Casuals Succumb to Derby Day Defeat

Corinthian-Casuals 0-2 Kingstonian 
 
Pitching In Isthmian Premier League  
Monday 10 April 2023 
Attendance 557 
Match Report by James Streatfield 
Photo by Simon Roe 
 
Corinthian-Casuals fell to defeat at the hands of local rivals Kingstonian on a gusty bank holiday afternoon. 
 
Just two days on from defeat at Cray Wanderers, Casuals came into the fixture knowing their fate had been decided this season. With relegation confirmed, and the prospect of Step 4 football next season, Brian Adamson’s men faced a tough task against a Kingstonian side themselves fighting for survival. 
 
The tone was set early on, with Casuals showing clear signs of a team with little to play for. Just 10 minutes in, Ibrahim Bangura picked up a deflected pass and fired a long-range effort that found the top-right corner of Callum Coulter’s net, though there wasn’t much the Casuals keeper could do about it. 
 
Kingstonian did not let up after their opener, piling the pressure on Casuals. Darnell Goather-Lewis’ shot from just inside the box stung the palms of Coulter, who tipped the ball round the post at full stretch, once again proving his value to his side. 
 
Ultimately, Casuals posed little threat to Kingstonian, who marshalled the home side’s attack well. The remainder of the first half fell largely in favour of the away side who attempted to build on their strong start. 
 
Kingstonian looked to have doubled their lead just before the break when Emmanuel Adebiyi played through David Nyarko but his shot cannoned off the crossbar and down onto the right side of the goal line from a Casuals perspective – a let off for the home side. 
 
After half-time, Casuals had an opening early on but Sahid Kamara’s speculative effort dribbled wide of the goal. Then Kingstonian took the game to us again, and Nyarko was involved once again when he burst through on goal and took the ball round Coulter, but his touch was too heavy and only found the hoardings behind the goal, to the relief of Casuals. 
 
Their relief would be short-lived, though, as Casuals found themselves 2-0 down on the hour mark when a ball from Goather-Lewis found Tom Collins, who settled himself before slotting the ball into the bottom-left corner. 
 
Casuals’ plight worsened not long after as Sean Agun’s was dismissed for a challenge on the half-way line. His dismissal provided a microcosm of Casuals’ day, and further disappointment awaited for the home side as Simba Kudyiwa also saw red after a crunching challenge on Michael Abnett, who began this season in a pink-and-chocolate shirt. Casuals were down to nine men, with tensions rising right up until the final whistle. 
 
With two games remaining in the season, Corinthian-Casuals travel to Brightlingsea Regent this Saturday, making up a contest between two relegated sides. The players will hope to give the fans something to cheer about on their last road trip of the season. 
 
Corinthian-Casuals: Coulter; Chislett, Kudyiwa, Hyman, Tucker; Thompson, Agun; Reilly (McDonald 69), Lovatt, Kamara (Janssen 69); Collins (Myers 45)