Casuals
Combined Counties Premier Division South
Tuesday 17 December 2024
Report: Josh Lamey
Images: Andy Nunn

Corinthian-Casuals ended up on the wrong side of a five-goal thriller at Chipstead, as further inconsistencies have saw our hopes of reaching the play-offs fade.

Armed with pink-and-chocolate hats, gloves and scarves – the Casuals faithful were ready to brave a chilly, pre-Christmas Tuesday evening in Surrey. Fresh from Saturday's lively 0-0 draw at home to Tooting & Mitcham, a more clinical performance in front of goal ultimately proved to be in vain, as fast winds contributed to set-piece struggles.

Chipstead required a rapid change of fortune from their previous game, which saw them suffer an 8-1 demolition to promotion hopefuls Jersey Bulls to hoist themselves away from the lower end of the table. And the hosts got just the response they were looking for.

It was an energetic start to the game, with both sides looking to break lines when they could, but despite Casuals looking the more likely, it was Chipstead that broke the deadlock on 18 minutes when Elijah Hopwood’s well-delivered wide free-kick was steered in at the near post by captain Tijani Eshilokun, although it looked to take a nick of defender Matt Kellett-Smith.

Moments later, Casuals left-back Arsenii Protsyshyn decided to take matters into his own hands to light up the gloomy Surrey night with a piece of attacking excellence. After some intricate link-up play with Kieron Cadogan, the Ukrainian smashed one across the face of goal and Trey Masikini was never going to miss out on his second goal of the campaign.

Corinthian-Casuals were back on track, and after going painfully close to scoring on Saturday, Reyon Dillon was back among the goals last night. Cadogan slipped him through, and the sheer strength and resilience saw him shrug off the Chipstead defender and fire low and hard beyond Klevis Muca.

Casuals fans would be forgiven for grabbing a hot drink and heading in early for half-time, to warm up knowing their side had the upper hand. However, Melford Simpson had other ideas. A familiar name haunted the Corinthian back line as he held the ball up on his chest, before playing it out wide and making a run into the box, where he got on the end of a low ball into his path. His effort was scuffed and looped into the air, deceiving both the fans and David Wloch as it dropped under the crossbar to draw the Chips level in stoppage time.

The hosts then began the second half how they ended the first, with a damaging blow to the Casuals defence after a corner wasn’t cleared to safety, and Evan Kelly forced the ball in from close range.

Both sides were a whisker away from adding to their respective tallies just after the hour mark. Ben Jordan would’ve been shocked that he didn’t give Chipstead a two-goal advantage after whacking the upright from a favourable position, before Dillon had the chance to notch his second and draw Casuals level, but he couldn’t bundle home Diogo Da Silva’s corner from under the crossbar, a defender getting a boot to the ball first.

With time running out, Casuals already had a tough task on their hands if they wanted to snatch a share of the spoils, but they had a mountain to climb after Hakeem Adelakun was sent off late on. Emmanuel Robe burst through the ranks, and the captain had to stop him to keep the deficit at just one. The definition of taking one for the team, but after some late pressure, this one would go down as Casuals’ fourth loss in the last five.

Corinthian-Casuals: Wloch, Gjoshe, Kellett-Smith, M Dos Santos, Protsyshyn, Adelakun, Antonio (Onovwigun 61), Dillon (Cascoe-Rogers 61), Cheklit (Da Silva 55), Masikini, Cadogan

Corinthian-Casuals 0-0 Tooting & Mitcham United
Combined Counties Premier Division South
Saturday 14 December 2024
Report: Josh Lamey. Images: Stuart Tree (full set here).

“On another day it could’ve been three or four,” lamented Matt Kellett-Smith following yesterday’s respectable goalless draw against ex-Casual Jamie Byatt’s Tooting & Mitcham United.

On an afternoon of familiar faces, Byatt and his in-form Terrors side came to King George’s Field looking to propel themselves up the table after a rich vein of form in which they have gone six games unbeaten.

It has been the opposite story for Corinthian-Casuals, after the frustration of defeat to Guildford here on Tuesday night. Jersey and Fleet have also successfully left Tolworth with points in one way or another lately, and this was another tough test for Mu Maan’s men as two friends became rivals for another 90 minutes. A crowd of 310 showed the popularity of this fixture between two grand old non-league clubs.

Casuals winger Trey Masikini had the first opportunity to make his mark on the contest on the 10-minute mark, when his nimble footwork saw him glide between defenders on the edge of the area. All that was left to do was wrap one into the top corner, but his effort sailed the wrong side of the post. A start of speed and purpose from the hosts.

Masikini’s early intricacies were matched down the other end just moments later. A floater played in from the Tooting right seemed to hang in the sky forever, until Darra Wopara’s acrobatic bicycle attempt was grasped by Sami Nabbad. One for the cameras, perhaps, but not far off giving his side a spectacular lead.

Reyon Dillon will be a name cemented into the minds of every Tooting defender thanks to his decisive double back in August, and he was a mere inch away from crafting another sucker punch against the Stripes. Dillon won a footrace with goalkeeper Toby McKimm before squaring it to Kieron Cadogan, whose drag back and strike was crucially blocked on the goal line to prevent the opener.

The last chance of the half would fall to Tooting’s number nine, Alex Cruickshank, who saw a glimpse at goal with Nabbad off his line. From 40 yards out, it would have needed to be perfect to creep beyond the Casuals keeper, but nevertheless it took an athletic save to preserve the clean sheet going into the break.

Heading into the second 45, Corinth were looking to rekindle the type of confidence in front of goal which helped them secure victory at Imperial Fields earlier in the season. Dillon had the game at his feet once again after being face-to-face with McKimm, but whacked a ferocious effort narrowly wide of the near post.

They say pressure makes diamonds, and Corinthian-Casuals were agonisingly close to being rewarded for their attacking prowess once again. It was panic stations in the Tooting area, as block after block kept Cadogan and Dillon at bay, who themselves

were desperate for any touch to take the ball into the net. After a crazy phase of play, the Stripes cleared to safety.

Added time was upon us, and it would take a moment of magic to prevent this one from going down in the history books as a 0-0 stalemate. Ben Cheklit – freshly back from injury – sought to seize his chance in the dying embers as he picked the ball up 25 yards out and curled a pearler towards the top left corner. Off their seats and expecting the net to ripple, the fans found themselves wondering what could’ve been had it not been for a tremendous save from McKimm.

“We had the better of the chances, so it was a shame not to get a result.” confessed Kellett-Smith at full time. “But I feel like if we play like that in the next game it’ll come, so it’s important to carry that momentum.”

Corinthian-Casuals: Nabbad, Gjoshe, Kellett-Smith, M Dos Santos, Potsyshyn, Adelakun (c), Antonio (Cheklit 69), Dillon, Da Silva (Cascoe-Rogers 76), Masikini, Cadogan

 Corinthian-Casuals 1-2 Guildford City
Combined Counties Premier Division South
Tuesday 10 December 2024
Report: Josh Lamey Images: Andy Nunn

Corinthian-Casuals felt the chill of defeat on an arctic evening in Tolworth, as Guildford City snatched victory in a tight Tuesday night contest.

Not winning since the previous meeting with Guildford has stalled Mu Maan’s side’s progress in the push for a play-off place, but the pink-and-chocolate army certainly hadn’t been short of entertainment in the intervening fixtures.

The reverse fixture five games ago saw Casuals bag a stoppage-time winner courtesy of Jerson Dos Santos. Since then, a spirited fightback from two down against Fleet Town tasted bittersweet, as one point could’ve been three on another day, while two stoppage time goals from Jersey Bulls denied us victory over the islanders.

Seeking payback for the prior encounter, 16th-placed Guildford had a point to prove last night. It was a scrappy start for both sides as they acclimatised to the conditions, but the deadlock was broken after 14 minutes, when Sami Nabbad misjudged after coming to clear on the edge of his box, leaving Deven Reid-Solanki to tuck home into an empty net.

However, Casuals erased the nightmare start with a glorious team goal just before the half-hour mark. Trey Masikini dribbling wizardry on the left wing was followed by a perfect cut-back to Diogo Da Silva in front of goal, and the Brazilian finished to grab his ninth goal of the season.

As the half wore on, the Corinthian chances continued to come, and a variety of Brazilian trickery had the home crowd gasping. Da Silva’s push and run had City’s back line stretched, and after some tidy interchange with Kieron Cadogan, he hammered the bar with a ferocious effort.

Cadogan was presented with the final opportunity of the half by a stunning ball across the face of goal from Michael Onovwigun, but the wrong contact meant it skimmed off his shin, although his blushes were spared by the linesman’s flag. Home fans and players alike went into the break in disbelief as to how they weren’t leading.

The second period began the same as the first: a topsy-turvy encounter that had the feeling it could go either way, and after a wave of Guildfordian dominance, another chance opened up for Corinth. Cadogan had the ball under his spell once again, and after dancing around opposition defenders on the edge of the box let fly. His shot was parried by Terry, but the rebound fell kindly to Da Silva who somehow failed to head home with the goal gaping.

Casuals were then punished for our profligacy when Emmanuel Acheampong capitalised on uncertainty in the Casuals backline to score Guildford’s second, before wheeling away to the corner flag with his whooping team-mates. 2-1 to the visitors.

Despite a bold late effort to find an equaliser, it wasn’t to be for Corinthian-Casuals in another agonising defeat.

Despite the result, winger Kiyo Brown was quick to acknowledge the role of the fans yesterday and throughout the season. “It’s great having such a large and noisy crowd,” he said. “It gives us that extra motivation to perform. They’re always such a big part, home and away, win or lose, they’re there no matter what.”

Corinthian-Casuals: Nabbad, Gjoshe, Pilonetto (Adelakun 58), Onovwigun (Ojo-Osagie 83), Kellett-Smith, Protsyshyn, Brown (Dillon 68), Antonio (M Dos Santos 64), Cadogan, Da Silva (Cascoe-Rogers 64), Masikini