The Leafe Blossom as Casuals Taste Defeat

Corinthian-Casuals 1-3 AFC Whyteleafe
Combined Counties Premier Division South
Saturday 14th September 2024
Words: Josh Lamey
Images: Andy Nunn (full set here)

Corinthian-Casuals fell to a first defeat in five, as Whyteleafe forward Ryan Gondoh proved too hot to handle in a clash at the top end of the table.

Mu Maan has recently orchestrated a run of form that we could only have dreamed about after the last two seasons, and now the Casuals faithful find themselves feeling confident heading into each game.

Yesterday, however, we welcomed high-flying phoenix club, AFC Whyteleafe, who sat in second place and came into the game fresh off the back of a 5-1 drubbing of Horley Town. The visitors are the highest scorers in the league this season, having netted an impressive 29 goals in their eight previous outings, so it was going to be a mission for the back four to keep them at bay. Nevertheless, it was time to go eyeball-to-eyeball with one of the league’s best.

Maan’s side have gotten into the habit of starting games at breakneck speed, often setting the tempo in the opening 10 minutes. This time, they were on the receiving end of an early blow, after Aaron Watson’s cross was dispatched by Gondoh to claim his first of the afternoon. Although the visitors had the upper hand, Casuals had plenty of quality on the pitch to find a response.

And they did just that. Earlier in the week, the club announced the re-signing of exciting winger Trey Masikini and he carried the ball up the pitch as the hosts went in search of a reply. Pink-and-chocolate shirts flooded forwards in numbers to support the returning wideman, but on this occasion Michael Onovwigun’s header shaved the top of the bar.

Masikini was behind the equaliser when it did come, and it was another recently returned cult hero, Kieron Cadogan, who finished to square up the game just past the half-hour mark, collecting a perfectly weighted pass and burying his shot beyond Whyteleafe goalkeeper, James Shaw.

However, Whyteleafe had the final say in the first half. The Leafe’s lethal finisher Omari Delgado-Hibbert notched his 10th goal of the season in brutal fashion, sliding in to bundle home Gondoh’s low cross at the near post and making sure that Casuals keeper Murillo Bernardes felt the full weight of his challenge as he did so.

Heading into the break, there was work to be done, despite glimpses of football from the clouds.

With anything but a full roster available to Maan, the injury list continued to creep up during the second half. Onovwigun limped off to be replaced by Dejarhn Grant on 23 minutes, and Warren Morgan – who had moved out to left-back for this game in the absence of Emerson Pilonetto – was also withdrawn with an injury.

Yet the depleted Casuals continued to soldier on. A Cadogan free-kick caused problems for Shaw in goal and a goalmouth scramble ensued, yet the ball somehow crept just wide of the Whyteleafe post, denying us a second equaliser.

Whyteleafe then had their own chance to seal the points as Gaspar Mico burst through the Corinthian ranks and teed up Watson, but the chance went begging as the ball flew over the bar.

However, Gondoh made no mistake when he burst through on goal minutes later. The former Colchester United winger caused problems all afternoon, and neatly slotted his second of the game past Bernardes before taunting the home crowd with a questionable celebration.

Frazier Osunkoya struck the upright late on as Casuals continued the fight, but it wasn’t to be for Maan’s side.

There were, however, positives to take from a tricky test, and we will look to bounce back as we turn our attention to a trip to Fleet Town on Tuesday, before visiting Abbey Rangers next weekend.

Corinthian-Casuals: Bernardes, Gjoshe, Morgan (Daud 60 (Osunkoya 72)), Castelo (Zini 81), Agbinone, Dos Santos, Dillon (Brown 66), Onovwigun (Grant 23), Cadogan, Cheklit, Masikini