Corinthian-Casuals 2 - 1 Thamesmead Town
Saturday 10th March 2018
Bostik League South
Report and Photos: Stuart Tree (full set of images here)

​Corinthian-Casuals kept their promotion challenge on track with a comfortable win over Thamesmead Town in the Bostik League South.
 
First half goals from Josh Uzun and Warren Morgan were enough to give James Bracken’s side the three points despite a late comeback from Mead, when Paul Vines scored deep into an extended stoppage time.
 
The win is now the sixth in a row and puts Casuals top of the form guide going into the make-or-break business end of the season.
 
Fans were delighted to see the name of Mu Maan on the teamsheet after returning from a lengthy injury sustained against Dulwich Hamlet earlier in the season. He took his place on the bench, ready to be introduced later in the afternoon.
 
Thamesmead were the quickest out of the blocks and looked to press early putting Casuals on the back foot. However, the first real chance came to Casuals when Max Oldham surged into the box and unleashed a deflected shot into the side netting.
 
Oldham was causing trouble again just seven minutes later when another run saw him upended in the box and awarded a penalty. Up stepped ever-reliable Josh Uzun to dispatch the spot kick.
 
Casuals doubled the lead just five minutes later when Gabriel Odunaike’s snuck a pass to Warren Morgan who’s cross-come-shot looked to be deflected over the line by a Mead defender. 2-0.
 
From here, it looked routine. Casuals continued to search for a killer third though it never came. Close calls came in the form of Josh Uzun, Jordan Clarke, Max Oldham, Gabriel Odunaike… yet none could complete the deal.
 
The closest to clinching the third came when Odunaike raced through on goal and was taken out by his challenging marker, only for the referee to wave play on. It was a decision that baffled most.
 
Thamesmead came to life in the dying minutes and despite no lengthy stoppages in play, no goals and five substitutes, the referee inexplicably added on ten minutes (okay – 9 minutes 51 seconds to be precise). In this extension, Paul Vines met a cross to head in, to deathly silence. Casuals rode out the last few moments, still unsure how long the contest would go on for, to take all three points.
 
“That game was strange”, said Manager Bracken after the match. “2-1 flatters them so much it’s unbelievable. We’ve had so many chances, had we won that 4-0, you’d have said that was a fair result.
 
“We should’ve put the game to bed as 2-0 keeps them in it. Then the referee inexplicably adds on ten minutes. But I’m pleased with the result. They’re a dangerous side who are the third top goal-scorers in the league and we limited them to one half chance at the end, which Paul Vines done very well with a good finish.
 
“That’s one game ticked off with nine to go. On paper, this could’ve been a sticky one and as it happened, it was relatively comfortable.
 
“If we win all our remaining games, the only way we’re not going to be promoted is if Lewes or Carshalton win all their games. There’s no more to it than that. We’ll try our hardest to win every one of our remaining nine matches. That’ll put massive pressure on them. Both of them have got very tough games so seeing them winning the next nine or ten is unlikely. Plus they have to play each other so someone’s dropping points there.
 
“You’ll get to the point where teams will either stand up or they’ll fold. In the last two years we ended our seasons by winning seven and ten in a row respectively. We’ve already proved that we won’t be folding. I trust the boy’s character. I trust my own mentality and know we will turn up to every one of these next nine games. Whoever we play, we’ll make sure we get out on the pitch and be better than them on the day.”

Corinthian-Casuals 2 - 1 Thamesmead Town
FA Trophy Preliminary Round
Saturday 8th October 2016
Attendance: 121
Match report: Cameron Smith. Pics: Stuart Tree (full set of photos here)

Corinthian-Casuals kick-started their FA Trophy campaign with a scrappy yet spirited 2-1 win over Thamesmead Town thanks to a tidy late winner from the sparkling Warren Morgan.

Think back to Wednesday 2nd December 2015. Corinthian-Casuals vs Grays Athletic. It’s the fifth minute of injury time. Frustrated. Tired. But still hopeful. Dave Hodges attempted to start a counter attack. The full-back used all the energy he had left to deliver a perfect cross for the oncoming Juevan Spencer. As if it were in slow-motion; Spencer connected with the cross and the ball flew into the top corner. Casuals were in dreamland as they progressed into the First Round Proper, beating Grays 1-0. A feeling like no other, the FA Trophy run last year was glorious.

This time, James Bracken wants to better it.

Thamesmead Town are in the Ryman Division One North lingering in the relegation zone after four losses, two draws and two wins. Casuals and Mead have met before – the last time back in September 2001, in which Corinthians ran out 3-1 winners.

After the devastating 1-0 loss to Herne Bay on Saturday, James Bracken hoped to bounce back with a win after the defeat halted their scoring record for the first time since March. Kojo Apenteng was replaced by Morgan and anchorman Brandon Johnson was dropped ahead of Kevant Serbony.

The absence of Warren Morgan could have been a contributing factor in Casuals’ loss last week but today the right-back took a firm hold of the game. Jinxing in and out of defenders, Morgan rifled a low shot towards the bottom corner. Accustomed to this sort of behaviour, Casuals contingent expected an opening goal but Morgan’s run forced a fine save from the alert Tyler McCarthy.

Starting on the front foot, the hosts early dominance subsided as Thamesmead retained possession. Edging into the groove of the game, Mead were gifted with a golden opportunity as Ike-Robertson Feehi was denied by the terrific reflexes of Danny Bracken in a 1v1 situation.

An uneventful half was thankfully brought to an end by the whistle of Michael Smith as both sides re-grouped.

Former-Tooting man Paul Vines found space in the area before slotting home as Thamesmead took advantage of Casuals’ lack of concentration at the back. Bracken and the back four were kept busy until the 70th minute when the home side struck. A remarkably accurate cross from Dave Hodges created chaos as committed McCarthy in the Mead net attempted to collect, but mis-judged his catch. A comical scramble on the goal-line finally resulted in a goal, midfield maestro Kev Serbony providing the vital touch. The Corinthian's spirit was injected to a now inspired team as Casuals looked for the winner.

Eight minutes later, they found it. Mirroring the chance he created in the first half, Morgan hit a sweet thunderbolt in the 78th minute as the green shirts of Mead looked in astonishment. On the edge of the area, the strike slammed against the post before finding the net.

A comfortable last few minutes sealed Casuals’ place in the first qualifying round and netted the club a neat £2,500 bonus!

Either Arlesey Town or Chalfont St Peter will face the Casuals next but before that, James Bracken’s pink and brown army will take on Faversham Town at home next week, back in the Ryman Division One South.

Bracken said after the match, “It didn't look like we were going to carve out many chances today. We played some good football in the first half but in the second, we didn't really get going and gave away a sloppy goal.

“But I have faith in the boys out there and failing that, we've always got those who can come on and change things.

“It was a bit unorthodox from the perspective of who's scored but it's nice when they can chip in with a couple of goals .

“Of course I'd love to have another good run in the FA Trophy. I said before the game that the win at Leiston in this competition last year was probably my best moment as a manager. Not just because of where they were in the league above us, but it was the day as a whole experience. I remember it was a miserable old afternoon where we played in the most horrible conditions that I've ever done anything in. But the buzz I got from that win gave us the emphasis to put a run together, which we did.

“Obviously, the club wants a few quid from the prize money, but that isn't my concern, What I want are those days like Leiston – those moments that live with you. The Grays Athletic game here in the following round was for a lot of people the one that stands out. For me, it was Leiston away.

“We want to have another run. If we get through a few rounds, you can end up facing the likes of Tranmere Rovers or Wrexham or whoever. There are big clubs where we can have the opportunity to play in front of a few thousand and that's our opportunity to go and have more of those moments.

“Does a cup run harm our push in the league? Well, ff you go into cup games and win them, it keeps momentum and that's a great thing. We've got a nice, healthy squad. We had five or six missing today that are realistically first team players pushing for a starting place. But we can still get a team out that wins and have a bench with unused subs who are of real quality. We have a squad that can deal with the extra cup games.

“That's why we'll approach the league, the Trophy, and the Ryman League Cup with strength where we'll have a really good crack at. The Surrey Senior and London Senior Cups we'll use to give others game time and give me the opportunity to look at one or two of the younger lads at the club that deserve a chance.

“I want to win. That's the main objective. I want to go home on a Saturday evening and put my feet up in front of the telly and be a winner. That's where it begins and ends. If you win a trophy at the end of it, then that's fantastic.

“It wrecks my week if I don't win. If we'd have lost, I'd have been an a***hole until next Saturday. I really would. I'd have been an a***hole at training, at home and at work until I get that next win. That's how I realise that I need to win.”