Corinthian Casuals' recent good form in Ryman Division One South came to a disappointing end in an even contest at Leatherhead's Fetcham Grove on Tuesday night, with Casuals old boy Mark Simmons scoring the only goal to separate the sides.
Both teams were fresh from two consecutive victories, with the home side knocking seven past Whitstable Town the previous Saturday, but this game never looked like being played in the same vein as both sides cancelled each other out in an lacklustre opening 30-minutes.
However, on the half-hour mark, a right wing cross was whipped into the visitors' six-yard box and failed to be dealt with as a Wayne Finnie struggled to clear the ball past Simmons who, from eight yards, side-footed the ball home with a curling effort passed the diving Luke Naughton.
Scott Corbett had the visitors' best chance of the half on 37 minutes when nice work down the left engineered some space for the midfielder to let loose with a shot from 25 yards, but his well-struck effort was deflected away from goal when it looked like the Leatherhead keeper was set to be called on.
Casuals striker Carlton Murray-Price looked to have a good case for a penalty waved away after the break.
A brilliantly worked one-two with Luke Wright carved open the home side's defence, leaving Murray-Price though on goal, only to be seemingly brought down before being able to get a clear shot away.
Casuals will regret failing to turn their attaractive passing and possession into any meaningful opportunities and the Leatherhead defence remained stout for the remainder of the half.
Apart from a low save on 76 minutes from Luke Naughton, neither keeper really had a save to make and a flat game was only made entertaining with some comedy finishing from the home side in the final minute.
However, I'm sure the the uneven pitch will be alluded to as to why Marc Elston decided to kick at thin air rather than simply stroke the ball into an unguarded net to wrap the game up for the hosts.
Casuals: Luke Naughton, Scott Hassell, Wayne Finnie (Glenn Boosey), Youseff Metwaili ,Byron Brown, Jason Turley, Scott Corbett, Kane Sergeant, Jamal Carr (Ogbanufe), Luke Wright, Carlton Murray-Price (Owusu Bekoe) SUBS: Wiltshire, Hennessey
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