Weather Wins As Corinthian-Casuals Game Abandoned
- Cameron Smith
- Dec 1, 2016
- 2 min read
After combatting the frigid weather for fifty-nine minutes, the Corinthian Casuals versus East Grinstead Town game was abandoned due to the frozen surface of King George’s Field, with the score goalless.
Following a delightful home victory on Saturday in which a terrific Maz Bettache performance sealed three points against Herne Bay, football was in Tolworth again on Tuesday. As the spectators shuffled into the ground, it was clear to see the layer of frost across the pitch. With officials more than happy to get the game underway, the starting XI of Corinthians was registered- Jamie Byatt and Brandon Johnson warming the bench whilst Shaun Okojie and Ben Cheklit started.
With two opponents from West Sussex in the last three games, Casuals were looking to take all three points on this occasion as the clash at East Court ended 2-2. In a worrying twentieth spot, the Wasps have lost their last four games with convincing scorelines, especially versus promotion hunters Tooting & Mitcham.
With temperatures below freezing point, the chocolate and pink shirts of Casuals and the white away kit of East Grinstead positioned themselves on the centre circle for a minute’s silence. On Tuesday morning, overwhelming news dominated the footballing world as a plane carrying eighty-one passengers, who were footballers, management, staff and journalists of Chapecoense, an upcoming Brazilian side, crashed and fatally took the lives of seventy-five. Travelling to Colombia for the biggest match in the club’s history, there were only six survivors- three footballers. A devastating day, Casuals, East Grinstead, officials and spectators stood to remember the lives lost in a beautifully observed minute’s silence. At all levels of football, we stand together. Our thoughts are with the families, friends and colleagues of Chapecoense.
Cancelling each other out with rued opportunities, the game entered half-time with the scoreline goalless. After six minutes, a low cross from East Grinstead evaded everyone including the unmarked player stuck on the back-post ready to pounce. On the fifteen minute mark, the best chance in the game arose with Josh Uzun so nearly opening the scoring if it wasn’t for the oncoming Chris Haigh, who parried away. As the quality of the pitch deteriorated, the quality of football did too. But, moments before half-time, both sides could have netted. Superb technique from Ben Cheklit saw his dipping free-kick saved by Haigh before the Wasps were denied by the late Dave Hodges, booting the ball from the goal-line with the Grinstead attacker convinced he had scored.
Indicating the match was in doubt, half-time passed with uncertainty as to whether the game would last a full ninety minutes. A series of missed chances for Corinthians, the tempo was raised until three blows of the whistle ceased play.
Photo credit: Stuart Tree