It doesn't seem to matter how well Casuals play, they just cannot win a cup game of any description at the moment. This game could have gone either way right up until the final whistle but it was perhaps fitting that one supreme piece of individual skill should decide the outcome.
Right from the kick off, Enfield ripped into the Casuals with the front three of Dan Costelloe, Brett Donnelly and Ricky Case testing Colin Harris' reflexes. A turn and shot from Case forced Harris to save low to his left and the same player saw a 20 yard strike deflected straight at the keeper. Next to try his luck was Costelloe but he too found Harris in top form when guarding his near post. The barrage continued for the majority of the opening half, Donnelly also seeing a shot saved and Case again finding Harris' legs preventing him at a near post. Somehow Casuals survived and they even started to have a go themselves as half-time approached. One lovely move saw Kane Sergeant run across midfield, picking the precise moment to release Jamie Byatt. Faced with a one on one Byatt would normally back himself to score but this was not to be his night as Paul Daley produced a fine save low to his left. Byatt had another chance right on the half time whistle but forced his shot from an angle wide of the post, again from a clever Sergeant pass.
There was a very worrying moment a few minutes from the break when Harris and Alex Rodrigues went to clear a ball at the same time with a collision impossible to avoid. Physio Paul Midwinter said Rodrigues was unconscious for a couple of minutes and thankfully the Casuals centre-half eventually got to his feet. As a precaution he was taken to hospital and Andre McCollin made his long awaited re-appearance.
The second period was a complete turn around. Casuals went from prey to predator and set about Enfield with great gusto. Sergeant knocked a ball between two defenders and was unceremoniously dumped to the floor but no penalty was awarded. Craig Dunne blazed a 25 yarder over the bar and Michael Corbett forced Daley to save well after galloping free down the left flank. Just as the home fans dared themselves to dream about winning a first cup game for four years, Donnelly produced the shot of the game. The E's broke quickly down their left flank and the ball was moved to Donnelly feet with his back to goal on the edge of the Casuals box. In a flash he turned and sent a fierce drive into the far corner of Harris' goal before anyone had time to move. It was a fine strike and worthy of winning a cup game.
Byatt came close to pulling Casuals level when a cross from wide on the left dropped onto Daley's crossbar but he knew it was going to be one of those days close to the finish. Chris Horwood moved forward for the last ten minutes, put a nice ball through to Byatt and watched him sprint free but from the edge of the box Byatt drilled his shot high and wide.
Casuals line up : Colin Harris, Simon Shergold (Izedin Harusha 77), Rico Morris, Alex Rodrigues (Andre McCollin 40), Chris Horwood, Kane Sergeant, Craig Dunne, Aaron Colt-Bolt, Andy Gibbons, Jamie Byatt, Michael Corbett (Harry Holloway 77).
Subs not used : Dave Tidy Attendance : 84 Red Cards : None Yellow Cards : Izedin Harusha
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