Ryman League Division One South
Corinthian-Casuals 1 Whyteleafe 5
WHYTELEAFE delivered a fantastic five goal performance in front of a boisterous Friday night crowd at Corinthian-Casuals to move up to second place in the Ryman South.
Encouraged by supporters at each end in fine voice, the match started at a high tempo with both sides playing a fast passing game on the fine quality King George's Arena surface.
Early exchanges were even until the 11th minute when a precise passing move through the Leafe midfield found Greg Andrews on the left wing. Andrews beat the Casuals defender to deliver an inviting cross into the box that was met with a controlled volley into the back of the net by Roscoe DSane.
Just three minutes later, Andrews added to his impressive tally of spectacular goals when he turned onto a quickly taken free kick from Jason Thompson to volley powerfully from outside the ill-defined penalty area past the stranded Casuals' keeper.
Andrews was a constant threat to the Casuals defence and was inelegantly brought down by his marker on 25 minutes. Dylan Merchant met the resulting free kick at the far post with a strong header, leading to a frantic goal-line clearance.
Casuals' best chance came just after the half hour when a well struck cross found its way across Ceesay's goal, but has slashed high and wide by the home striker, Steve Goddard. This encouraged Casuals to push forward, but Smith and Merchant again proved solid in the centre of defence to nullify the threat. During this period Ceesay suffered a leg injury after being clattered into when collecting a cross, but was fortunately able to continue with Tommy Smith thereafter taking on goal kicking duties.
Leafe came back into the ascendency towards the end of the half, with both Sam Clayton and Bentley Graham applying pressure. On 40 minutes, Graham made a mazy run past three defenders into the box and his firmly struck low shot was well saved by Danny Bracken in the Casuals' goal. Shortly afterwards a Clayton shot flew narrowly over the bar. On what proved to be a busy night for Bracken, he again saved well from another goal bound drive from DSane.
The most controversial moment of the match came on the stroke of half-time when the Casuals' left back was harshly adjudged to have brought down DSane as he ran onto another penetrating ball played into the Casuals' penalty area. However, Jason Thompson showed no mercy as he battered the resulting penalty into Bracken's goal in his trademark style to take the Leafe into the half-time break with a 3:0 lead.
Casuals started the second half with fresh intent and within seconds brought the score back to 3:1 when Carl Wilson-Denis slotted the ball into Ceesay's goal after the home side casually passed the ball from the halfway line without facing a Leafe tackle.
Leafe briefly looked ruffled and just 5 minutes later Casuals perhaps should have scored again when a fine cross was played across the Leafe box with the goalmouth begging but no home player could reach the ball to convert the chance.
Casuals were growing in confidence and mounted a period of sustained pressure with Ceesay being forced to make several good saves and Merchant heading the ball clear from the goal line.
However, Leafe soon regained their composure and attacking style following some well judged substitutions to lead to an incredible finale to this entertaining match.
Ryan Fowler (who had replaced the injured Thompson on 51 minutes) made an immediate impact when his shot was well saved by Bracken after a direct passing move tore through the Casuals' mid-field. The impressive Jason Henry nearly made the dream start after coming on for Clayton on 68 minutes when his header from Andrews' cross narrowly missed the target.
Only two minutes later, Fowler picked the ball up in midfield and showed great strength to break forward and pick out an inch perfect pass to DSane who coolly slotted the ball home under the despairing Bracken. The travelling Leafe faithful responded in ecstatic fashion and sang their hearts out to match the equally vocal Casuals support at the opposite end.
Before being substituted for Tom Pratt on 76 minutes, the two-goal hero DSane further earned his standing ovation when he again broke through the Casuals defence only for his firm cross to pass behind the advancing Fowler.
Andrews proved to be too hot for the Casuals defence to handle throughout the evening and on 86 minutes dispossessed the home side's skipper Joe Hicks just outside the penalty area. Tom Pratt ran onto Andrews' pass and smashed the ball under Bracken for the Leafe's fifth goal of the night.
Even this wasn't the end of the entertainment as the Casuals finished in physical style, with Steve Goddard earning a yellow card for a foul on Jensen Grant before forcing a spectacular save from Ceesay, diving high to his left to deflect the powerful drive onto the cross bar and safety. As the match reached its conclusion Fowler forced a further save from Bracken at his near post and Grant came close with a strike from range that flew just high over the bar.
The squad and supporters can now enjoy a thoroughly deserved rest on Saturday and look forward to the crunch local derby against Chipstead at Church Road on Tuesday 14 October.
Whyteleafe: Ceesay, Patterson-Bohner, Penfold, Smith, Merchant, Thompson (Fowler 51), Clayton (Henry 68), Grant, DSane (Pratt 76), Andrews, Graham.
