Match Review: Casuals FC vs SCC Firsts

• GK Sander Saurajen
• DF Lee Scurr
• DF David Phelps
• MD David Hitchen
• MD Ollie Canning
• ST Nick Verrill
• ST Andy Woodbridge
• ST Kazuki Sato-Brennan
• -- Oliver Stultz
• -- Mark Sherwin
• -- Jamie Miller

• MD Sam Hallam
• MD Marc Siegfried
• MD Steve Janes
• -- Tom Lees

Progress not Perfection ; )

We were so confident of winning we cancelled training and told some of the seniors to rest up and stay at home after some were only 99.9% fit. To be fair, Steady did say he would do a late fitness test and did exactly that, he took his fitness test at 945pm…Friday. Strong squad assembled, Fraze gave his 45min team talk. We were stiff, bored but educated on the challenges of plumbing in Malaysia. Game started well enough for Casuals, wining most of the battles across the pitch and were happy for SCC to play around the back and then sweep up the long balls when they came. Took a deserved lead, great work by Oli C outmuscling the CB and passing to Hitchypoo to smash home the opener. Chances for both sides, Nick missed a couple sitters and Hitchypoo hit the bar from 47yards. SCC were having a lot of the ball but not really doing much with it although the big lad up top was having a few pot shots. The last 10mins of the half SCC scored 3 goals, the first was a nice move finished at the back post. Second was a dubious free kick but a very tidy finish by Matt and the third totally avoidable if we ever spoke to each other on the pitch but again a very good top bin finish by Andrew. Half time chat was thankfully a lot shorter than the pre-game chat – we were creating chances although not helping ourselves with the lack of communication. An early goal for SCC in fairness probably settled the game however Casuals kept working and the boys up top were putting in a shift. Midfield were working hard and happy with SCC having to play sideways rather than forward which worked pretty well for the most part. Goals came for SCC, dubious offside for one of the goals and the last we totally switched off. Oli C got a goal back in between and a free kick was asking to be finished off but everyone missed it. Game over. Tough game and whilst never really played off the park there were some quality finishes by SCC and the depth in squad was very telling. Congrats SCC, well deserved and good luck for the rest of the season. Ref watch, did a good job with no real flash points for him to manage. MOM SCC – Right back, tidy little player. MOM Casuals – a number of decent performances, Andy, Scurr, Sherwin but Hitchypoo gets it this week.

• Ronnie Smollett GK
• Jack Cullinane DF
• Sam Balls MD
• Anthony Garreau MD
• Aleksandar Duric ST
• Liam Shotton ST
• Kike Perconig --
• Andrew Hutcheon --
• Danny Shearwood --
• Matt Hulen --
• Adam Bowden --

• Enrique Sanchez MD
• Owen Monaghan --
• Marcus Nagle --
• Mike Hemmingway --

Friday Night Lights

SCC Firsts and Casuals met up for an expected physical match between the long-time rivals. The tone was set early with a few brash tackles and both sides pressing all over the park. The Casuals pressure paid off early when a mistake in the back by fill-in centre and SCC captain, Anthony Garreau, lost possession deep in SCC's defensive third for Casuals to punish with clinical precision. 1-0 to the Casuals within 10 minutes of the opening whistle. SCC settled down and started to move the ball better only to equalize not long after through young Kike who was first to finish a lose ball close to goal. Both sides traded chances through the middle of the first half with Casuals looking to break SCC's possession with pressure and quick counters. The tactic nearly paid off a few times with Casuals coming close to taking the lead once again. On the other side of the pitch Liam missed a few clear chances to put SCC in front. The deadlock was broken in quick succession through a lovely set piece from MoM Matt Hulen and then quickly after through Hutch who rolled back the years with a thunderbolt from outside the area. 1-3 to the SCC at half-time. The second half started more open than the first with both sides pressing for another goal. The Casuals pulled one back through a combination of pressing and a failure to communicate by SCC as two players got in each other's way while the ball deflected to a Casuals player inside the box for an easy finish. 2-3 to SCC. SCC responded quickly through good combination play to release young Kike who showed his maturity with a calm finish inside the far post. 2-4 to SCC. From there the match opened up as Casuals looked to pull a goal back and SCC looked to break quickly into the spaces left by forward rushing Casuals players. SCC has been able to bring in quality from the bench all season and Friday evening was no different as Kike Sanchez, Mike Hemmingway, young Marcus, and old Owen were all fresh reinforcements eager to make an impression on the match. Kike Sanchez was first to strike after Danny played a lovely ball over the top releasing Hulen who squared to Kike for a composed finish as he rounded the keeper. Mike "big dunc" Himmingway rounded out the scoring after a deft first touch on the end of a pacy first time cross from Sam Balls. The match ended 2-6 to SCC. Credit to Casuals who had clear chances throughout the match, but weren't able to convert at the same rate as SCC. The match was bossed in the middle from an experienced CM trio of Hulen, Balls and Duric, though SCC walk away knowing they did not leave their best performance on the pitch. Onwards and upwards next week vs 1TM Latini. MoM for the Casuals goes to Andy for some skillful play in the middle of the park including one of the dirtiest nutmegs we have witnessed in years...even better it was on Hutch.