Hastings United 0 – 2 Corinthian-Casuals
Ryman League Division One South
Monday 23rd February 2015
Match report: Stuart Tree
Corinthian-Casuals found a potentially tough battle easy going as they comfortably defeated Hastings 2-0 at a chilly Pilot Field on Monday night.
And Boss Matt Howard praised his whole team for their ‘workman-like performance’.
Hastings, who by their own standards have been struggling this term, began the evening one point below Casuals in 19th and having played six games more than the visitors.
Howard made just one change to the starting XI from that which lost to Badshot Lea in the Surrey Senior Cup last Tuesday. In came Dave Hodges, back from a slight injury to replace Reece Placid. There was a place on the bench for new signing Max Austin.
On a surface fit for the higher leagues and a credit to their club, both teams looked to get the ball down and play. The early exchanges were even but Hastings had the first real opportunity; Evan Archibald prodding the ball just wide of the far post after receiving a decent cross from the left flank. At the other end, Maz Bettache’s shot from the edge of the box was deflected just wide of the mark.
Jamie Byatt, looking to get on the scoresheet for the first time since returning from Brazil found himself played through by an incisive Lee Hall pass. With Hasting’s keeper Josh Pelling rushing out and finding himself in no-man’s land, Byatt looked to capitalise. However, his acute angled shot was fired high and wide.
Though the play was open and end-to-end, neither could find the net and the teams entered the break on level terms.
A half-time substitution appeared to make all the difference. Four minutes into his Casual’s debut, Max Austin found himself on the scoresheet. Juevan Spencer, who tormented the Hastings defence all night, produced a run which at first appeared to be going nowhere. However, the ball broke kindly and Spencer drilled a cross/shot which was guided home by Austin.
Five minutes later and it was two-nil. A free kick in a dangerous position was gently laid off by Maz Bettache to Jamie Byatt who fired hard and low into the bottom corner to bag his 20th goal of the season.
From there on in, it was the Amateurs on the ascendency. The 220-strong home crowd barely mustered a cheer except for the ironic applause given to Taser Hassan after his long range effort is the first to warm Danny Bracken’s hands. A lone cry of “what a load of c**p’ rang out across the Pilot Field and summed up the frustrations of many home fans.
Hastings rallied in the final minutes and Hassan came closest to scoring when his header is scrambled clear of the box.
A solid performance from all of the players, both defensively and offensively gave Corinth a much deserved win and made the two-hour coach journey home all the more easier.
After the match, boss Matt Howard spoke,
“It was a great performance tonight… a really hard workman-like performance from everyone. Jamie Byatt defensively was outstanding; Joe Hicks was solid at the back as normal.
“We said ‘if we can get in at half-time nil-nil, we’ll fancy ourselves to win this’ and obviously we did.
“We’ve come out and got an early goal. I thought Juevan (Spencer) had made a mistake and overcooked it, so I turned away in frustration and next thing I know, it’s in the back of the net. 3 minutes into the second half and that’s settled everyone.
“Once we got the first, Hastings had to come at us and we knew we’d get more chances. In fairness we probably could’ve scored more. We’ll take that… 2-0.
“Another clean sheet; that’s the bit that’s pushing me on… the clean sheets.
“A clean sheet against Faversham, a clean sheet against AFC Wimbledon and a clean sheet again tonight.
“Three minutes into his Casuals career and Max Austin has scored and I’ll take that all day long. But there’s more to come from Max. He’s got more in the tank for sure.
“Saturday’s a big game for us. It’s such a shame that our bad spell lasted so long. If we’d have won three of those matches, we’d have been right in the hunt. We’ve got games in hand and they’re coming thick and fast and while we played the way we have tonight, then I say, bring ‘em on!”
Ryman League Division One South
Monday 23rd February 2015
Match report: Stuart Tree
Corinthian-Casuals found a potentially tough battle easy going as they comfortably defeated Hastings 2-0 at a chilly Pilot Field on Monday night.
And Boss Matt Howard praised his whole team for their ‘workman-like performance’.
Hastings, who by their own standards have been struggling this term, began the evening one point below Casuals in 19th and having played six games more than the visitors.
Howard made just one change to the starting XI from that which lost to Badshot Lea in the Surrey Senior Cup last Tuesday. In came Dave Hodges, back from a slight injury to replace Reece Placid. There was a place on the bench for new signing Max Austin.
On a surface fit for the higher leagues and a credit to their club, both teams looked to get the ball down and play. The early exchanges were even but Hastings had the first real opportunity; Evan Archibald prodding the ball just wide of the far post after receiving a decent cross from the left flank. At the other end, Maz Bettache’s shot from the edge of the box was deflected just wide of the mark.
Jamie Byatt, looking to get on the scoresheet for the first time since returning from Brazil found himself played through by an incisive Lee Hall pass. With Hasting’s keeper Josh Pelling rushing out and finding himself in no-man’s land, Byatt looked to capitalise. However, his acute angled shot was fired high and wide.
Though the play was open and end-to-end, neither could find the net and the teams entered the break on level terms.
A half-time substitution appeared to make all the difference. Four minutes into his Casual’s debut, Max Austin found himself on the scoresheet. Juevan Spencer, who tormented the Hastings defence all night, produced a run which at first appeared to be going nowhere. However, the ball broke kindly and Spencer drilled a cross/shot which was guided home by Austin.
Five minutes later and it was two-nil. A free kick in a dangerous position was gently laid off by Maz Bettache to Jamie Byatt who fired hard and low into the bottom corner to bag his 20th goal of the season.
From there on in, it was the Amateurs on the ascendency. The 220-strong home crowd barely mustered a cheer except for the ironic applause given to Taser Hassan after his long range effort is the first to warm Danny Bracken’s hands. A lone cry of “what a load of c**p’ rang out across the Pilot Field and summed up the frustrations of many home fans.
Hastings rallied in the final minutes and Hassan came closest to scoring when his header is scrambled clear of the box.
A solid performance from all of the players, both defensively and offensively gave Corinth a much deserved win and made the two-hour coach journey home all the more easier.
After the match, boss Matt Howard spoke,
“It was a great performance tonight… a really hard workman-like performance from everyone. Jamie Byatt defensively was outstanding; Joe Hicks was solid at the back as normal.
“We said ‘if we can get in at half-time nil-nil, we’ll fancy ourselves to win this’ and obviously we did.
“We’ve come out and got an early goal. I thought Juevan (Spencer) had made a mistake and overcooked it, so I turned away in frustration and next thing I know, it’s in the back of the net. 3 minutes into the second half and that’s settled everyone.
“Once we got the first, Hastings had to come at us and we knew we’d get more chances. In fairness we probably could’ve scored more. We’ll take that… 2-0.
“Another clean sheet; that’s the bit that’s pushing me on… the clean sheets.
“A clean sheet against Faversham, a clean sheet against AFC Wimbledon and a clean sheet again tonight.
“Three minutes into his Casuals career and Max Austin has scored and I’ll take that all day long. But there’s more to come from Max. He’s got more in the tank for sure.
“Saturday’s a big game for us. It’s such a shame that our bad spell lasted so long. If we’d have won three of those matches, we’d have been right in the hunt. We’ve got games in hand and they’re coming thick and fast and while we played the way we have tonight, then I say, bring ‘em on!”
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