Corinthian-Casuals 0 - 0 Hemel Hempstead Town
Hemel win 4-2 on Penalties
FA Trophy 2nd Round
Saturday 19th December 2020
Report: Dan Richards. Pics: Stuart Tree (full set here).
More photos from Andy Nunn here.
As football returned to the United Business Group Stadium for the first time since October, it was a shame this FA Trophy second round game had to be played behind closed doors, although technically there were two fans watching after a pair of loyal Casuals found a vantage point on top of a shipping container just outside the ground.
The match started evenly, but the first chance of note went to the away side, when Reggie Young was sent through on the left-hand side. His cross was headed just over by striker Josh Oyisan from close range.
The National League South side then created another good chance down the same flank, this time Ryan Sellers with the cut-back cross, but Danny Webb’s shot went well wide.
Yet it was Corinth who had the first shot on target, which came from Harry Carter as he was played into the box on the right, and forced a smart save from the Tudors keeper Dean Snedker.
Just before half-time, we had the best chance of the first half too, when Kieron Cadogan was played through on the counter-attack. The forward opted to play in his strike partner Jerson dos Santos, who saw his low, driven shot go agonisingly wide across the Hempstead goal.
The heavens opened around the hour mark, but that didn’t stop the two Casuals fans on the container from showing their love for the club, chanting all game. Tremendous support!
In the 70th minute, Casuals forward Ben Cheklit had a fierce pop at goal that whistled just over the bar from 30 yards out – and you can see why after his beauties against Hendon and Dulwich Hamlet earlier this campaign.
A few minutes later, we had another great chance as a scramble in the box from a corner was cleared to the edge of the area. Carter curled a beautiful strike that just went past the right post.
In the dying moments of the game, former Aston villa player, Samir Carruthers set through Webb on a mazy run down the left. Danny Bracken then made a great save, smothering a Webb shot, before Andrew Mills cleared a Jonathan Lacey shot off the line. Relief for the Casuals.
As the final whistle was blown, it was straight to penalties. Casuals went first and Cadogan coolly dispatched his kick. Unfortunately, Coskun Ekim and Cheklit couldn’t convert after two brilliant saves from Snedker for the Tudors, including a fingertip onto the bar from Cheklit. The National League South side now face Bromley in the next round on Tuesday.
James Bracken was proud of his side despite the defeat.
“I thought we did great,” he said. “We got a clean sheet and had our opportunities.
“I managed to watch the opposition, which I don’t usually get to do with Saturday and Tuesday games, and they actually set up differently to usual, but it didn’t make too much difference because we were best-prepared today.
“It makes a massive difference when you can prepare properly, and the boys always focus when you give them the information – they did a great job.
“They had a few chances at the end when we were tired, but you have to remember we have had one game in seven weeks before today, where they have been playing every week, in the league above, and are a good side in it.
“It was a game you want your fans to help you through in the last 20 minutes, but we didn’t have that and the boys managed to find that within themselves. So fair play to the lads – they had no help and did it themselves.
“It was a game I knew we could win if we got anywhere near to where we needed to be, so I’m disappointed to go out of the competition but I’m pleased, ultimately, with how we played against higher-league opposition.
“It was always going to be hard to create chances out there today on that pitch, we knew that, and they struggled to carve out clear-cut chances. I thought Danny was good today, towards the end he made two or three really smart stops.
“There was a debutant – Yannis Ambroisine – out there today that did great. That was his first game of the season and today he has got through 90 minutes, so I’m pleased that the training we have done has prepared them properly.
“It was a good cup game. At the start of the second half the dynamics of the game did change and we did need to change shape because one or two players were having to do too much running. So we went on the counter attack a bit more often.
“It’s not a criticism but had we used our opportunities a bit better we might have carved out that clear-cut chance to win, but we didn’t do it. Overall, I’m pleased with the performance, though.”
Hemel win 4-2 on Penalties
FA Trophy 2nd Round
Saturday 19th December 2020
Report: Dan Richards. Pics: Stuart Tree (full set here).
More photos from Andy Nunn here.
As football returned to the United Business Group Stadium for the first time since October, it was a shame this FA Trophy second round game had to be played behind closed doors, although technically there were two fans watching after a pair of loyal Casuals found a vantage point on top of a shipping container just outside the ground.
The match started evenly, but the first chance of note went to the away side, when Reggie Young was sent through on the left-hand side. His cross was headed just over by striker Josh Oyisan from close range.
The National League South side then created another good chance down the same flank, this time Ryan Sellers with the cut-back cross, but Danny Webb’s shot went well wide.
Yet it was Corinth who had the first shot on target, which came from Harry Carter as he was played into the box on the right, and forced a smart save from the Tudors keeper Dean Snedker.
Just before half-time, we had the best chance of the first half too, when Kieron Cadogan was played through on the counter-attack. The forward opted to play in his strike partner Jerson dos Santos, who saw his low, driven shot go agonisingly wide across the Hempstead goal.
The heavens opened around the hour mark, but that didn’t stop the two Casuals fans on the container from showing their love for the club, chanting all game. Tremendous support!
In the 70th minute, Casuals forward Ben Cheklit had a fierce pop at goal that whistled just over the bar from 30 yards out – and you can see why after his beauties against Hendon and Dulwich Hamlet earlier this campaign.
A few minutes later, we had another great chance as a scramble in the box from a corner was cleared to the edge of the area. Carter curled a beautiful strike that just went past the right post.
In the dying moments of the game, former Aston villa player, Samir Carruthers set through Webb on a mazy run down the left. Danny Bracken then made a great save, smothering a Webb shot, before Andrew Mills cleared a Jonathan Lacey shot off the line. Relief for the Casuals.
As the final whistle was blown, it was straight to penalties. Casuals went first and Cadogan coolly dispatched his kick. Unfortunately, Coskun Ekim and Cheklit couldn’t convert after two brilliant saves from Snedker for the Tudors, including a fingertip onto the bar from Cheklit. The National League South side now face Bromley in the next round on Tuesday.
James Bracken was proud of his side despite the defeat.
“I thought we did great,” he said. “We got a clean sheet and had our opportunities.
“I managed to watch the opposition, which I don’t usually get to do with Saturday and Tuesday games, and they actually set up differently to usual, but it didn’t make too much difference because we were best-prepared today.
“It makes a massive difference when you can prepare properly, and the boys always focus when you give them the information – they did a great job.
“They had a few chances at the end when we were tired, but you have to remember we have had one game in seven weeks before today, where they have been playing every week, in the league above, and are a good side in it.
“It was a game you want your fans to help you through in the last 20 minutes, but we didn’t have that and the boys managed to find that within themselves. So fair play to the lads – they had no help and did it themselves.
“It was a game I knew we could win if we got anywhere near to where we needed to be, so I’m disappointed to go out of the competition but I’m pleased, ultimately, with how we played against higher-league opposition.
“It was always going to be hard to create chances out there today on that pitch, we knew that, and they struggled to carve out clear-cut chances. I thought Danny was good today, towards the end he made two or three really smart stops.
“There was a debutant – Yannis Ambroisine – out there today that did great. That was his first game of the season and today he has got through 90 minutes, so I’m pleased that the training we have done has prepared them properly.
“It was a good cup game. At the start of the second half the dynamics of the game did change and we did need to change shape because one or two players were having to do too much running. So we went on the counter attack a bit more often.
“It’s not a criticism but had we used our opportunities a bit better we might have carved out that clear-cut chance to win, but we didn’t do it. Overall, I’m pleased with the performance, though.”
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