Corinthian-Casuals 0-1 Hastings United
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 18th March 2017
Match Report: Cameron Smith: Photo Stuart Tree (full set HERE)
The latest instalment in the enthralling Ryman Division One South play-off pursuit saw Hastings United emerge victorious following a bitter 1-0 away win versus an unfortunate Corinthian Casuals side in windy Tolworth.
It had reached the midpoint in March and the classy Casuals had maintained a 100% record. Seeing off the challenging Cray Wanderers and deviously snatching three points from the formidable title challengers Dorking, James Bracken’s side were on fire! Last week prompted the task of Greenwich Borough, who were impressively sitting in third place. Their pride was cruelly taken away when the dastardly duo of Reyon Dillon and Shaun Okojie unleashed their clinical abilities on the Greenwich defenders. A tidy 3-0 result away from home boosted Bracken’s sky-rocketing confidence as Corinth looked to secure their play-off place.
However, Corinthians’ euphoric mood was thwarted when Hastings United arrived at King George’s Field. A mixed season for the Arrows, Darren Hare’s team were sucked into the vortex of the play-offs thanks to a ten game unbeaten run before leaders Tooting concluded it last week as Hastings lost 1-0. Will Hastings be able to return to winning ways?
As the time approached 3 o’clock, the sides took their places on the pitch; Casuals in pink and brown and Hastings in an all-white number. A noticeable absence to the hosts’ starting lineup was that ‘The Beast’ Reyon Dillon was not named in the match-day squad. Relief for Hastings, regret for Casuals. Although Okojie would start upfront alone, the Corinth contingent were still hopeful.
The crucial influence of the weather was clear when Hastings won the toss and forced Casuals to play into the wind. A routine clearance from Danny Dudley failed to reach its target when it was hooked back towards the baffled centre-back. Wind was tampering with play again when Arrows captain Simon Johnson rifled a cross towards the back post and nearly ended up in the back of the net if it wasn’t for Danny Bracken. The Casuals no.1 half-punched the ball away, only for Hastings’ Barnwell Shamari to slot the rebound into the gloves of Bracken.
Minutes later, Bracken was unable to prevent the white shirts from scoring as the visitors conjured a well-worked attack in the seventeenth minute. A long free-kick was aimed towards the populated penalty area by keeper Pidgeley, and was knocked on by a Hastings striker. Kiernan Hughes-Mason reacted first to expertly side-foot the ball into the far bottom corner. The travelling support cheered as Hughes-Mason celebrated a brief, brilliant move that adjusted the score-line to 0-1. Hastings drew first blood.
The remaining twenty-eight minutes of the first-half included only one real chance- it was for Hastings. Nudging the ball past Bracken, the pacey no.9 Shamari was denied by an exceptional, last-gasp clearance from Danny Dudley as the ball was frighteningly rolling towards the goal-line. Hearts in mouths, the Casuals supporters were trying their best to support their team. However, a lacklustre game overall was halted for the half-time break; Casuals failed to string together a decisive opportunity.
The second forty-five confirmed the changes in positioning as Juevan Spencer and Warren Morgan (who was donning the unusual no.10 shirt) switched- Morgan was in right-back and Spencer was on the flanks. Customary flashes of pace and skill were difficult to find as the usually-lively Spencer was kept quiet by the strong centre-back Jerrome Sobers and left-back Sam Cruttwell. United posed a threat on the counter attack even if the wind hampered their chances as Danny Bracken easily caught the ball in the 60th minute. The frustrated Jordan Clarke had squeezed through the back four of Hastings minutes later, but a low cross was collected by Pidgeley.
All of a sudden, the clock read fifteen minutes and Casuals were still searching for an equalizer. Two free-kicks were awarded to the desperate hosts late on. A 30-yard effort from Coskun Eskim, who was a shining light in a damp and dull game flew inches wide of the post whilst the other set-piece was rifled over by Clarke. Stoppage time saw the introduction and return of Jamie Byatt, who was ruled out on the sidelines for the past few games. Byatt caused havoc in the final moments and had a chance to equalize, but Pidgeley tactically fell to the ground when the substitute added slight pressure. Then, the referee terminated proceedings- Casuals had succumbed to a 1-0 defeat.
Whilst Hastings travelled home with smiles on their faces, Casuals applauded the valiant army of supporters and left. We wish Hastings good luck for the rest of the season- we hope to see you again soon… Next on the agenda for Casuals is a Tuesday night trip to the Walton Road Stadium to face Molesey, which is also Danny Bracken’s 300th game for the club. We hope to see you there!
Stuart Tree spoke to James Bracken after the game:
Despite the loss, it wasn’t a drastically bad performance. I think the wind played a massive part in the game. That’s unfortunate because we’re both good sides and the game didn’t reach the heights that we’d liked it to have achieve.
Going into the wind in the first half was always going to be hard. It was a bad lapse from us that led to the goal. Other than that, Danny’s not had a shot to save in the first half and we controlled a scrappy affair in the second. But it was a scrappy affair which neither side really got to grips with.
We went in 1-0 down at half time and we were happy. We knew we’d be on the front foot in the second half. The wind was now in our favour and we always grow into games as it progresses anyway. As the game opened up, we felt we would create more chances. We’ve had the better of the territory, we’ve put pressure on their back four but never got the rub of the green. Their keeper has flapped at a couple of chances where the ball has bounced in the box and if they fall to one of us, we bury it. But it never fell our way which was a shame.
We’ve taken nine points from the last four games. I’d have taken six points from those if I’m honest. We’re in the playoff places which is great and we just need to try and stay there.
If you’d have given me a win and three draws, I’d have said we’ll take that.
We’ve managed to exceed what I would’ve accepted so that can only be positive. I wanted to be in and around the playoffs – three points outside with seven games to go is the situation I was looking at. We’re two points inside the playoffs so we’re five points better off than where I felt we needed to be.
Now we have to continue to win games because no one in the top eight can rest on their laurels.
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 18th March 2017
Match Report: Cameron Smith: Photo Stuart Tree (full set HERE)
The latest instalment in the enthralling Ryman Division One South play-off pursuit saw Hastings United emerge victorious following a bitter 1-0 away win versus an unfortunate Corinthian Casuals side in windy Tolworth.
It had reached the midpoint in March and the classy Casuals had maintained a 100% record. Seeing off the challenging Cray Wanderers and deviously snatching three points from the formidable title challengers Dorking, James Bracken’s side were on fire! Last week prompted the task of Greenwich Borough, who were impressively sitting in third place. Their pride was cruelly taken away when the dastardly duo of Reyon Dillon and Shaun Okojie unleashed their clinical abilities on the Greenwich defenders. A tidy 3-0 result away from home boosted Bracken’s sky-rocketing confidence as Corinth looked to secure their play-off place.
However, Corinthians’ euphoric mood was thwarted when Hastings United arrived at King George’s Field. A mixed season for the Arrows, Darren Hare’s team were sucked into the vortex of the play-offs thanks to a ten game unbeaten run before leaders Tooting concluded it last week as Hastings lost 1-0. Will Hastings be able to return to winning ways?
As the time approached 3 o’clock, the sides took their places on the pitch; Casuals in pink and brown and Hastings in an all-white number. A noticeable absence to the hosts’ starting lineup was that ‘The Beast’ Reyon Dillon was not named in the match-day squad. Relief for Hastings, regret for Casuals. Although Okojie would start upfront alone, the Corinth contingent were still hopeful.
The crucial influence of the weather was clear when Hastings won the toss and forced Casuals to play into the wind. A routine clearance from Danny Dudley failed to reach its target when it was hooked back towards the baffled centre-back. Wind was tampering with play again when Arrows captain Simon Johnson rifled a cross towards the back post and nearly ended up in the back of the net if it wasn’t for Danny Bracken. The Casuals no.1 half-punched the ball away, only for Hastings’ Barnwell Shamari to slot the rebound into the gloves of Bracken.
Minutes later, Bracken was unable to prevent the white shirts from scoring as the visitors conjured a well-worked attack in the seventeenth minute. A long free-kick was aimed towards the populated penalty area by keeper Pidgeley, and was knocked on by a Hastings striker. Kiernan Hughes-Mason reacted first to expertly side-foot the ball into the far bottom corner. The travelling support cheered as Hughes-Mason celebrated a brief, brilliant move that adjusted the score-line to 0-1. Hastings drew first blood.
The remaining twenty-eight minutes of the first-half included only one real chance- it was for Hastings. Nudging the ball past Bracken, the pacey no.9 Shamari was denied by an exceptional, last-gasp clearance from Danny Dudley as the ball was frighteningly rolling towards the goal-line. Hearts in mouths, the Casuals supporters were trying their best to support their team. However, a lacklustre game overall was halted for the half-time break; Casuals failed to string together a decisive opportunity.
The second forty-five confirmed the changes in positioning as Juevan Spencer and Warren Morgan (who was donning the unusual no.10 shirt) switched- Morgan was in right-back and Spencer was on the flanks. Customary flashes of pace and skill were difficult to find as the usually-lively Spencer was kept quiet by the strong centre-back Jerrome Sobers and left-back Sam Cruttwell. United posed a threat on the counter attack even if the wind hampered their chances as Danny Bracken easily caught the ball in the 60th minute. The frustrated Jordan Clarke had squeezed through the back four of Hastings minutes later, but a low cross was collected by Pidgeley.
All of a sudden, the clock read fifteen minutes and Casuals were still searching for an equalizer. Two free-kicks were awarded to the desperate hosts late on. A 30-yard effort from Coskun Eskim, who was a shining light in a damp and dull game flew inches wide of the post whilst the other set-piece was rifled over by Clarke. Stoppage time saw the introduction and return of Jamie Byatt, who was ruled out on the sidelines for the past few games. Byatt caused havoc in the final moments and had a chance to equalize, but Pidgeley tactically fell to the ground when the substitute added slight pressure. Then, the referee terminated proceedings- Casuals had succumbed to a 1-0 defeat.
Whilst Hastings travelled home with smiles on their faces, Casuals applauded the valiant army of supporters and left. We wish Hastings good luck for the rest of the season- we hope to see you again soon… Next on the agenda for Casuals is a Tuesday night trip to the Walton Road Stadium to face Molesey, which is also Danny Bracken’s 300th game for the club. We hope to see you there!
Stuart Tree spoke to James Bracken after the game:
Despite the loss, it wasn’t a drastically bad performance. I think the wind played a massive part in the game. That’s unfortunate because we’re both good sides and the game didn’t reach the heights that we’d liked it to have achieve.
Going into the wind in the first half was always going to be hard. It was a bad lapse from us that led to the goal. Other than that, Danny’s not had a shot to save in the first half and we controlled a scrappy affair in the second. But it was a scrappy affair which neither side really got to grips with.
We went in 1-0 down at half time and we were happy. We knew we’d be on the front foot in the second half. The wind was now in our favour and we always grow into games as it progresses anyway. As the game opened up, we felt we would create more chances. We’ve had the better of the territory, we’ve put pressure on their back four but never got the rub of the green. Their keeper has flapped at a couple of chances where the ball has bounced in the box and if they fall to one of us, we bury it. But it never fell our way which was a shame.
We’ve taken nine points from the last four games. I’d have taken six points from those if I’m honest. We’re in the playoff places which is great and we just need to try and stay there.
If you’d have given me a win and three draws, I’d have said we’ll take that.
We’ve managed to exceed what I would’ve accepted so that can only be positive. I wanted to be in and around the playoffs – three points outside with seven games to go is the situation I was looking at. We’re two points inside the playoffs so we’re five points better off than where I felt we needed to be.
Now we have to continue to win games because no one in the top eight can rest on their laurels.
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