Corinthian-Casuals 1-4 Carshalton Athletic
Williams 89 Akinwande 7
Lema 31
Ekpiteta 69
McKenzie-Atumuto 86
Pitching in Isthmian Premier League
Saturday 11 March 2023
Attendance 345
Match Report by James Streatfield
Photo by Chris Randall
A late Morgan Williams piledriver was the only consolation for Corinthian-Casuals as they fell to a 4-1 defeat at home to local rivals Carshalton Athletic.
After a midweek hiatus for Casuals, they returned to action on a gusty afternoon against a Carshalton side who came into the game with confidence, having been unbeaten in their last two.
Casuals boss Justin Fevrier made three changes to the team that were beaten at Margate the previous week, giving debuts to buccaneering left-sided wing-back, Lesley Duru, and on-loan centre-forward Obed Yeboah, while assistant manager Richard Orlu stepped in at centre-half in the absence of the suspended Simba Kudyiwa.
The order of the day was set from the early stages of the game, with Carshalton knocking on the door and probing Casuals’ back line, which initially stood firm. That was until an in-swinging corner from Carshalton’s captain Tom Beere found Oliver Cooke, whose shot was bundled off the line by Joe Halsey before falling to Karl Arinwande, who scrambled the ball over the line.
It was a tough start for Casuals, and Carshalton did not let off after grabbing their first, continuing to apply pressure.
Casuals’ best chance of the half fell to Finlay Lovatt who met the deflected cross of Halsey from the right, but under pressure from his man he could only fire over from close range. It was a sign of promise for the home side, but this hope would soon be extinguished when Carshalton carried on testing Casuals’ defence.
Calvin Ekpiteta found himself one-on-one with Casuals centre-half, Jola Lahan, before shifting the ball onto his left side and forcing Callum Coulter into a smart save down to his right, tipping the ball out for a corner. Though this would lead to more trouble for Casuals who found themselves 2-0 down after another corner from Beere found the head of Crossley Lema, who fired home from close range. It wasn’t looking like the home side’s day.
Carshalton continued to keep piling on the pressure as an unfortunate break of the ball found its way to the feet of Lema, who took on his man, trying to add to his first. His shot across goal slammed the frame and was cleared by Casuals.
In an attempt to inject some intensity, Fevrier called on the services of promising winger, Jared Myers, replacing Malakai Hyman just before the break, as Casuals went in at half-time two goals down on the score line.
The early exchanges of the second half proved to be a scrappy affair, though it was not for the want of trying on Casuals’ part. Sahid Kamara’s snap shot drifted just wide of Danny Bracken’s top corner, as the goalkeeper was serenaded by the Casuals faithful on his return to King George’s Field. The 500-appearance-making shot stopper is a true legend in these parts and will always be remembered fondly for his contributions to the club.
Bracken would soon deny Casuals a way back into the game after some neat build-up play between debutant Duru and Morgan Williams led to a chance for Kamara, but his shot lacked power and fell into the grateful grasp of the ex-Casuals goalkeeper.
Casuals’ afternoon got worse soon after, when Coulter’s clearance fell to an alert Arinwande, and the Carshalton forward looked to be through on goal when Myers’ challenge brought him down, giving the referee no option but to dismiss him — a shame for Myers who’s appearance lasted a mere 23 minutes.
Casuals’ fate was determined now, and they would succumb to further damage when Calvin Ekpiteta’s shot from outside the area found its way in off the post, via the outstretched glove of Coulter — when your luck’s out, it’s out. It was an uncharacteristic error from Coulter who has been key to Casuals’ recent promising performances.
Fevrier’s men kept going despite the situation they found themselves in. Williams and Duru put together some smart build-up play before scrambling the ball to Yeboah who, like Kamara earlier, could not get any power behind his shot, which found its way into the hands of Bracken. This was before Carshalton’s No9, McKenzie Atumuto, found himself on the end of a knocked-on ball and faced up Coulter one-on-one before calmly slotting the ball past the Casuals’ keeper, who could not do much to prevent the inevitable. Carshalton had their fourth to put a rubber stamp on a disappointing afternoon for the home side.
Casuals would, though, grab a consolatory goal in the 89th minute as Williams picked up the ball from miles out and fired a smashing effort into the top-left corner. Bracken could only get a hand to it to push it further into the top of his net, giving Casuals’ fans something to take from the game.
With a clear midweek ahead for Casuals, the team has a chance to recoup and prepare for Saturday’s test at home to Enfield Town. Fevrier and his players will be eager to bounce back from a disappointing result.
Corinthian-Casuals: Coulter; Lahan, Orlu, Hyman (Myers 41); Halsey (Chislett 73), Williams, McAuley, Duru; Kamara Lovatt (Pinney 74); Yeboah
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