Too Strong for Redhill in Six-Pointer

Byatt, Goddard and Hodges celebrate the win.

REDHILL  0   CORINTHIAN-CASUALS  3
RYMAN DIVISION ONE SOUTH
Tues 25th March 2014
by David Harrison

Casuals hauled themselves six points clear of the bottom three with a convincing display on a blustery night against lower table rivals Redhill.   Strengthened by the inclusion of Steve Goddard,  available only in midweek, the team looked promising from the start.   On ten minutes a quick free kick from Saheed Sankoh put Juevan Spencer away only to see his shot blocked.  Moments later Jamie Byatt beat two men only to shoot straight at the keeper.

But on 25 minutes Dave Hodges threaded a long ball to Byatt on the left.  The striker ran on to drive a powerful shot past Greaves the home keeper - a vintage goal from two players on form.   The visitors continued to dominate with midfielders  Spencer, Wilson-Joseph, Sankoh and Hodges controlling much of the game and Goddard and Byatt always probing up front..  Moments before half time a long throw from the left touchline by Hodges found its way to Spencer who cheerfully drove home to send the visitors in for the tea break two goals ahead.

Redhill pressed harder in the second half but Green,  Dudley, Hicks and Jordan were their match apart from one mix-up close to goal that could have been costly.  But Danny Bracken enjoyed perhaps his quietest match for some weeks.  At the other end another Hodges run found saw Byatt's shot pushed over the bar,  then Spencer just failed with another chance.  With 15 minutes to go Falm, on for Spencer,  took a bad knock that looked to cut short his game but he recovered and moments later broke through to offer Goddard a chance that the northern nomad gratefully accepted - putting the result beyond doubt.   

In the closing minutes Falm was replaced by Tom Williams who made a powerful run through from midfield only to have his shot pushed away for a corner.  But then it was all over. 

"We're not going down boys, we're not going down", sang the visiting troubadours as the team went across to salute them - and to acknowledge that we'd all had a great evening out.   "A couple more performances like that,"  said one of the faithful, "and we really should be safe."

Team:   D.Bracken;  D.Green, V.Jordan, D.Dudley, J.Hicks;  E.Wilson-Joseph(M. Nsubuga 70') , J.Spencer(M.Falm 75', T.Williams 86'), S.Sankoh;  J.Byatt, S.Goddard,  D.Hodges.  Subs:  M.Falm, M.Nsubuga, T.Williams

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