Corinthian Casuals

Saturday 6th January 2018
Bostik League Division One South
Herne Bay 1 (0) - (3) 4 Corinthian Casuals
Att: 177

Herne Bay: Ben Hunter, Bradley Schafer, Jack Steventon, Richard Ismail, Jono Richardson, Josh Wisson, Danny Leonard, Tom Carlton, Jake Embery, Junior Aikhionbare, Nassim Dukali
Subs Used: Mohamed Kamara (Wisson 78)
Subs not used: Jack Hyslop, Teddy Deverson, Sami Meziane
Man of Match: Nassim Dukali

Bay started well, taking the game to the 3rd placed team in the league. For the first 15 minutes it was Bay pressing the visitors deep into their own half as they probed for an opening. Tom Carlton fired a shot just wide of the upright with keeper, Danny Bracken, rooted to the spot.
One minute later from the first Casuals real attack they scored, or rather Bay scored, as Reylon Dillan’s shot rebounded from striking the post, hitting Jono Richardson and ricocheted back into the bottom corner of the net.
There then followed two minutes of shambolic defending as Casuals pushed forward; a couple of frantic goal line clearances failed to clear the ball allowed Gabriel
Odunaike time to smash the ball home from close range.
The visitors were now in total control as they swarmed all over our defence for the next 15 minutes. Bay looked to have weathered the storm but then another calamity in the defence as a high cross was not cleared and with Hunter slightly off his line, the smallest player on the pitch, Josh Uzun, ran in and looped a header over his 6’ 7” frame into the net to give Casuals a 3-0 half time lead.
The second half saw a different Herne Bay, more like the side we saw at the start of the season. They pressed forward relentlessly, forcing a couple of good saves from Bracken and some good defending from Casuals back four. Bay were rewarded for their attacking play in the 59th minute. Danny Leonard made a great run down the right flank and despite a foul challenge from Nathan Daly he produced a superb cross from the bye line which Nassim Dukali met and drilled the ball past Bracken. Casuals were now looking worried as Bay searched for next goal, they were using time wasting tactics whenever they could in an attempt to take the momentum away from Bay.
Then again against the run of play Casuals sealed the win. With Bay pushing everyone forward they were always going to be susceptible to the quick long ball counter attack. Hamilton Antonio outpaced theour defenders, rounded Hunter and the slid the ball into the empty net. Game over.
A much better performance today but we still lack cohesion in the back line and never really look like scoring although the second half performance should give us optimism for the really hard fixtures we have to come this month.