Billericay Town 1-2 Corinthian-Casuals
Stevenson 42 (pen) Stokoe 30
Croal 53
Pitching In Isthmian Premier League
Saturday 10 December, 2022
Attendance: 634
Match Report by Finlay Stubbs
Photo by Nicky Hayes
Casuals got their first, long-awaited away victory of the season in dramatic style as they ran out 2-1 winners over an organised Billericay Town in a closely fought game in Essex.
Justin Fevrier’s side made the journey east on a day when only two games were played in the Isthmian Premier Division due to frozen pitches. Casuals came into the game looking to build on from a promising performance against Bishop’s Stortford and hoping to end a wretched 12-game winless run away from home this season. Meanwhile, Billericay were looking to climb the table and mount a play-off push.
The two teams walked out to a crowd of 634 people who braved the freezing conditions on a cold mid-December afternoon. The home side started on the front foot, and young goalkeeper Benas Libikas was forced into action early, making a point-blank save to deny Billericay at his near post.
However, Casuals started to grow into the game as the half wore on and Fevrier’s side were unlucky not to go ahead after Luke Stokoe fired an effort from range which hit the post, before the rebound from Sam Dowridge was well saved by Harry Seaden.
The visitors continued to cause problems and, on the half-hour, Stokoe looked to be through on goal after he was tripped on the edge of the box by Montel Agyemang, who received the first yellow card of the afternoon. Stokoe took the resulting free kick himself and fired a curling effort past Seaden and into the top corner to put Casuals ahead.
The goal gave the team confidence and some excellent sequences of passing followed, one of which led to Lewis Croal – making his first Casuals start up front – bursting through on goal, before seeing his effort saved.
Billericay went in hunt of an equaliser before half-time and a massive opportunity came their way when Thomas Jackson caught Brad Stevenson just inside the 18-yard box, forcing referee Tommy Breen to point to the spot. Stevenson hammered home the resulting penalty, sending Libikas the wrong way, and the scores were level going into half-time.
The second half began with the hosts on the front foot, with skipper Michael Chambers heading just wide of goal, but Casuals managed to weather the early storm and regained the lead after a driving run from centre-half Simba Kudyiwa, whose shot was blocked on the edge of the box, before the ball squirmed loose and found its way to Croal in the penalty area. The striker fired home across Seaden to put his new side ahead.
Then came an organised defensive display from Casuals, who limited the hosts to few chances, with Reuben Collins winning everything that came his way in the air and captain Ricardo Thompson breaking up the play with some hard-fought challenges in the centre of midfield.
The pressure continued for Casuals as the game went into the final stages, but they continued to defend resolutely, including a brave and important block from Thompson after a free kick was fizzed in from the left-hand side. More important defending was required again, after a corner was whipped in and a Billericay header looked certain to be the equaliser, only for Thompson to clear off the line in heroic fashion and keep his side ahead.
Shortly afterwards, a header from Matt Price was well saved by Libikas and, as three minutes were added on, the defence dug in, heading clear corners and crosses and refusing to allow any late drama before the full-time whistle.
It was a magnificent Casuals performance, across the pitch, to break their winless run on the road. Everyone dug in as a defensive unit, while 16-year-old Libikas once again played with maturity and calmness in goal. In possession, the team moved the ball with purpose and scored two very well-taken goals to move up to 19th in the table. The atmosphere among the squad is starting to take shape and the results are looking up too for Fevrier’s side.
Corinthian-Casuals: Libikas; Kudyiwa, Collins, Hyman; Chislett, Jackson, Thompson (c), Adelakun; Dowridge (Vetterlein 86), Stokoe (Masikini 71); Croal (Pinney 71)
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