Corinthian-Casuals 0 - 5 AFC Wimbledon
Pre Season Friendly
King George's Arena
Saturday 8th August 2020
​Words and Pictures: Stuart Tree

Corinthian-Casuals were dealt a first half lesson by a strong League One AFC Wimbledon side, played behind closed doors, conceding five goals before the break.

It was an eerie, yet welcoming feeling to have football return to King George’s. Meticulous preparations were taken to ensure the club was best secure of any Coronavirus infection. Temperatures were taken of everyone and sanitising was the order of the day. It was sad that fans weren’t allowed to witness a Dons first XI down at Tolworth, though a few made good use of vantage points from beyond the perimeter fence to watch their favourite team in action.

Both playing their first matches since Covid halted their seasons back in March, it was Glyn Hodges’ Dons who were out of the blocks the quickest. It took just three minutes for Troy Chiabi to tap home Joe Pigott’s cross.

It didn’t get any better for Casuals as Chiabi once again grabbed his second just 15 minutes later, once again converting a cross. Nesta Guinness-Walker made it three with a smart finish past Keeper Danny Bracken into the bottom corner. Chiabi earned his hat-trick on the half hour mark after rounding Bracken and finishing from an acute angle before Terell Thomas’ towering header made it 5-0 by half time.

With both sides making extensive changes, the second period was much more an even contest. Dons had a chance to add another from the spot but Roscrow’s penalty was well saved and it finished five-nil to the League One side.

Thanks to Glyn and all at AFC Wimbledon for providing top opposition and being wonderful guests. We wish them all the best for the season ahead.

Corinthian-Casuals 0-0 AFC Wimbledon
(Casuals win 4-3 on penalties)
London Senior Cup 2nd Round
Saturday 10th February 2015
Attendance: 137
Match report: Darren Pasley
Pics: Stuart Tree

On a night of high drama Casuals progressed to the quarter-finals of the London Senior Cup by knocking out current holders AFC Wimbledon at King George’s Arena.

The hosts made 4 changes to the winning line up from Saturdays win over Faversham whilst the visitors fielded their unbeaten academy side including a few first team players such as keeper Ross Worner, Jack Smith and Ben Harrison.

The young Dons side displayed their energy and pace inside the first minute as David Fitzpatrick broke from half way and feeding Billy Frost the cross was met by Chace Jacquart at the back post but the striker hit the post from yards out.

Fitzpatrick continued to cause problems down the right and this time he was the provider for Dan Agyei who was foiled by Danny Dudley. The striker who has hit 30 goals already this season electing to take a touch giving the Casuals defender time to clear.

It was all the visitors in the opening stages and Jacquart looking to make amends for his earlier miss curled an effort just wide of Brackens left hand post.

Following on from Saturdays inspired individual display Maz Bettache was looking to pull the strings for Casuals and in the 18th minute his trickery allowed him to elude two of his opposition and play in Byatt. Keeper Ross Worner who has recently returned from a spell at Woking was out sharply to block the strikers effort.

Another of Saturdays impressive players Juevan Spencer was next to try his luck when after latching onto Reece Placid’s precise cross he lifted his effort well clear of Worner’s upright.

Casuals pressure continued as they sensed the early tide from the visitors had curtailed.

Just before the half hour mark Bettache latching onto poor clearance drove into the box and weaved past 3 men allowing Dudley a shot at goal. Once again however Worner came to his sides rescue with a brilliant reaction save.

As the game swung from end to end Bracken this time came to his sides rescue as he blocked Agyei’s fierce drive with his legs as Casuals nearly paid the price for being caught in possession higher up the pitch.

Similarly to Saturday the keeper made a brilliant save just before the break to keep his clean sheet intact.

After Casuals made a mess of a high ball into the box the ball broke to Agyei 6 yards out central to goal but amazingly Bracken diverted the shot away with his outstretched toe despite going the other way.

The last kick of the half saw the visitors once again come inches from scoring as Jacquart's corner was met by the head of Jack Smith and his flicked header rebounded off the base of the far post and into the arms of a grateful Bracken.

Aware of the threat the young side posed at the start of the game Casuals sat deep at the start of the second and it seemed to hold back the visitors from exploiting any space.

Indeed it was Casuals who had the first effort themselves when Jake Downs had an effort from distance yet failed to trouble Worner.

Taylor Roles hooked effort from a corner on the hour mark was Wimbledon’s first effort, as it seemed both sides had figured each other out.

Jacquart went close once again when after winning himself a free kick he took the shot himself and was narrowly over the bar.

Casuals were now starting to push their opposition back with Spencer on the left hand flank causing all sorts of problems.

On 66 minutes after stumbling into the box and somehow keeping hold of the ball his low cross-found Byatt but the strikers mishit shot was gathered with ease by Worner.

The keeper was thankfully to his defenders for hacking away off the line after he fumbled Byatt’s corner with 20 minutes remaining whilst on the break at the other end Bracken was down smartly again to deny Agyei.

Worner made a superb flying save to keep out Byatt in the 75th minute as the pressure continued and then was inches away from converting Spencer’s cross as the winger once again beat Callum Wilkinson.

With the game approaching its conclusion there was one final glorious chance for Casuals. Byatt’s right wing cross found Spencer at the back post and with Jake Gill unmarked two yards out ready for a tap in the winger elected to shoot with Worner blocking. It ment the game finished scoreless and headed to a penalty shoot out.

The two number 9’s were up first with Agyei and then Byatt dispatching with little fuss.

Jacquart was then foiled by Bracken low down before Bettache calmly lifted over Bracken to give Casuals the advantage.

Kaja was next to be denied by Bracken as this time he got down to his right to keep the effort out. Lee Hall however hit the outside of the post to leave Casuals 2-1 up with 2 penalties each left.

Fitzpatrick and then sub Steve Barilli for Casuals both scored as the shoot out went down to the final kick each.

Having to score Taylor Robes sent Bracken the wrong way leaving Mason Welch-Turner with the chance of glory. Worner came to his sides rescue with a superb stop to take it into sudden death.

Right back Wilkinson who had been tormented by Spencer all evening capped off a poor evening by becoming to the 3rd player to be denied by Bracken.

It was up to the keeper to become the hero and he duly dispatched the spot kick into the corner (pictured below) to earn Casuals a tie at Hendon in the next round.

After the match, Manager Matt Howard spoke.

“The penny's dropped with the boys. They've bought into how we started the season. Perhaps we all got a little carried away with being top of the league at one stage. They took things too easy and moved away from what got us there in the first place.

To be honest, the Brazil trip was good because I had a lot of time with the players… practically living with them for a week. I had the chance to really talk to them, address a few things and I think they’ve now bought back into the idea of what got us to where we were.

That’s two games now… 180 minutes without conceding a goal. And apart from the world-class save Danny Bracken has made on Saturday against Faversham, he hasn’t really had a save to make. That’s credit to Danny as he’s organising his back four better.
Why’s he the best goalkeeper in the league? He hasn’t had a save to make, but when he’s called upon, he makes it.


The way we played in Brazil against Corinthians is the way we started the season. We all knew our jobs defensively… how we work with one another and we’ve thought ‘if we can do it against them, we can do it against anyone’.”

Stuart Tree' s pics are here and Andy Nunn's pictures can be viewed here