Misery at Moatside

Merstham 3 - 0 Corinthian-Casuals
Pitching In Isthmian League Premier
Tuesday 29th September 2020
Report and Pic: Stuart Tree

When Assistant Manager Dan Pringle wants to describe the performance with a four letter word, you know it’s not been a good night for the Casuals.
 
And it truly wasn’t. Corinth put in one of the most insipid performances seen, certainly since the King’s Langley loss this time last year. Casuals failed to register a single shot on target as Merstham rolled over their opponents with comfort winning 3-0 and registering their first win of the season.
 
It’s never been an easy place to visit and Merstham are undoubtedly Casuals’ bogey side having not won at Moatside for at least eight years – and that was a last minute 1-0 smash and grab.
 
It didn’t start that way; in fact, the unchanged side that performed so well at Potters Bar Town on Saturday started the brighter of the two. Order of the day were whipped in crosses that could easily have been converted on another day. Had one of those gone in, it undoubtedly would’ve been a different game.
 
If you can’t convert your chances then you always leave yourself prone. That’s what happened. Merstham’s first goal seemed innocuous enough. It kind of crept into the bottom corner from EJ Mensah.
 
Casuals had also hit the crossbar twice in the first half and arguably looked the more threatening of the sides, even after the goal.
 
But the real turning point was conceding 7 minutes after the break; Danny Bracken was unable to hold onto a shot and AFC Wimbledon youngster Elliott Bolton slammed the follow-up home. That was game over. There was a lack of grit, determination and desire to get back into the game and the second half very much belonged to the home side. They threatened far more and the third came courtesy of Potchu Mendes Calucane. Game over.
 
The last twenty minutes saw the game peter out to a canter and Merstham comfortably claimed their three points whilst Casuals have to look upon themselves with a big FA Cup game against Dulwich Hamlet at the weekend, knowing another performance like that will simply not be good enough.