Corinthian Casuals 0-1 Folkestone Invicta
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 5th September 2015
Att: 210
Report by Darren Pasley
Pics: Stuart Tree (click here)
Leaders Folkestone showed their early season promotion credentials as they become the first side this campaign to stop James Bracken's side from scoring.
A fine strike from experienced striker Ian Draycott (pictured below)just before the break proved to be the difference between the two sides on the afternoon.
Emil Salama returned to the side along with Juevan Spencer whilst Josh Uzun filled in at left back with Dave Hodges having the afternoon off to get married.
After kicking off Casuals made a nice bright start forcing a corner inside the first minute which keeper Tim Roberts did well to fist away under pressure.
The visitors Ashley Miller had the games first shot in the 10th minute with a drive which was always rising and into the safety of the sizeable number of visiting fans behind Danny Brackens goal.
Centre Back Terry Murray, who has made a brilliant start to his career at the club, came close to opening the scoring in the 18th minute when his volley smacked back off the post following Uzun’s precise delivery. Stealing in at the back post the young defender may have feel he should have opened his account for the club but the game remained scoreless.
James Rogers, signed on loan from Conference South side Maidstone, sent a spinning effort just over as both sides were restricted to opportunist efforts mostly from distance with both defences in command.
It took a brilliant save from Casuals' last line of defence Danny Bracken to deny Matt Newman with the midfielder thinking he had put his side in front with a header that was somehow kept out.
Kevant Serbony and Emmanuel Akokhia both had efforts from outside the area which failed to test Roberts but the Seasiders scored the first and ultimately winning goal 4 minutes before the break.
Nat Blanks fired a ball into the box which was contested by Chappell and Danny Dudley. With the ball looping up in the air, Ian Draycott showed great improvisation whilst off the ground to volley home over his head from 6 yards out.
As in the first half, the home side made a good start and Stef Joseph nearly profited from a mix up between Roberts and Frankie Chappell with the keeper gratefully clutching onto the ball having raced to the edge of his area. The pressure continued as Joseph again caused a threat this time firing just over after Juevan Spencer won the ball back from Blanks.
Niall Wright shot just wide with a shot from 25 yards before the same player again just failed to meet Joseph’s low cross after driving into the area. Ross Defoe and Ben Cotton were introduced in a double change before Bracken kept his side in to once again with 25 minutes remaining after somehow keeping out Draycott’s side footed effort after Dolan's good work.
Despite plenty of huff and puff Casuals couldn't force any real openings against a defence that's been breached only four times in the Ryman league this season so far.
Emil Salama had a late shout for a penalty waved away whilst the visitors perhaps could have worked the ball better on a couple of occasions when breaking but there were no further goals.
However, Casuals Boss James Bracken wasn’t downbeat about the performance as they remain in the top four of the Ryman League Division One South. Bracken said,
It was a tight game which could’ve gone either way, but it’s gone theirs and that’s life. Next week might bring another tight game and it might go our way.
“It was good to be in a game against a decent side that have started well and yet be so competitive. After the game, their manager has been very complimentary of us which is a nice touch.
“We try to base everything we do on keeping clean sheets and if you try to go out every match and win 4-3, you’ll end up near the bottom of table. You’ve got to try to go out and win 1-0 or 2-0.
“To win this league, you’ve gotta score close to 100 goals and you’ll need to keep clean sheets for 50% of your games.
In a tight game, Casuals’ captain and goalkeeper Danny Bracken pulled out two first-class stops to prevent the scoreline from flattering the visitors. Sibling James spoke of his brother’s performance.
“We all know how good Danny (Bracken) is; I know more than anyone how good he is. It’s been a different start to the season for him because last year, when I watched him, some games he’d be called to save eight or nine one-on-ones. This season, I think I can count on one hand the good saves he’s made in the first six games. Today he’s shown how good he is again and it’s a case in point that he’s had less exposure this year as we’ve been defending slightly better. But when he’s needed to pull out the saves, he has and that’s what he’s there to do.
“I’ve got my views on the fixtures and how they’ve been compiled; we play Dorking Wanderers who are a decent side twice in space of two weeks, which is ludicrous. Teams change so much over the course of a season, but if you play sides twice in such a short space of time, they might be flying high and doing really well, yet in the tail end of the season, they might not be. And of course, you want to play teams when they’re not performing so well. But we have to make do with that and I’m sure we’ll bounce back from today.”
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 5th September 2015
Att: 210
Report by Darren Pasley
Pics: Stuart Tree (click here)
Leaders Folkestone showed their early season promotion credentials as they become the first side this campaign to stop James Bracken's side from scoring.
A fine strike from experienced striker Ian Draycott (pictured below)just before the break proved to be the difference between the two sides on the afternoon.
Emil Salama returned to the side along with Juevan Spencer whilst Josh Uzun filled in at left back with Dave Hodges having the afternoon off to get married.
After kicking off Casuals made a nice bright start forcing a corner inside the first minute which keeper Tim Roberts did well to fist away under pressure.
The visitors Ashley Miller had the games first shot in the 10th minute with a drive which was always rising and into the safety of the sizeable number of visiting fans behind Danny Brackens goal.
Centre Back Terry Murray, who has made a brilliant start to his career at the club, came close to opening the scoring in the 18th minute when his volley smacked back off the post following Uzun’s precise delivery. Stealing in at the back post the young defender may have feel he should have opened his account for the club but the game remained scoreless.
James Rogers, signed on loan from Conference South side Maidstone, sent a spinning effort just over as both sides were restricted to opportunist efforts mostly from distance with both defences in command.
It took a brilliant save from Casuals' last line of defence Danny Bracken to deny Matt Newman with the midfielder thinking he had put his side in front with a header that was somehow kept out.
Kevant Serbony and Emmanuel Akokhia both had efforts from outside the area which failed to test Roberts but the Seasiders scored the first and ultimately winning goal 4 minutes before the break.
Nat Blanks fired a ball into the box which was contested by Chappell and Danny Dudley. With the ball looping up in the air, Ian Draycott showed great improvisation whilst off the ground to volley home over his head from 6 yards out.
As in the first half, the home side made a good start and Stef Joseph nearly profited from a mix up between Roberts and Frankie Chappell with the keeper gratefully clutching onto the ball having raced to the edge of his area. The pressure continued as Joseph again caused a threat this time firing just over after Juevan Spencer won the ball back from Blanks.
Niall Wright shot just wide with a shot from 25 yards before the same player again just failed to meet Joseph’s low cross after driving into the area. Ross Defoe and Ben Cotton were introduced in a double change before Bracken kept his side in to once again with 25 minutes remaining after somehow keeping out Draycott’s side footed effort after Dolan's good work.
Despite plenty of huff and puff Casuals couldn't force any real openings against a defence that's been breached only four times in the Ryman league this season so far.
Emil Salama had a late shout for a penalty waved away whilst the visitors perhaps could have worked the ball better on a couple of occasions when breaking but there were no further goals.
However, Casuals Boss James Bracken wasn’t downbeat about the performance as they remain in the top four of the Ryman League Division One South. Bracken said,
It was a tight game which could’ve gone either way, but it’s gone theirs and that’s life. Next week might bring another tight game and it might go our way.
“It was good to be in a game against a decent side that have started well and yet be so competitive. After the game, their manager has been very complimentary of us which is a nice touch.
“We try to base everything we do on keeping clean sheets and if you try to go out every match and win 4-3, you’ll end up near the bottom of table. You’ve got to try to go out and win 1-0 or 2-0.
“To win this league, you’ve gotta score close to 100 goals and you’ll need to keep clean sheets for 50% of your games.
In a tight game, Casuals’ captain and goalkeeper Danny Bracken pulled out two first-class stops to prevent the scoreline from flattering the visitors. Sibling James spoke of his brother’s performance.
“We all know how good Danny (Bracken) is; I know more than anyone how good he is. It’s been a different start to the season for him because last year, when I watched him, some games he’d be called to save eight or nine one-on-ones. This season, I think I can count on one hand the good saves he’s made in the first six games. Today he’s shown how good he is again and it’s a case in point that he’s had less exposure this year as we’ve been defending slightly better. But when he’s needed to pull out the saves, he has and that’s what he’s there to do.
“I’ve got my views on the fixtures and how they’ve been compiled; we play Dorking Wanderers who are a decent side twice in space of two weeks, which is ludicrous. Teams change so much over the course of a season, but if you play sides twice in such a short space of time, they might be flying high and doing really well, yet in the tail end of the season, they might not be. And of course, you want to play teams when they’re not performing so well. But we have to make do with that and I’m sure we’ll bounce back from today.”
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