Terrors Outscored In Thrilling Game

Tooting suffered the agony of conceding a stoppage time winner for the second game in succession as they battled back bravely from 0-2 down and then 2-3 down with 10 men before finally being beaten in the 96th minute.

The first chance of the game came as early as the 2nd minute and fell the way of Tooting who won a corner out on the right. It was swung in right footed by Jordan Wilson across the face of the 6 yard box evading all the Walton defenders but unfortunately for Tooting, also the incoming Mike Dixon. Three minutes later it was the Casuals turn to have an effort on goal when a trademark free kick from Jordan Cheadle from 25 yards out on the right was tipped over the crossbar by Matte Pierson. The home side took the lead on 15 minutes when the ball was played down the right hand side, over the top of a very flat Terrors’ back four and pulled back across the face of the 6 yard box from where it was hit home by Malachi Hudson. Three minutes later Tooting found themselves two down when Adriano Moraes gave the ball away just inside his own half. It was played in to Roscoe D’Sane, who seeing Matte Pierson well advanced from his line, struck the ball early towards goal leaving Pierson struggling to narrow the angle between himself and his near post and could only watch as the ball went past him into the back of the net.

Although two down, Tooting began to rally and on 21 minutes, Taurean Roberts had a good effort from about 8 yards out but his shot was deflected out for a corner off of the thigh of a defender. Several minutes later Danny Bassett forced the ‘keeper into making a good save low down to his right after Eddie Dines got his head to a corner and glanced the ball across the six yard area before Bassett picked it up and shot. In the final minute of the half there was a chance for Mike Dixon as a corner came in from the Terrors’ left. It went right across the six yard box to the other side of the goal where it was picked up by the bye line by Jordan Wilson. Wilson chipped the ball back across to the centre where it was headed down into the ground by Dixon and bounced back up safely into the arms of the ‘keeper.

The Terrors were out of the blocks for the second half at lightning speed and just 2 minutes in, Taurean Roberts picked up the ball on the edge of box, made room for himself and shot right footed into the back of the net. Six minutes later, Taurean Roberts turned provider when he delivered a pinpoint cross from the right hand side where once again it was met on the edge of the six yard box by the head of Mike Dixon, but this time his downward effort beat the ‘keeper and found the back of the net. Tooting were now playing with far greater confidence and belief and had another opportunity on 67 minutes when Jordan Wilson struck the ball from 20 yards out following a good run but his effort went just wide. The home side were still dangerous though and Matte Pierson was forced into making a good save from close range down by the foot of his right hand post. A minute later though Tooting found themselves behind again as Jack Sammoutis was allowed to run with the ball through the Tooting midfield and as the defence backed away from his he was allowed to shoot low down, with an effort that Matte Pierson in the Terrors’ goal from 25 yards out.

Shortly after falling behind again Tooting found themselves down to 10 men when Taurean Roberts received his second yellow card of the game following a melee after an off the ball challenge on Eddie Dines who had to be helped from the field and was later taken to hospital with a suspected dislocated shoulder. However the Terrors were not done and pulled back level again on 82 minutes when Ollie Bennett pulled a ball back inside to Jordan Wilson who fired in Tooting’s third from just inside the penalty area. Despite being a man short, Tooting only had winning in mind and two minutes later a 25 yard effort from Chace O’Neill had to be pushed away by the ’keeper. On 87 minutes it was the Terrors’ goal under threat but once again Matte Pierson saved well at his near post. Deep into stoppage time, substitute Marcel Barrington picked up the ball and went on a run into the Casuals area and let fly a shot which was blocked by a last ditch tackle from Jordan Cheadle. The final action game in the last minute of the 7 additional minutes added by the referee. Tooting conceded a free kick for a rather innocuous challenge about 22 yards out, in a position slightly left of centre. The ball was played to Malachi Hudson whose looping effort towards goal curled over Matte Pierson’s dive and into the top corner of the Tooting net to seal the points for the home side.

Photo credit: Sam Conquest

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